washed out waterfall
Oct 20, 2015 12:48:46 #
on our vacation I took many photos of several waterfalls using the same settings except for the shutter speed. I took many shots of Crabtree Falls, VA. and all of the shots of the big falls were like this. What did I do wrong.
Oct 20, 2015 12:55:21 #
uaeluor1949 wrote:
on our vacation I took many photos of several waterfalls using the same settings except for the shutter speed. I took many shots of Crabtree Falls, VA. and all of the shots of the big falls were like this. What did I do wrong.
Overexposed the scene is the simple answer. A bit more attention to metering and how to correctly meter a scene like this would reduce the occurrence of this happening.
A bit more information would definitely assist those of us trying to help. What was your ISO, exposure, what metering mode, etc.? If you could, include your thoughts on what you were trying to accomplish.
--Bob
Oct 20, 2015 12:56:28 #
Oct 20, 2015 12:58:45 #
You didn't meter the brightest object in the scene (the falls) and open up 2-3 stops depending on your camera to place the highlights to the right.
http://youtu.be/i5rQJ-MTJio
http://youtu.be/i5rQJ-MTJio
Oct 20, 2015 12:59:01 #
Oct 20, 2015 12:59:51 #
Thanks, that's what I thought.
tsilva wrote:
You didn't meter the brightest object in the scene (the falls) and open up 2-3 stops depending on your camera to place the highlights to the right.
http://youtu.be/i5rQJ-MTJio
http://youtu.be/i5rQJ-MTJio
Oct 20, 2015 13:13:41 #
uaeluor1949 wrote:
ISO 100, manual priority, f8, 3 sec. wanted that soft look
For that scene this exposure setting is way too much. Thus, the overexposed appearance. As pointed out, spot metering the brightest part of the scene and then changing your settings to accommodate that scene and where you want to place the light values would come very close to solving the problem.
--Bob
Oct 20, 2015 13:53:28 #
uaeluor1949 wrote:
on our vacation I took many photos of several waterfalls using the same settings except for the shutter speed. I took many shots of Crabtree Falls, VA. and all of the shots of the big falls were like this. What did I do wrong.
Cut exposure time to 1.5 seconds, close down 1 stop, restore white balance and bump the contrast.
Oct 20, 2015 14:32:42 #
Quote:
.......spot metering the brightest part of the scene and then changing your settings to accommodate that scene and where you want to place the light values.....
Uaeluor, if you feel you don't have the skills to do that you could just use matrix metering which gives reasonable protection from blown highlights.
Does the P900 max out at f/8? You'll probably find that an exposure time of 1 sec. or longer is going to require some sort of ND filter.
Oct 20, 2015 14:36:30 #
R.G. wrote:
Uaeluor, if you feel you don't have the skills to do that you could just use matrix metering which gives reasonable protection from blown highlights.
Does the P900 max out at f/8? You'll probably find that an exposure time of 1 sec. or longer is going to require some sort of ND filter.
Does the P900 max out at f/8? You'll probably find that an exposure time of 1 sec. or longer is going to require some sort of ND filter.
It maxes out at f8. I took 50+ photos of other falls and they all came out just the way I wanted, nice and silky. It was only Crabtree falls I had a problem with.
Oct 20, 2015 14:37:13 #
Thanks everybody for your help. Am thinking of getting some ND filters.
Oct 20, 2015 15:40:43 #
uaeluor1949 wrote:
Thanks everybody for your help. Am thinking of getting some ND filters.
You are right on that, if you want to create 'angel hairs' but it will not correct your exposure problem. That is what you need to concentrate on first.
In a scene like this you have to make hard choices, the dark or the white or somewhere in the middle.
Oct 21, 2015 07:47:04 #
uaeluor1949 wrote:
Thanks everybody for your help. Am thinking of getting some ND filters.
Good idea, if you want creamy water in the daytime you need something to cut some light out during the longer exposure needed. There are lots of Youtube videos which may help you choose the strength of the ND filter/s you purchase (the numbers on them can be confusing). Good luck, I love long exposure photos.
Oct 21, 2015 07:53:02 #
uaeluor1949 wrote:
Thanks everybody for your help. Am thinking of getting some ND filters.
ND filters will not, by themselves, solve your problem. Your first solution is to understand exposure, and where pitfalls exist when measuring a scene to determine the correct exposure.
--Bob
Oct 21, 2015 08:06:00 #
Did you set the camera on auto? Remember the camera does not have a brain. The manufacturers only want you to think it does. You have to take control and make the camera do what you want it to. Learning that process takes time and effort.
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