I was trying to take a pic tonight of a big clock in my little downtown area that proved much more challenging than I expected.
It's in a way like a giant floor lamp, on a dark metal base that's about 12 feet tall, lit only by streetlights. The four-sided clock face is brightly lit from within. If you've ever seen "Madagascar", the upper part of the clock looks like the one that Melman got stuck on his head at Grand Central Station. =-)
Without using the flash (people live in apartments above the shops downtown; didn't want to disturb!), the metal was too dark to show when the clock face was seen well. If the metal was seen well, the clock face was completely blown out.
Is this a job for HDR? I've never used it before, but it seems from things I've seen here and there, that this might be what I need. I use very basic edits, when I use them at all; is there a way to just cut out the clock face from one pic and paste it onto another? Suggestions/ideas? Thanks!
HDR might well be your solution, bridging tonal range is what it is for. However you other method will work as well, this is what was done before HDR software. Just be careful on where/how you select to cut. Do it clean and know one will know.
I would do three shots minimum. You will likely need a middle range shot to control the light flare in the darker shot.
You can just "blend exposures", ie. take two (or more) pics and select the parts you want to show in a final picture by using masks in Photoshop or GIMP. This method will keep the photo more "real" looking. This is not copy-paste, but the end result will look similar.
Those same pics can be used for HDR processing also. It has similarities to exposure blending, but HDR will bring out the details everywhere around the pic. Also, the picture will have the "unreal" feel, which is sometimes cool and sometimes not. Up to you how you want to tweak it.
I think the HDR might be easier to do, because it requires less manual work... HDR software are usually pretty automatic and you just tweak some sliders. But, in the long run, if you learn the masking you'll learn an actual skill which you can apply to all kinds of pictures.
@janmaki HDR need not necessarily have an unreal look. It depends upon the software and the settings.this is why I like Nik HDR EFex pro. Realistic to surrealistic, you choose.
But, yes, I agree that learning manual skills is very helpful.
on slow exposure you can highlight the base with a flashlight to bring out the details of the darker object. My camera bag has a head lamp and a small powered light stick. I think it is important to learn the old fashioned techniques before just clicking away on a computer.
@2thgirl@brumbe - I concur. Robyn, what was your meter set to? If you had it on say the average weight so that it took a generalised account of the whole images and balanced out the light then you will get very dark and/or very overblown light spots. If you set the camera to spot-weighted then you can be more precise where you get your light meter reading from, and this can influenced the end result, to the extent that maybe just increasing the light in the shadows will solve the problem.
At the end of the day, if you posted a copy of the photo here, it would help a bundle!
@janmaki Thanks, I'll check it out! I hope I don't step into the dark side.... =-) (of course, I wouldn't know if i did till someone told me....) @brumbe My equipment as of right now consists of my camera and two lenses; no additional flash, lights, etc; learning as I go! that's why I'm here. I could have tried the "handheld night shot", now that I think about it.... dang it! @bobfoto Thanks for the info! This is my first SLR, and I don't know what a lot of the stuff does/what it is. I don't know what the meter was on! Good thing to learn about. =-) I'll post a few pics tonight. @amyhughes =-) I know there are a lot of anti-HDR opinions out there, and since I've never done it I don't know what's the right way or wrong way. Hope I don't screw it up! =-O
@2thgirl experimenting with it all is the best way to learn! I think it's super cool that you are so willing to go and research as well as try everything suggested. You should try all the methods!
@2thgirl No additional flash for your camera is needed, what you need is a regular old camping or household flashlight or torch as the term the UK uses. You basically use the torch to paint light onto the object.
Not the examples i am searching for right now, but maybe will visually explain more.
Photo 4 of rock (flashlight was shined on rock during the exposure)
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I would do three shots minimum. You will likely need a middle range shot to control the light flare in the darker shot.
Those same pics can be used for HDR processing also. It has similarities to exposure blending, but HDR will bring out the details everywhere around the pic. Also, the picture will have the "unreal" feel, which is sometimes cool and sometimes not. Up to you how you want to tweak it.
I think the HDR might be easier to do, because it requires less manual work... HDR software are usually pretty automatic and you just tweak some sliders. But, in the long run, if you learn the masking you'll learn an actual skill which you can apply to all kinds of pictures.
But, yes, I agree that learning manual skills is very helpful.
At the end of the day, if you posted a copy of the photo here, it would help a bundle!
@brumbe My equipment as of right now consists of my camera and two lenses; no additional flash, lights, etc; learning as I go! that's why I'm here. I could have tried the "handheld night shot", now that I think about it.... dang it!
@bobfoto Thanks for the info! This is my first SLR, and I don't know what a lot of the stuff does/what it is. I don't know what the meter was on! Good thing to learn about. =-) I'll post a few pics tonight.
@amyhughes =-) I know there are a lot of anti-HDR opinions out there, and since I've never done it I don't know what's the right way or wrong way. Hope I don't screw it up! =-O
Not the examples i am searching for right now, but maybe will visually explain more.
Photo 4 of rock (flashlight was shined on rock during the exposure)
http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0304/dw0304-1.html
the light house had the flash light focused on the area (may have to "paint" to cover it all)
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/forums/thread14905.htm