Help!?

[erizai]

Hi,

Anybody can teach me how to take night scene with the moon not over expose?:sweat:

TIA

 

[JLLJ]

I'll try
Method 1
Try taking two pic, one properly expose the night scene and the other one the moon, then usperimpose in photoshop.
Method 2
use a graduated filter (if you've one) to 'dim' down the moon.
Method 3
If exposure time is long (few sec) use black cloth to cover the top part of the lens for a while. This need to trial-by-error to perfect.

 

[erizai]

Re: Method 1

Does that mean what we've seen on those magazine mostly had been done some sort of trick?

Re: Method 2

Does the filter also dim down the building's light?

I'll try
Method 1
Try taking two pic, one properly expose the night scene and the other one the moon, then usperimpose in photoshop.
Method 2
use a graduated filter (if you've one) to 'dim' down the moon.
Method 3
If exposure time is long (few sec) use black cloth to cover the top part of the lens for a while. This need to trial-by-error to perfect.

 

[JLLJ]

From your picture, the building light and street light can be lowered a bit (reduce aperture or reduce exposure time) but even that the moon is likely to be overexposed (you can't see any detail in the moon). The moon is blur because of your long exposure and the moon has already shifted its position while the camera expose for the building.
You can get either the building or the moon exposed properly but to get both is not quite possible as the brightness between the building and the moon may be too much. However, sometime its possible if the building is bright enough.

the method 1 will depends on your skill in PS and tripod mount your camera while you expose one frame for the building and another for the moon. most magine with the moon super clear in the background is likely product of overlaying photos.

Method 2 using filter- the filter is darker on one side and gradually lighter and clear towards the other end. come in different colour but I think you would want to use grey one in this case. So the dark half of the filter will block some light off the moon and give details while the building is properly exposed using the other non-dark side of the filter.

hope the above help

 

[jeremyftk]

Not sure if this is applicable here... But maybe you could try metering the shot on the moon... :think:

 

[Clockunder]

Not sure if this is applicable here... But maybe you could try metering the shot on the moon... :think:

If you meter the moon, you get a properly exposed moon but the buildings, streets and sky will be pitch dark.

The tonal range of the scene is well beyond what can be captured by the camera in one shot.

 

[jeremyftk]

If you meter the moon, you get a properly exposed moon but the buildings, streets and sky will be pitch dark.

The tonal range of the scene is well beyond what can be captured by the camera in one shot.

Guess you do have a point there... Must go and try this out some day...

 

[Clockunder]

Although the link below talks about using film, the principle on taking a photo of a scene with a tonal range exceeding what a camera medium can capture is the same as using a digi-cam. In fact, it's easier to combine 2 shots in digitals than on film.

http://www.danheller.com/moon.html

 

[sammy888]

Does that mean what we've seen on those magazine mostly had been done some sort of trick?

Welcome to the real world of photography and design. This is not new to digital photography but have been done ever since the days of film. Some shots are just not possible to do in real life unless you have real magical powers heh. When you really have to get the kind of shot you have in mind and it can't be done in real time then you will have to manipulate it via a computer graphic programs. For most these day you are lucky you can have the power of a computer to do this. In the old days, it is alot more harder to do so...sometime it involves a lot of handwork, illustration skill and some dark room techniques for post production work.