Re contrast

ipri · #1 23-07-13

Hi...this is some info. from another site to illustrate what I mean. Hope these come over OK. Ian....the following text is his words...not mine!

this is what my camera wanted the shot above to look like, next to what I wanted it to look like:

Pol · #2 23-07-13

Yes the images came across and I'm sure we all know what you mean, what you're getting as opposed to what you'd like to be getting.

It comes back to the histogram, levels, curves and post processing every time. Look at those histogram links I posted in your other thread and that'll go a long way to explaining more.

Which image processing software are you using? Do you have Photoshop CS, Photoshop Elements, Paintshop Pro, Lightroom or what?

Photo editing software usually has a simple way of correcting the histogram and boosting the contrast. Your photo editing software is your 'digital darkroom' - so it's important to get familiar with that as well as your camera.

Your camera takes the picture but your 'digital darkroom' makes the final picture ... so post processing is all part of the image taking/making process too.

Pol

Ian · #3 23-07-13

The smaller photo on the left is exposed more than the one on the right. The hillock is almost black in the right hand side one, in fact it is semi-silhouetted.

To achieve this effect with this scene the photographer would need to override the camera and deliberately under-expose; maybe by -1.0 EV, perhaps a little more.

In post processing the same effect might be achievable by darkening the shadows.

Ian

John Houghton · #4 23-07-13

Ian, To get the degree of in-camera control that you are looking for, you should have bought a different camera. Read the reviews on DPReview.com . There, you will see that the NEX 3 is regarded as essentially a point and shoot camera targeted at those who will seldom, if ever, venture out of auto mode. It's also the case that the small screen on the back of the camera is not in any case exactly ideal for accurately judging the effect of making adjustments to the image quality. Treat your camera image as the negative and your PC as the darkroom where you can sensibly make all the adjustments you could wish for to get the result you are after. Just adjust the camera exposure to capture the optimum range of tones and use RAW mode for the saved image to maximize the image quality.

John

Pol · #5 24-07-13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pol

Yes the images came across and I'm sure we all know what you mean, what you're getting as opposed to what you'd like to be getting.

It comes back to the histogram, levels, curves and post processing every time. Look at those histogram links I posted in your other thread and that'll go a long way to explaining more.

Which image processing software are you using? Do you have Photoshop CS, Photoshop Elements, Paintshop Pro, Lightroom or what?

Photo editing software usually has a simple way of correcting the histogram and boosting the contrast. Your photo editing software is your 'digital darkroom' - so it's important to get familiar with that as well as your camera.

Your camera takes the picture but your 'digital darkroom' makes the final picture ... so post processing is all part of the image taking/making process too.

Pol

Ipri,

You don't say which photo editing software you're using.

If you don't have any dedicated photo editing software I see Amazon is offering Adobe Elements 11 today for a special offer price of just £42.99. That near enough half the usual price.

Elements 11 is a good, a sort of 'cut down' version of the full Photoshop. It has the main, most important tools that are found in the Photoshop and it'll do just about everything you might want to do.

The graphics user interface (GUI) might take a while to get used to but several people here use Elements so there are people who could help if necessary.

Here's the link to the current Amazon offer.

Pol

ipri · #6 26-07-13

Hi...don't know if I need a new thread for this. I'm still trying to get over the fact I've got the wrong camera!...lets plod on...I'm sitting in the garden with my camera , the sun has gone in but nice blue sky and fluffy white clouds. I compose a shot towards the house to include the sky...when I get settings to show the deep blue sky, the house is just about black...when I set to see the house...no sky! Thanks for any help.

Ian · #7 26-07-13

I think you can keep your camera

Unlike the human eye (actually it's more to do with the brain processing what we see) a camera has a limited dynamic range. So if you want to see details in the shadows then anything brighter will be too bright and the very brightest bits will be simply white with no retrievable details. And vice versa.

With post-processing you can normally lighten shaded areas and even retrieve some details in the bright areas. Your camera will have a mode that does this in-camera (look for HDR - High Dynamic Range, or Highlights and Shadows modes).

HDR modes can often mean an effects mode that makes your picture look dramatic (not to everyone's taste) but in principle HDR is a technique that artificially expands the dynamic range by combining two or more images that have been exposed differently, for example one is exposed for the shadows and one is exposed for the brighter areas, or highlights.

Ian

ipri · #8 26-07-13

Thanks Ian...yes, I actually got a decent image...just by moving into a position which the camera liked! I suppose what I'm trying to do, is learn a bit technique with the camera...(although I do have Photoshop CS6...with Lightroom coming soon). Ian

Pol · #9 26-07-13

Quote:

Originally Posted by ipri

Thanks Ian...yes, I actually got a decent image...just by moving into a position which the camera liked! I suppose what I'm trying to do, is learn a bit technique with the camera...(although I do have Photoshop CS6...with Lightroom coming soon). Ian

Another camera technique for an image you describe (house and sky) could be to aim for metering that would include both .. ie point the camera half and half, meaning half sky and half house. Try somewhere where the light and dark meet, on the boundary if you see what I mean. That often gives you an acceptable exposure.

Pol

John Houghton · #10 26-07-13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

Your camera will have a mode that does this in-camera (look for HDR - High Dynamic Range, or Highlights and Shadows modes).

See this video for details of how to use the Auto HDR feature:

John