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How to fix this picture?
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Mar 9, 2016 07:26:09   #
Madchemist Loc: Nesbit, MS
 
Hi! I actually have two questions. First, how can I fix this photo so it looks better? I think the background is way to bright. And the subject's face just needs improvement as far as lighting I think.

My other question is how to best expose this photo in the first place? My thought is not to take a photo in this kind of lighting. But we did not have much choice that day.

Thank you for your help.


(Download)

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Mar 9, 2016 07:30:40   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
Madchemist wrote:
Hi! I actually have two questions. First, how can I fix this photo so it looks better? I think the background is way to bright. And the subject's face just needs improvement as far as lighting I think.

My other question is how to best expose this photo in the first place? My thought is not to take a photo in this kind of lighting. But we did not have much choice that day.

Thank you for your help.

There's no simple cure for shooting a dark subject in front of a bright background. There will always be a compromise, although a variable ND filter could darken the sky. Using LR, you can darken the sky, as members will tell you.

Cropping tighter on the right would eliminate some of that sky.

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Mar 9, 2016 07:41:24   #
Singing Swan
 
My first suggestion would be to have put the sun behind you rather than to the side as the shadows indicate. Now recovering this photo is a job for post processing as Jerry suggested.

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Mar 9, 2016 07:57:19   #
Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.
 
Madchemist wrote:
Hi! I actually have two questions. First, how can I fix this photo so it looks better? I think the background is way to bright. And the subject's face just needs improvement as far as lighting I think.

My other question is how to best expose this photo in the first place? My thought is not to take a photo in this kind of lighting. But we did not have much choice that day.

Thank you for your help.


A good, strong 'flash fill' might have softened the shadows nicely. (Flash is not only for inside use).

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Mar 9, 2016 08:30:58   #
boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander
 
Papa Joe wrote:
A good, strong 'flash fill' might have softened the shadows nicely. (Flash is not only for inside use).


I was going to suggest the same thing. As above- it's a classic metering problem, Dark against white. There is another way to look at it. First-a bad photo is better than NO photo. Your main subject is the cow(or is it a bull), concentrate on that and let the background take care of itself, and don't worry about it.

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Mar 9, 2016 08:33:21   #
Rongnongno Loc: FL
 
Madchemist wrote:
Hi! I actually have two questions. First, how can I fix this photo so it looks better? I think the background is way to bright. And the subject's face just needs improvement as far as lighting I think.

My other question is how to best expose this photo in the first place? My thought is not to take a photo in this kind of lighting. But we did not have much choice that day.

Thank you for your help.

Post this in the post processing section if you want someone to 'correct it'.

Best way to expose this?

Not being against the sun is the best step.

Short of that a fill flash (that is adjusted to open the shadows, not a 'strong setting') is the next option.

Since you are dealing with cattle I have no idea how this beast will react to a flash so you may have to be prudent on that side?

A third option is to use reflectors but that can also be a problem with live stock so you are back to #1 option.

Please note that while shooting in poor condition you have not lost all that much so the exposure is correct. I do have questions about the lens color aberration thought.

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Mar 9, 2016 09:02:50   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
Madchemist wrote:
Hi! I actually have two questions. First, how can I fix this photo so it looks better? I think the background is way to bright. And the subject's face just needs improvement as far as lighting I think.

My other question is how to best expose this photo in the first place? My thought is not to take a photo in this kind of lighting. But we did not have much choice that day.

Thank you for your help.


Fixing it is easy in Lightroom but you are correct in thinking that the "fix" should come a the time of shooting.

You have several choices when you expose this sort of shot:


1.) Expose for the subject (horse and rider) in which case the sky will blow out into a nuclear detonation.

2.) Expose for the sky (the brightest part) and let the subject go dark (not acceptable)

3.) Somehow get the sky and subject's brightness closer together. You can do that by adding light with a flash or reflector or whatever means you decide. You can wait until the sun is going down and the sky darkens a bit (not something you want to do in this case) You can also turn them so that the sun is on their face and not on the back of their head. You could also bring them to a shaded area and frame so that the sky isn't in the picture.


In my opinion, the best option is to add light to equalize the lightness of the scene.


Having said that, it's a piece of cake in Lightroom to add light to the horse and rider but that blown out sky? Probably nothing left to save.


Edited to add: After downloading the image, the horse and rider look well exposed, the sky is a mess though.

My advice about adding light to the horse and rider stands...that way the sky can be included without exploding also.

As far as metering goes; if it were me, I'd walk right up to the cow and meter off of the cow to get the subject properly exposed, I wouldn't try and balance the sky and cow...it won't happen.

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Mar 10, 2016 06:20:39   #
John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK
 
Sign up for the post processing forum on the UH. Then post your shot there and ask the same question. There are enthusiasts there that do this stuff for fun. Great people.

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Mar 10, 2016 07:02:23   #
WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio
 
Madchemist wrote:
Hi! I actually have two questions. First, how can I fix this photo so it looks better? I think the background is way to bright. And the subject's face just needs improvement as far as lighting I think.

My other question is how to best expose this photo in the first place? My thought is not to take a photo in this kind of lighting. But we did not have much choice that day.

Thank you for your help.

Snap seed. Free apt. Check it out.
Snap seed. Free apt. Check it out....

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Mar 10, 2016 07:18:01   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
PS: This is one reason that I love shooting film. There is information in what looks like unretrievable highlights. Unlike digital, where that sky is just toast...no getting it back, with film, it's very doable.

But that's just a personal observation.

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Mar 10, 2016 07:44:09   #
Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)
 
So, the answer to your question was given by Boberic. If you can't equalize the light - expose for the important piece of the image and don't worry about the rest.
In PP you will discover that the entire background can be replaced if necessary.

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Mar 10, 2016 07:46:11   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
jerryc41 wrote:
... Using LR, you can darken the sky, as members will tell you.


Unfortunately, you can't put back what isn't there and this sky is completely devoid of information in the blown out part.

You can darken it but it turns a muddy grey mess.

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Mar 10, 2016 08:45:26   #
twowindsbear
 
rpavich wrote:
Fixing it is easy in Lightroom but you are correct in thinking that the "fix" should come a the time of shooting.

You have several choices when you expose this sort of shot:


1.) Expose for the subject (horse and rider) in which case the sky will blow out into a nuclear detonation.

2.) Expose for the sky (the brightest part) and let the subject go dark (not acceptable)

3.) Somehow get the sky and subject's brightness closer together. You can do that by adding light with a flash or reflector or whatever means you decide. You can wait until the sun is going down and the sky darkens a bit (not something you want to do in this case) You can also turn them so that the sun is on their face and not on the back of their head. You could also bring them to a shaded area and frame so that the sky isn't in the picture.


In my opinion, the best option is to add light to equalize the lightness of the scene.


Having said that, it's a piece of cake in Lightroom to add light to the horse and rider but that blown out sky? Probably nothing left to save.


Edited to add: After downloading the image, the horse and rider look well exposed, the sky is a mess though.

My advice about adding light to the horse and rider stands...that way the sky can be included without exploding also.

As far as metering goes; if it were me, I'd walk right up to the cow and meter off of the cow to get the subject properly exposed, I wouldn't try and balance the sky and cow...it won't happen.
Fixing it is easy in Lightroom but you are correct... (show quote)



Dude, it's NOT a horse!!

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Mar 10, 2016 08:47:10   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
twowindsbear wrote:
Dude, it's NOT a horse!!


Lol...I just realized that I said horse a few times.

In my defense...I said cow at the end! :)

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Mar 10, 2016 09:10:57   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
rpavich wrote:
PS: This is one reason that I love shooting film. There is information in what looks like unretrievable highlights. Unlike digital, where that sky is just toast...no getting it back, with film, it's very doable.

But that's just a personal observation.


:thumbup:
--Bob

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