Harsh Light and Lazy Slackers

coldclimb

I took these photos on a trip last September to Smith Rock, Oregon, of a group of friends doing some "slacklining". I kept nearly 200 photos, and a lot of them worked pretty well, but I had a real problem with the harsh light washing out the colors. These are a few of the better ones I managed to save with some work on the computer. Perhaps you folks can help me out some with tips for working in really bright sunlight?

Not knowing much about REAL photography:dunno, I let my camera do the magic for me on the "auto" setting. It's a 6mp digital Fuji F700.

This pic is pretty sweet, but since my only choice was to shoot from the shadowy side, I couldn't quite get his skin to work out right. It was either really bland and colorless, or really dark. In the end it's satisfactory, but I think it could be better.
Shutter: 1/208 sec.
Aperture: F/5.7
Focal length: 16mm
ISO 200


This pic I used the flash to fill in the foreground, since it was close enough and all in shadow. It worked out better than most of the shots, but there's still some rather harsh highlights. Incidentally, I was fortunate enough to get a picture of myself shooting this picture from a friend a few months later.:):
Shutter: 1/416 sec.
Aperture: 5.7
Focal length: 8mm
ISO 200


This one I didn't manage to get to look as good as I wanted it. Luckily Chris was not born with the same pasty white Alaskan skin that I have, or it would have been ruined.:D the colors and contrast here is a bit bland for what I would have wanted.
Shutter: 1/315
Aperture: 5.7
Focal Length: 8mm
ISO 160




So anyway, any tips on shooting in bright light would be appreciated, in case I ever find myself back in some hot, sunny place where Alaskan white boys were never meant to be.:D Thanks all!

John Mueller

I dont come into the sports thread and for some reason I clicked on this.
First off WELCOME and second,that first shot blows me away.
I would have soiled my britches for sure.

fish

those shots skeer me. :yikes

Steve Cavigliano

I'm with Fish. I'm not scared of many things, but heights (let alone, while walking across a canyon on a skinny strand of rope) is one of them :jawdrop



Really nice shots, though You might want to pick out one of your worst "bright Sun" pics and post it in the Photoshop Forum. I'm sure lots of folks would like to take a crack at it plus, I'm sure you'll get some suggestions about how to shoot under these conditions, for next time.

Thanks for sharing,
Steve

tmlphoto

Cool stuff, but definitely not for me. Try using the flash on every shot is bright sunlight. It helps to open up the shadows, but shouldn't really compete with the ambient light as the main light. That second one could have used a little less flash, use "flash exposure compensation" if your camera supports it.

After the fact, the Shadows/Hightlights feature of Photoshop is useful to open up the shadows nicely, while maintaining good contrast.

Nice shooting & watch your step : .

Red Bull

While I'm not afraid of heights, walking on a skinny rope with just a little bungee cord in case I fell would make me soil my pants! That sure takes skill, not to mention guts! Great pictures. You can really get a feeling of how high that is!

rutt

Beautiful and vivid shots. Why not try submitting the to outside Magazine. See http://outside.away.com/outside/photo/index.html

Not that they've ever replied to my submissions. But I think these are extremely striking and very up the their alley. Not much to lose and a lot to gain.

Angelo

Hi and welcome. Amazing shots. I hope the pros give you the answers you seek but please tell me how you took these shots? #1 & #2 are short focal lengths... were you dangling on a rope right next to these guys? I need a dramamine.

winger

Yeah as far as composition doesnt get much better than that first shot, I mean well composed with the guy on the rope (holy cow!!!) and the beautiful valley below.

As far as PS questions those aint for me.

Holy cow, so really just them on a rope.

coldclimb

Steve Cavigliano wrote:

Really nice shots, though You might want to pick out one of your worst "bright Sun" pics and post it in the Photoshop Forum. I'm sure lots of folks would like to take a crack at it plus, I'm sure you'll get some suggestions about how to shoot under these conditions, for next time.

Sounds like a good plan. I think I'll do that, thanks!

Angelo wrote:

Hi and welcome. Amazing shots. I hope the pros give you the answers you seek but please tell me how you took these shots? #1 & #2 are short focal lengths... were you dangling on a rope right next to these guys? I need a dramamine.

Well there were two lines up at the time. The long one in the first pic went alongside a rock outcropping for a ways before breaking out into the exposed gap. This is a pic that kinda shows the area as we were getting the line set up: http://www.morffed.com/2004.php?action=slideshow&image=gslacklining04
Then the second I took from the little cave across the gap in the third pic. My buddy actually managed to get a picture of me taking the shot, which was quite cool. See that one here: http://www.morffed.com/climb/smith/john07.jpg


Thanks for all the comments guys, I appreciate it. I did try sending these to Climbing Magazine, but they didn't need them at the time. I guess Outside wouldn't be a bad way to go either. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have to kick my lazy self into gear and give that a shot.

ian408

I am amazed by the slack-liner sort. Dean Potter especially.

Cool shots.

Ian

coldclimb

ian408 wrote:

I am amazed by the slack-liner sort. Dean Potter especially.

Cool shots.

Ian

Dean Potter is definitely pushing the limits of the sport, and providing a lot of popularity too, since he's a bit more high profile than the rest of us. That's definitely someone I'd like to meet. Shawn Snyder, shown in my first picture, is breaking boundaries too, and one of the all-around awesomest guys I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. That line he's on is a 120-footer he set up while we were there, and was attempting to walk for the first time. Also there with us was Scott Balcom, one of the pioneers of the sport (did the first highline ever), and Larry Harpe and Chris Hill, the guys with Not For Climbing. That's Larry's feet and Chris taking the fall.

Myself having just turned 18, hanging out with these guys for a week was an incredible experience. More than that, it was an honor that I did not expect, or even realize until I actually spent time with them and got to know them. Legends in their own right. Mad respect for all of them. I personally never did make it across either line, but I took a few falls trying, so I came home content, knowing that I gave it my best. It's definitely a whole different ball game when you take slacklining out of the backyard.

Just a little anecdote to go with the pics.

DoctorIt

Wow. I think maybe I gotta get my climbing buddies to try this. Don't know where we'll find cliffs like those around New England though...

thanks for sharing the shots and story

ian408

coldclimb wrote:

Just a little anecdote to go with the pics.

Thanks for that.

Definetly a "defining moment" in life

Ian