Black dog in a snow bank
Dec 2, 2019 16:09:20 #
What's the better way to go: Plus EV to get the snow right & fix the dog in post or vice versa?
Dec 2, 2019 16:13:22 #
Do you want white snow? Do you want details in the snow? Do you want a noisy dog?
You'll get a better image pushed to the right to just below blowing the highlights of the snow and then adjusting everything in post.
You'll get a better image pushed to the right to just below blowing the highlights of the snow and then adjusting everything in post.
Dec 2, 2019 17:22:39 #
DP’s advice is spot-on...even better if you are shooting raw captures, having tested your camera for its maximum raw-accessible dynamic range!
Dave
Dave
Dec 3, 2019 01:38:15 #
raymondh wrote:
What's the better way to go: Plus EV to get the snow right & fix the dog in post or vice versa?
If you adjusting exposure to get the snow right than you are also adjusting exposure to get dog right.
Dec 3, 2019 07:52:30 #
What CHG says...
CHG_CANON wrote:
Do you want white snow? Do you want details in the snow? Do you want a noisy dog?
You'll get a better image pushed to the right to just below blowing the highlights of the snow and then adjusting everything in post.
You'll get a better image pushed to the right to just below blowing the highlights of the snow and then adjusting everything in post.
Dec 3, 2019 08:20:17 #
raymondh wrote:
What's the better way to go: Plus EV to get the snow right & fix the dog in post or vice versa?
According to DxOMark, your camera's maximum accessible dynamic range (DR) is about 12 stops. That is available at ISO 100 or 200. After that you lose about one stop of DR each time you double the ISO just like any other camera.
A good starting point would be to try ISO 100 1/400 sec @ f/8 (assuming broad daylight). That should get you a decent JPEG image SOOC with very little visible noise (if any) in the black dog and maybe no blown highlights.
You could go about a stop brighter (1/200 sec) but the JPEG highlights will probably be blown and you would need to develop from the raw file.
One stop of additional exposure will not make a noticeable difference in noise level.
Dec 3, 2019 09:44:43 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
raymondh wrote:
What's the better way to go: Plus EV to get the snow right & fix the dog in post or vice versa?
I always metered my hand and stopped down one to two stops.
Now I use an incident light meter that measures the amount of light that reaches my meter instead of a reflected light reading of my camera.
You can also shoot in auto and use the exposure compensation. Start shooting and adjust and look at the results until you find the exposure you like.
You can also go manual and do the same thing, with digital you don't have to wait to see the result like with film, shoot in manual and keep shooting and chimping until you get the result you like.
Dec 3, 2019 10:24:30 #
raymondh wrote:
What's the better way to go: Plus EV to get the snow right & fix the dog in post or vice versa?
You'd also want to consider the relative size of the two areas in the frame, snow vs dog. If the black dog fills 70-80% of the frame I would underexpose the shot as I normally do when shooting predominantly dark objects. If the other way around where it's more snow and less dog I would probably overexpose the shot so that the snow would look white, and not gray. One to two stops in either case is usually sufficient. You also can center the meter and make some levels and selective color adjustments to correct the image in post processing and in doing that you'd probably wind up not having gray snow and / or a gray dog.
Dec 3, 2019 10:37:18 #
autofocus wrote:
You'd also want to consider the relative size of the two areas in the frame, snow vs dog. ....
Why go to that much trouble?
Some of us use an Incident meter or Sunny 16 rather than the camera's meter to eliminate this problem.
After all, the reflective properties of the snow or the dog are as constant as the brightness of the sun.
You can find some interesting information in Exposure value. Page down to Tabulated exposure values about half way down in the article to see how to handle different light levels.
Dec 3, 2019 10:56:07 #
selmslie wrote:
Why go to that much trouble? br br Some of us use... (show quote)
well, for starters, most people here probably don't own an incident meter, I do own a Sekonic, BTW. And what I suggested to the op was a few simple things to consider, and hardly any "trouble" to go through if you are serious about shooting. And yes, incident light metering is far more accurate in most situations than reflective light metering, as with the one in your camera. And with an incident meter you tend to hold it very close to the subject, like under their chin, however, there may be times that doing so is just not practical...like the subject is too far away, or the snow is too deep to tread through in order to get an accurate reading off the light falling on the subject, or the light is continually changing, or the subject (dog) is constantly moving, etc. There's nothing wrong with learning some basic do's and don't's when it comes to interpreting light, and to use the tools you have as in your camera's meter and histogram. Learning when to overexpose or underexpose a shot is valuable information, and I would suggest that every shooter learn that.
Dec 3, 2019 11:05:07 #
autofocus wrote:
well, for starters, most people here probably don't own an incident meter ... Learning when to overexpose or underexpose a shot is valuable information, and I would suggest that every shooter learn that.
Most people have a smartphone where they can install a reasonably accurate app to measure incident light.
But learning to expose or underexpose assumes that you are using the camera's reflected light meter in the first place.
It's probably more important to understand the subject matter in the article I just pointed to. Then you can learn how to get a proper image without using any meter at all.
Dec 3, 2019 11:16:56 #
raymondh wrote:
What's the better way to go: Plus EV to get the snow right & fix the dog in post or vice versa?
Fill flash!
Dec 3, 2019 11:25:22 #
rebride wrote:
If you adjusting exposure to get the snow right than you are also adjusting exposure to get dog right.
Not so. I photograph dogs all the time. If you expose to get the dog 's expression and coat detail, you will blow the snow to extinction, and if you expose to get the snow looking like snow, your dog will be a black hole. I would expose for the snow using a small aperture and use fill flash on the dog.
Dec 3, 2019 11:36:31 #
autofocus wrote:
You'd also want to consider the relative size of t... (show quote)
I neglected to include the relative size of the 2 areas which I felt was pertinent to the issue. Thankfully, you have provided some sound reasoning which I am inclined to agree. Much appreciated!!
Dec 3, 2019 11:40:12 #
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