Trying to Work the Shadows of Monterey

hawkeye978

Here are a couple from Monterey. I'm trying to see if I can generate an effective picture while still maintaining the dark areas that are present. Both of these are exposure blendings with appropriate masking and curve adjustments.

#1 Monterey Sea Power


24mm, f/13, ISO 100, 3 sec exposure

I'm finding waves hard to get out details without overdarkening the water.

#2 Dark Boulder Sunrise


16mm, f/13, 0.1 sec.

This is an attempt to maintain the colors and light in the sky and also details in the dark boulders in the foreground.

Both pictures used a circular polarizer.

C&C appreciated. Others found here.

black mamba

Hi Tom,

I like these shots. I'm curious about one thing....why use a circular polarizer on the second shot? As you're probably aware, the effect of the filter on polarized light in that second shot is practically zero as you are shooting almost directly into the rising sun. Were you otherwise using the stop to a stop and 1/2 of light loss that the filter will cause....perhaps like a ND filter?

Tom

Joashots

I agree, I like both shots.
Tricky exposures- esp #2. I would have held a soft 2 stop grad angled along, and just above the plane of the rocks, and then maybe another 2 or 3 hard stop straight up from the horizon.
I love shorelines.

hawkeye978

black mamba wrote: »

Hi Tom,

I like these shots. I'm curious about one thing....why use a circular polarizer on the second shot? As you're probably aware, the effect of the filter on polarized light in that second shot is practically zero as you are shooting almost directly into the rising sun. Were you otherwise using the stop to a stop and 1/2 of light loss that the filter will cause....perhaps like a ND filter?

Tom

Generally I keep a CPL on, especially when I'm shooting water/sky situations. As you stated, I get about 1 1/2 stops of light loss which helps in many situations regardless of the polarizing benefits. Also, working at these times of days you can waste a lot of time taking the filter on and off and potentially dropping/damaging the filter. The light changes quickly and I may switch my orientation from straight on to 90 degrees pretty fast. Leaving it on saves time. Also, even working nearly straight on, I think you will get some benefit in the water to cut down the glare.

hawkeye978

Joashots wrote: »

I agree, I like both shots.
Tricky exposures- esp #2. I would have held a soft 2 stop grad angled along, and just above the plane of the rocks, and then maybe another 2 or 3 hard stop straight up from the horizon.
I love shorelines.

I may have had a soft 2 ND grad in this shot, I can't remember for this specific case. I was hand holding a grad ND during some of these shots but not sure on this one. I agree it is a tricky exposure which is why I went and blended two exposures to get the sky the way I wanted. I was also using luminosity masks to bring out details in the dark boulders without brightening them very much.

hawkeye978

One more thought, many times I will use a Grad ND even when I'm collecting shots for HDR. Partially it's to give myself a little leeway in the exposure when blending exposures, and also if I mess up the shots (tripod shake, bad exposure settings, stupid photographer, the list goes on...) I have the potential of salvaging something from a single shot.

Dwayne Oakes

Easy fix in pp, just dodge (lighten) the shadow areas to bring out more
detail.

Take care,
Dwayne Oakes