Sky & Cloud?

[bullseyez]

hi thr, i always like to take photo of blue sky and cloud with some landscape in it.
Im using CPL filter on my 1000D with 18-55 kit lens. No extra filter is attach on the lens.
Heres my problem: i do rotate the CPL to get the max effect of the blue sky n cloud but the landscape is always came out too dark or no detail.

here are some of my setting: mostly use AV mode, ISO 800, Auto-white balance, F/11-18

anyone can help me here? i duno how to set to get the effect of blue sky n cloud with clear landscape.

 

[limwhow]

Can you post a picture of what you have described for us to see?
What I suspect is, the way you framed you picture, the metering was on the sky, and therefore the land below turned out under-exposed.

 

[bullseyez]

Can you post a picture of what you have described for us to see?
What I suspect is, the way you framed you picture, the metering was on the sky, and therefore the land below turned out under-exposed.

the metering means the red dot in the view finder? ya its actually on the sky. so if i make it point to the land will get the effect i wan?

 

[limwhow]

the metering means the red dot in the view finder? ya its actually on the sky. so if i make it point to the land will get the effect i wan?

Generally yes, bullseyez.
If you move your view finder further downwards and get more of the foreground and midground land into the frame, the camera will definitely give more weightage to these, and thereby give you a better exposed land.
Of course, depending on what metering mode you are using (Evaluative, Partial, Centre-weighted, Spot..), the camera will take either an average metering or just a centralised metering.

 

[bullseyez]

Generally yes, bullseyez.
If you move your view finder further downwards and get more of the foreground and midground land into the frame, the camera will definitely give more weightage to these, and thereby give you a better exposed land.
Of course, depending on what metering mode you are using (Evaluative, Partial, Centre-weighted, Spot..), the camera will take either an average metering or just a centralised metering.

which metering is workable here? i used Evaluative metering always

 

[limwhow]

I think Evaluative is just fine.
For me, I usually like to use Centre-weighted or Partial because I generally like my centre focus area to be the properly exposed part.
Just remember to include more of the ground into your framing if you need the ground to be correctly exposed. The CPL wouldn't affect the picture in terms of differential exposure.

 

[Rashkae]

the metering means the red dot in the view finder? ya its actually on the sky. so if i make it point to the land will get the effect i wan?

That's actually the focus point. It'll be the metering point if you use spot metering.

 

[Reportage]

hi thr, i always like to take photo of blue sky and cloud with some landscape in it.
Im using CPL filter on my 1000D with 18-55 kit lens. No extra filter is attach on the lens.
Heres my problem: i do rotate the CPL to get the max effect of the blue sky n cloud but the landscape is always came out too dark or no detail.

here are some of my setting: mostly use AV mode, ISO 800, Auto-white balance, F/11-18

anyone can help me here? i duno how to set to get the effect of blue sky n cloud with clear landscape.

have you played with AE Lock?

basically aim at the landscape, hold the exposure and then recompose for the whole sky shot. your camera manual should have some mention of it...though take note the 1000d does not have spot metering if i remember clearly.

 

[spheredome]

The landscape is too dark is because the sky is bright. So if the sky is 40% of frame and 5 times brighter, your meter will compensate for the bright sky at expense of the ground objects.
Use evaluation and then compensate with EV+. You may not get the perfect lighting depending on the day, so PP on saturation and shadow will be required.

 

[catchlights]

there is this thing call dynamic range, one part is too dark, and the other part is too bright, you can't bring both of them together just by metering.

 

[limwhow]

The landscape is too dark is because the sky is bright. So if the sky is 40% of frame and 5 times brighter, your meter will compensate for the bright sky at expense of the ground objects.
Use evaluation and then compensate with EV+. You may not get the perfect lighting depending on the day, so PP on saturation and shadow will be required.

there is this thing call dynamic range, one part is too dark, and the other part is too bright, you can't bring both of them together just by metering.

Yes, both of you gentlemen are absolutely correct.
It is a problem that I believe many of us face.
And that is probably why HDR (which I have little experience) is so popular.
But like what brother spheredome said, I do tend to PP on the shadow parts to bring back some details.

 

[osocan]

Can use a GND to compress the DR.

 

[bullseyez]

Can use a GND to compress the DR.

????????? erm wats GND? n DR?

 

[osocan]

GND = graduated neutral density filter
DR = dynamic range

This is in relation to what the bros have said above. Your sky is too bright and your foreground is too dark, ie dynamic range is wide and may be even too wide for your camera to handle thus resulting in either blown highlights or lost shadow details. The use of a GND has the effect of compressing the dynamic range thus allowing more details to be captured. May also help in your metering as well.

Hope that helps.

 

[jopwork]

????????? erm wats GND? n DR?

A GND (graduated neutral density) filter, simply put, is a piece of glass that is slightly tinted/dark on the top than it is on the bottom. You use this putting it in front of your lens (via a holder) and then lining up the tinted part of the filter to the sky and the clear part of the glass on the bottom of the horizon. That will darken the sky a bit and should enable you to see a bit of detail in the clouds while still getting good exposure of the land/ground/sea.

 

[bullseyez]

A GND (graduated neutral density) filter, simply put, is a piece of glass that is slightly tinted/dark on the top than it is on the bottom. You use this putting it in front of your lens (via a holder) and then lining up the tinted part of the filter to the sky and the clear part of the glass on the bottom of the horizon. That will darken the sky a bit and should enable you to see a bit of detail in the clouds while still getting good exposure of the land/ground/sea.

so using only CPL is kinda hard to get the effect? hmmmm. wat if i don wan to get the GND filter n using the metering will still help rite?

 

[jopwork]

so using only CPL is kinda hard to get the effect? hmmmm. wat if i don wan to get the GND filter n using the metering will still help rite?

I don't think you can do that in CPL.

Well, if you don't want to buy a GND, you can also 'simulate' it using software. I don't know what software you are using for post processing - in Lightroom, there is this Graduated Filter tool that you can use to get a similar effect.

 

[redname]

do bracketing, use the 3 shots and do exposure fusion.

settled

 

[startrails]

I think the CPL only accentuates the sky, or when i use it, i think it it either makes my photos warmer or cooler(similar to white balance?).

I've tried shooting photos with evenly exposed for blue sky and AND landscape, and found out you will need to have really good eye for lighting if you want it to happen. So far happen only once @ Kranji War Cemetary. Luck plays a part!

The rest of the landscape shots either went through heavy post processing(boost saturation, blacks), HDR-ed, or manual blending... Kinda tough to take it in one shot!

 

[night86mare]

the metering means the red dot in the view finder? ya its actually on the sky. so if i make it point to the land will get the effect i wan?

that depends on what metering you are using.

it could be spot, it could be centre weighted, it could be matrix. each of these will give different results depending on what you are pointing at, and the separate settings.

the best advice i can think of is to start reading up about basic photography. this will help you use your camera better instead of floundering in the dark.

none of the suggestions given seem to make much sense to you. the trouble is, if you are talking about layer blending, gnd, whatever to someone who has little knowledge about what light is, how it can be manipulated in photography, you might as well read a moving poem to a buffalo. wait a thousand years, the person will not understand, the buffalo will never cry.