Needed a graduated ND filter?

Elaine

After seeing Scott's wonderful group shot, I thought I'd share my very amatuer attempt at a rather large group - 61, I think! Anyway, I wondered if a graduated ND filter would have done me some good here? The sun was getting pretty low in the sky, and I didn't want to lose the background, so all the people ended up pretty dark. I've brightened the shadows some, but it could still use some work. Would an ND filter be a valuable thing to have in my bag, for shots like this and otherwise?

Elaine

DavidTO

That shot is easily improved, along the lines of this tutorial.

You can dramatically brighten the foreground while leaving the background alone.

Also, you have a definite blue cast in the foreground, as it was in shadow, which is lit by the blue of the sky. When you make curves for the foreground just use the neutral eyedropper on the pavement. It should be neutral, not blue, as it is.

Also, questions about shooting techinique are best posted in our Technique forum, and questions on processing in Finishing School.

Here's a quick stab at my suggestions above on your lo-rez image.

DavidTO

Oh, and I also wanted to mention re: the grad filter...

Nah. You'd be just as well to bracket your exposures with a shot like that. You could even have reshot once everyone dispersed...and then blended it later.

Elaine

Sorry for the misplaced post! Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to see what I can do with PSE 5 regarding the blue cast and lighting issue.

Elaine

devbobo

I reckon you would have alot of trouble trying to shoot that with a GND filter, because of the staggered headline and the trees on one side.

In reality, I think bracketing would have been the best option.

GraphyFotoz

All I used was the Skylight 81A filter right in CS2 at about 25-30%...brighten things a bit and lil USM.
Not perfect but you get the idea.

Hope ya didn't mind?

I have the FULL size version done if ya want it.

gus

My take ...in exposure i reduced offset to -00.50 & put gamma at about .85 & in levels i took the right hand slider from 255 to about 160. Also added a tad of contrast (about 5) & sharpened a bit.

Elaine

Allright...you guys are just too quick to respond! I tried reposting my question in the Technique board...now I've really messed things up! Oh well...I really appreciate your help here.

So, I should have bracketed and then merged a couple shots together? I think with so many people, DavidTO's idea of taking one when everyone had left would have been smart...then I could have merged a people exposed one with a background exposed one, right?? Somehow, I've got to learn to think of these options in the moment. It was like herding cats to get this large of a group together and reasonably cooperate and stand still for a couple minutes while a couple camera ladies (me and my sister-in-law) set our timers, pushed the buttons, then ran to get ourselves into the shot...3 or 4 times. There is so much to think about!!!

Anyway, I learned something new here. Thanks!

Elaline

Elaine

Thanks for moving and deleting my threads!

Elaine

LiquidAir

Here is one way to handle this shot:

Put the camera on a tripod set it up to bracket and use a remote release to make sure you don't move the camera. Take the shots of your assembled people exposed for the foreground. Then move everyone out of the way and take some shots of just the background exposed for the sky. Then layer the best people shot on top of the best sky shot. You can probably manage the layering with just a Blend If, but if not you can build a layer mask.

That said, I find that kind of work a bit risky because the Photoshop work gets more difficult if anything bumps the tripod between shots. I would probably take a few shots up front with a graduated ND filter just to have some in the can before I got tricky. But then, I have a set grad ND filters in my bag from my film days so maybe I am just showing my age here.

Elaine

GraphyFotoz wrote:

All I used was the Skylight 81A filter right in CS2 at about 25-30%...brighten things a bit and lil USM.
Not perfect but you get the idea.

Hope ya didn't mind?

I have the FULL size version done if ya want it.

I don't mind at all! I think it looks great - thanks! I'm going to give it a go, but I may PM you for your version.

Elaine