What mode are you shooting? If Aperture Priority, you should have used exposure compensation for this. The camera chose to expose for the background and left your subject highly underexposed.
I always shoot in manual mode. I usually use the meter in the camera and it's usually very close, but I guess it got fooled, being in a gazebo on a very overcast day. I guess I'll have to dig out my old external light meter and start using that instead of the one in the camera. Anyone have any suggestions for a newer light meter that might have the ability to remotely fire radio triggered flashes? The one I have now doesn't have that capability, and if I start using flash, I'd might as well get a meter that can trigger the flashes to get an accurate reading.
GaryB
GaryB “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams
I always shoot in manual mode. I usually use the meter in the camera and it's usually very close, but I guess it got fooled, being in a gazebo on a very overcast day. I guess I'll have to dig out my old external light meter and start using that instead of the one in the camera. Anyone have any suggestions for a newer light meter that might have the ability to remotely fire radio triggered flashes? The one I have now doesn't have that capability, and if I start using flash, I'd might as well get a meter that can trigger the flashes to get an accurate reading.
GaryB
You don't need a lightmeter. The one in the camera is fine. Every camera will choose that exposure in that situation. You just have to know that and adjust accordingly. That's also why you have an LCD screen
+1 that the backlighting has fooled the camera into underexposure (a situation where you need to be super careful what area you meter from - spot-metering can help in light like that too and/or fill flash and/or just expose way to the right since it's easier to dial back than bump up - and even if you overexpose the bg it doesn't really matter).
This would be my workflow for that shot (if I felt I had to save it - I'd hope for one in the series where I started with brighter exposure, but if not...):
1. pick a wb from the white of her eye (then tweak to taste) - that should improve both the exposure (weird how an adjusted wb can sometimes significantly improve the perceived brightness), and the too-red skin tone in your earlier edits.
2. Raise the exposure/brightness
3. Step 2 will result in increased noise, so use the NR slider to take care of that - that will also provide a little skin smoothing.
4. Clone out the blemishes.
5. Brighten up the eyes with the localized brush - there are a few "eye bump" actions out there, but basically increase exposure/brightness/contrast/clarity/sharpness to taste
+1 that the backlighting has fooled the camera into underexposure (a situation where you need to be super careful what area you meter from - spot-metering can help in light like that too and/or fill flash and/or just expose way to the right since it's easier to dial back than bump up - and even if you overexpose the bg it doesn't really matter).
This would be my workflow for that shot (if I felt I had to save it - I'd hope for one in the series where I started with brighter exposure, but if not...):
1. pick a wb from the white of her eye (then tweak to taste) - that should improve both the exposure (weird how an adjusted wb can sometimes significantly improve the perceived brightness), and the too-red skin tone in your earlier edits.
2. Raise the exposure/brightness
3. Step 2 will result in increased noise, so use the NR slider to take care of that - that will also provide a little skin smoothing.
4. Clone out the blemishes.
5. Brighten up the eyes with the localized brush - there are a few "eye bump" actions out there, but basically increase exposure/brightness/contrast/clarity/sharpness to taste
Done.
Thanks for the reply and the tips Diva! I need to check how the camera was setup, but I thought I had it setup for spot metering, and single focus point that was set to be on one of her eyes. I guess I didn't go far enough to the right as you mentioned. Also I never thought about setting the wb off one of her eyes! That will be usefull next time around. Also, I had just gotten a free upgrade to Portrait Professional Studio 11 and wanted to try it out. Another program that I have that I think will be useful is Nik's Vivesa 2. With that program, if I end up with a bright background, I could darken it. I could possibly use that program to bump up the eyes. I'll have to give that a try and see if that will work. Anyways, thanks again!
GaryB
GaryB “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams
Don't forget that the camera averages out the exposure to the famous 18% (?) gray. Caucasian skin is usually one to two stops lighter than neutral gray. If you spot meter off caucasian skin the camera will bring the exposure down those one or two stops, so you might need to compensate.
Comments
I always shoot in manual mode. I usually use the meter in the camera and it's usually very close, but I guess it got fooled, being in a gazebo on a very overcast day. I guess I'll have to dig out my old external light meter and start using that instead of the one in the camera. Anyone have any suggestions for a newer light meter that might have the ability to remotely fire radio triggered flashes? The one I have now doesn't have that capability, and if I start using flash, I'd might as well get a meter that can trigger the flashes to get an accurate reading.
GaryB
“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams
You don't need a lightmeter. The one in the camera is fine. Every camera will choose that exposure in that situation. You just have to know that and adjust accordingly. That's also why you have an LCD screen
This would be my workflow for that shot (if I felt I had to save it - I'd hope for one in the series where I started with brighter exposure, but if not...):
1. pick a wb from the white of her eye (then tweak to taste) - that should improve both the exposure (weird how an adjusted wb can sometimes significantly improve the perceived brightness), and the too-red skin tone in your earlier edits.
2. Raise the exposure/brightness
3. Step 2 will result in increased noise, so use the NR slider to take care of that - that will also provide a little skin smoothing.
4. Clone out the blemishes.
5. Brighten up the eyes with the localized brush - there are a few "eye bump" actions out there, but basically increase exposure/brightness/contrast/clarity/sharpness to taste
Done.
Thanks for the reply and the tips Diva! I need to check how the camera was setup, but I thought I had it setup for spot metering, and single focus point that was set to be on one of her eyes. I guess I didn't go far enough to the right as you mentioned. Also I never thought about setting the wb off one of her eyes! That will be usefull next time around. Also, I had just gotten a free upgrade to Portrait Professional Studio 11 and wanted to try it out. Another program that I have that I think will be useful is Nik's Vivesa 2. With that program, if I end up with a bright background, I could darken it. I could possibly use that program to bump up the eyes. I'll have to give that a try and see if that will work. Anyways, thanks again!
GaryB
“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams