Question:
Apr 26, 2023 12:18:42 #
I was looking at some older photos and came across this one taken in 2014.
What could I have done to make this a better photo?
What could I have done to make this a better photo?
Apr 26, 2023 12:30:11 #
Waited for the "fog" to clear or expose for the top of the obelisk.
Very contrasty in either case.
Very contrasty in either case.
Apr 26, 2023 12:49:53 #
Longshadow wrote:
Waited for the "fog" to clear or expose for the top of the obelisk.
Very contrasty in either case.
Very contrasty in either case.
...and maybe move to your left a step or two?
Apr 26, 2023 12:57:29 #
Think the top of the Washington Monument in fog/cloud is potentially a very cool shot -- Would have tried to view it on the mall with either the Capitol in the background or the Lincoln Monument ---
All depends on the available light & time of day --
Of course, by the time you lined all this up the wind could have blown all of this away --
So what you do have is all you were ever going to get
All depends on the available light & time of day --
Of course, by the time you lined all this up the wind could have blown all of this away --
So what you do have is all you were ever going to get
Apr 26, 2023 12:57:33 #
chasgroh wrote:
...and maybe move to your left a step or two?
Apr 26, 2023 14:56:37 #
Adjust your camera's LCD display / playback and look at your histogram after taking 1 shot. Note the blinking highlight warnings on the over-exposed sections of the image, in this case, the top of the monument. Then, look at your exposure parameters. You were already at 1/320 sec, at f/10 and ISO-100. Don't close the aperture more, rather, make the shutter faster until the blinking is almost or completely resolved in subsequent images. You might end up with a darker image, but will have more details of the entire monument. You can better balance the shadows when processing the image later.
Apr 26, 2023 14:58:49 #
It doesn't look like fog. The outline of the top of the monument is visible. It appears that the sun is shining directly on it; note how it looks in the section that starts to have some detail.
Hopefully, the OP will remember the conditions and let us know. If it's an exposure issue, the high dynamic range would be tough to deal with unless using bracketed exposure.*
*edit - Paul posted while I was typing. Shot in raw?
Hopefully, the OP will remember the conditions and let us know. If it's an exposure issue, the high dynamic range would be tough to deal with unless using bracketed exposure.*
*edit - Paul posted while I was typing. Shot in raw?
Apr 26, 2023 15:36:11 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
It doesn't look like fog. The outline of the top of the monument is visible. It appears that the sun is shining directly on it; note how it looks in the section that starts to have some detail.
Hopefully, the OP will remember the conditions and let us know. If it's an exposure issue, the high dynamic range would be tough to deal with unless using bracketed exposure.*
*edit - Paul posted while I was typing. Shot in raw?
Hopefully, the OP will remember the conditions and let us know. If it's an exposure issue, the high dynamic range would be tough to deal with unless using bracketed exposure.*
*edit - Paul posted while I was typing. Shot in raw?
Yes, the top of the obelisk is shining brightly and the shot could have been taken to adjust for that. Looking at the little I could do on an iPad, everything else looked ok. I would post that if its ok with the OP
Apr 26, 2023 19:47:26 #
I was passing through St Louis when I snapped the picture of the 630 foot gateway arch. I didn't have time to make several pictures for better exposures.
Apr 27, 2023 02:24:55 #
Apr 27, 2023 07:11:19 #
Dim Flash wrote:
LOL, not the Washington Monument! No wonder the silver area below the blown white seemed so strange-looking I was passing through St Louis when I snapped the picture of the 630 foot gateway arch. I didn't have time to make several pictures for better exposures.
"Snapped" while "passing through." As you've said, you didn't have time for a better exposure - or a different composition. Not sure what's left to suggest.
Apr 27, 2023 11:05:17 #
Apr 27, 2023 23:58:30 #
I'm guessing this is neither an obelisk or the Washington Monument, but from the foliage around it and the structure, it is probably the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Considering that I would have moved as many steps to the left as permitted a clear a view as you could get.
Also, in post-processing (if you do that), decrease the highlights a bit and open up the shadows some.
Also, in post-processing (if you do that), decrease the highlights a bit and open up the shadows some.
Apr 28, 2023 00:53:44 #
Primarily exposure. Spot metering on the brightest part of the structure, adjust the exposure to place that exposure value in Zone VIII, and handle the rest in processing. This, of course, requires that one knows their camera's response to the additional exposure. That is determined by testing.
--Bob
--Bob
Dim Flash wrote:
I was looking at some older photos and came across this one taken in 2014.
What could I have done to make this a better photo?
What could I have done to make this a better photo?
Apr 28, 2023 00:56:48 #
Bret P
Loc: California
Dim Flash wrote:
...What could I have done to make this a better photo?
I rather like it as-is. The clouds/fog make it unique.
Top of the monument is blown out of course, better to err exposing "too dark" with digital next time (underexpose a bit). Check your histogram, if you have one, to make sure the whites aren't trimmed.
Shooting raw if you can might help.
If you had underexposed a bit to get all the whites, you might be able to improve it with curves to balance the light and dark areas. Or this scene would be a good one to shoot HDR, bracket a few f-stops and merge the best parts of each.
If I were re-touching it for a print or magazine I might paint/clone in a little tone (gray) back into the top of the monument (with a mask on a layer in Photoshop etc.).
But it is cool as-is!
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