Help with sky

Slipperman

Senior Member
a little problem with the overcast sky but post-processing helped..

9062825948_c967e1d4b0_c.jpg

9062837852_43f97acb7b_c.jpg


any suggestions on how to shoot in that weather would be appreciated.
 

Slipperman

Senior Member
who opened this thread because i didn't. but in any case..

Nikon D5100
18-55 lens set at 35
400 ISO
1/100, F18
Standard picture control (as opposed to Monochrome, Landscape, Vivid, etc)

focus settings could be off too:
mode - AF-A,
area mode - auto area,
metering - center weighted

and i don't have a ton of equipment - just a UV filter
 
Last edited:

WhiteLight

Senior Member
Your picture is fine.
The sky is always going to be overexposed if you are metering for the landscape (which you should).

You have some options to be able to work over the washed out sky-

a) use a graduated filter (so the light entering the sensor is lesser than available) so the sky will be less washed out

b) do some PP to have the same effect of a grad filter (but you must know if an image is completely washed out, it is almost impossible to get any detail back)

c) alternately, shoot bracketed photos or a couple or more different exposures & use them in PS to combine both (or all) the images so that all areas of the final image have equal quality
 

JPar

Senior Member
So if you want more definition in your sky, you have to let less light in. On an overcast day, you still get a lot of light, so that can fool you into thinking you need to let more in.

Bump the ISO down to 200, open the F-stop a bit more (maybe to around 8 or 9) and then adjust the shutter speed a bit until you find the happy medium.

Also, I'd suggest looking into HDR post-processing if you really want to make the sky pop without losing the detail of the landscape.

Below is an example of photos I took in California and then the HDR result.

These all used the same ISO (200), F-stop (4.5) and focal length (18mm). The difference was how long I left the shutter open.

1/60

DSC_0682.NEF.jpg

1/100
DSC_0681.NEF.jpg

1/250
DSC_0680.NEF.jpg


1/800
DSC_0678.NEF.jpg

1/600
DSC_0677.NEF.jpg

HDR result:

foggy-hdr.jpg

With HDR, I get greener, brighter grass and more definition in the foggy background.
 
who opened this thread because i didn't. but in any case..

Nikon D5100
18-55 lens set at 35
400 ISO
1/100, F18
Standard picture control (as opposed to Monochrome, Landscape, Vivid, etc)

focus settings could be off too:
mode - AF-A,
area mode - auto area,
metering - center weighted

and i don't have a ton of equipment - just a UV filter

I moved it since it fit better here since you were asking for help. The thread you had it in was for the best D5100 photos.
 
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