forestgnome
New member
What are your standard procedures for alpenglow? Filters? Which ones? Any comments appreciated.
Happy Trails
Happy Trails
how to capture alpenglow?
- Thread starter forestgnome
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w7xman
Active member
Alpen Glow is simply either the first rays of the sun hitting the high peaks before the valleys, or bright light reflecting off clouds onto the peaks before sunrise. Either way, you have a very bright object surrounded by often dark/unlit areas. So that sets up what I suspect is part of the difficulty...as it is a VERY tough exposure!
Additionally, in this case, light is color, color is light...the spot meter on the alpenglow part of the scene will see the light and want you to expose for it. However, to see the color in the light, you often have to underexpose by a stop or so in my finding.
But, that adds another problem highlighted in the first paragraph, if you inderexpose for the alpenglow, you lose all the detail in the rest of the scene. So there are only two ways to fix this. One, compositionally, zoom in or include mostly alpenglow in the scene and have the dark surroundings only to add depth and drama, or two, filter.
I find that alpenglow/snow needs about a one stop split ND filter to correct, while alpenglow/rock/vegitation needs as much as three stops to even out. Simply position the filter with the split at the bottom of the alpenglow and hope for the best.
Hope that helps, experimentation is key in this area...
Additionally, in this case, light is color, color is light...the spot meter on the alpenglow part of the scene will see the light and want you to expose for it. However, to see the color in the light, you often have to underexpose by a stop or so in my finding.
But, that adds another problem highlighted in the first paragraph, if you inderexpose for the alpenglow, you lose all the detail in the rest of the scene. So there are only two ways to fix this. One, compositionally, zoom in or include mostly alpenglow in the scene and have the dark surroundings only to add depth and drama, or two, filter.
I find that alpenglow/snow needs about a one stop split ND filter to correct, while alpenglow/rock/vegitation needs as much as three stops to even out. Simply position the filter with the split at the bottom of the alpenglow and hope for the best.
Hope that helps, experimentation is key in this area...
forestgnome
New member
Yes, definately. Thanks. My vision is for only a line of singular trees which will be sillouetted in the foreground, so underexposing won't involve sacrifice. I'll meter on the alpenglow and bracket the exposures. I really need to start using the ND. Thanks much. Stay warm up there!
Happy Trails
Happy Trails
Tim Seaver
Well-known member
Digital Sandwich
Another way to approach scenes with a wide dynamic range is to make a digital "sandwich" from two images shot of the same scene that have been exposed for the foreground and background, then using a mask with a gradient to hold back the highlights in the "overexposed" area.
There is an excellent description of this technique at
Fred Miranda's site.
In case it isn't obvious, this technique doesn't work very well if there is noticeable motion within the image, but there is some wiggle room depending on what exactly is moving, how quickly the successive exposures are made, and how "artistic" you want the final image to be.
Another way to approach scenes with a wide dynamic range is to make a digital "sandwich" from two images shot of the same scene that have been exposed for the foreground and background, then using a mask with a gradient to hold back the highlights in the "overexposed" area.
There is an excellent description of this technique at
Fred Miranda's site.
In case it isn't obvious, this technique doesn't work very well if there is noticeable motion within the image, but there is some wiggle room depending on what exactly is moving, how quickly the successive exposures are made, and how "artistic" you want the final image to be.
DougPaul
Well-known member
The technique is also described in http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/digital-blending.shtml.Tim Seaver said:
Doug
same as "high dymanic range"?
Tim's suggestion sounds like what I read in the Times this past summer on HDR (high dynamic range) photography??
You may have to have an on-line subscription to read it:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/03/technology/03basics.html?ex=1312257600&en=65c5ddf0f463f1c4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
THis is one of the photographers they linked to in the article:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kros/sets/72057594073655609/
Tim's suggestion sounds like what I read in the Times this past summer on HDR (high dynamic range) photography??
You may have to have an on-line subscription to read it:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/03/technology/03basics.html?ex=1312257600&en=65c5ddf0f463f1c4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
THis is one of the photographers they linked to in the article:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kros/sets/72057594073655609/
w7xman
Active member
chipc said:
HDR is a bit different, as it is a method of 'optimizing' the exposure on a pixel by pixel basis, all done on the computers discretion. What Tim is advocating is taking 2 shots and blending them by hand, typically in big chunks or over half the scene. They tend to look much more realistic than HDR 'photos'
While I always advocate getting the exposure right 'in camera' this is a good technique. However, I tried it out a while back before I had a 3 stop GND, and came out with this from near ball crag...
http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/index.php?showtopic=104223&hl=
ghassert
New member
Great Stuff
I had just started reading up about Auto Bracketing and wondering how to use and/or apply it. Can't wait to give it a shot.
I had just started reading up about Auto Bracketing and wondering how to use and/or apply it. Can't wait to give it a shot.
BorealChickadee
New member
w7xman said:
Wow! Do you have to have the real expensive level of photoshop to do that?
w7xman
Active member
BorealChickadee said:
No actually, I've done it with elements. Instead of masking and gradients and everything, just layer the two images on top of each other, select the Eraser tool, set it to a low opacity and erase yourself to an instant blend. Not as precise as with the big photoshop, but certainly gets the job done!
DougPaul
Well-known member
Looks nice.w7xman said:
The example at Fred Miranda's site looked artificial to me. (I have seen the original, so that might have colored my perception.)
Doug
forestgnome
New member
w7xman said:
Incredible!!! I have quite a few similar (sort of) pairs of shots, knowing that this could be done, just haven't learned to do it, due to intellectual laziness
I properly exposed the sky in one shot, and likewise the foreground in another shot. I have Elements, and I've just been inspired to try to learn this technique. Thanks!!!Happy Trails
w7xman
Active member
forestnome said:Incredible!!! I have quite a few similar (sort of) pairs of shots, knowing that this could be done, just haven't learned to do it, due to intellectual laziness
Happy Trails
Let us know how it comes out!
Brambor
Well-known member
That's a great looking shot. I agree. HDR that I have seen from friends or examples look like some bizarre Carribean dream but I guess it all depens on how you want to make it.
I wish I was bracketing 5 years ago when I hiked through the Alps. 80% of my shots were badly overexposed in the sky areas or direct sunlight areas.
I wish I was bracketing 5 years ago when I hiked through the Alps. 80% of my shots were badly overexposed in the sky areas or direct sunlight areas.
