I like this shot but I do need more technique. That is why I like these camera setting challenge. Since my get-pushed partner hasn't challenged me I have lots of time for this challenge and the mornings this week are being very nice.
I think you're doing just fine - and kudos for going out on a shoot at ridiculously-early o'clock! You exposed for the sky which has given you the depth of colour you were looking for but the details of the trees and the buildings on the opposite bank are correspondingly under-exposed. You can fix that in PS with a couple of adjustment layers and a mask and you can do the same thing for the sky and the reflection to saturate the colours even more. You know how to do this standing on your head Joan. You can't do this in camera without using graduated ND filters..
@vignouse I don't have a nd filter yet. But you are right I know how to fix this and will In Elements. But his was a camera setting challenge and I wanted it pretty much sooc. I have these two filters one with blue on the top and one with yellow on the top. I wonder if these are what you are talking about. Haven't played with them much yet.
@joansmor Yes that's the type of filter, but if you don't want to change the colours in your shot, only the exposure, then you need a graded grey filter. Even this is not the complete answer for this shot because you can darken the sky with a filter but not the reflection without darkening the horizon even more than it is now. The dynamic range is simply too great for the abilities of a digital camera - about 12 stops maximum for a top of the range camera. Low ISO film on the other hand has a dynamic range of about 16 stops, so would fare much better in this sort of shot!
@vignouse My settings were according to the challenge requirements. I usually do 200 iso. #1 pond will be something I frequent to try different times of day and settings.
