A little cabin in the woods just next to the vineyards behind our house.At any rate, I messed with the pictures in Photoshop and tried to make a picture that looked like what I saw that morning. I'm not sure if I succeeded, but this picture isn't too far off the mark.
It's the camera (any camera).
ReplyDeleteWalt, have you got any control over the exposure on the camera.. if you have, it is often best to under expose by a couple of stops... an averaging meter does tend to overexpose and lose the colours that our eyes see. If the result is too dark you can lighten it in Pottyshop... but you can never go the other way from an over-exposed image. Another problem might be the white balance... set for AWB it is as bad as the meter averaging for losing colour.
ReplyDeleteThe modern technique is HDR [High Definition Resolution], using a tripod, to take 3 pictures... all with different exposures and use software to combine them... this does get some of the adjustments our eyes make automatically into the picture... but it isn't something that we can do out for a walk... so always go for underexposed and set the camera's white balance for Sunny.
Lovely pic tho'
Tim, I have a fairly simple camera, but your "underexposed, set to sunny" recommendation is something I can do. I also have the HD, 3-shot burst setting and I do like its results. I was unaware that it was a combination of different exposures. Anyway, thanks for the advice. I'll try to remember it.
DeleteIt's always so hard to capture light perfectly, especially with dark trees. I just take a series of about five, bracketed to under-expose and over-expose throughout the range and usually find something I like (and something to mess with!) but it's so hard when you've got gorgeous scenes you just can't capture. I guess it's one of those times you just have to enjoy it for yourself!
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of artistic photo you, Walt, seem to take naturally, but most people would have to resort to Photoshop to get a result like this.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, Walt, you could open a gallery with your photos. They are so nice!
ReplyDeleteJudith, I've said as much to both Ken and Walt.... but they don't seem to want a 'job' now! A lot of these pix are very saleable... ah well! We'll just have to look and hold the memories.
DeleteMarvellous. If you look very carefully you can see some elves peeping from behind their little house.........
ReplyDeleteDear me!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a guard house or a tool shed to me.
susan, always.
ReplyDeletetim, thanks for the tips. I've changed the white balance to sunny and see what that does. Baby steps...
lady justine, true!
carolyn, but I did resort to photoshop for this one!
judy, that's what blogs are for! ;)
jean, hehehehe.
michael, it is a tool shed, in fact. I think.
Baby steps indeed.... then you'll change the camera and then have to learn the way the new camera does things... I've covered the manual for my big one in plastic book cover film so it will be kept protected in the field... and Pauline moans about the fact the her camera's manual is a .PDF that she has to refer to on the computer... not much use if you suddenly want to change settings in a difficult situation.... c'est la vie!
ReplyDelete