Whites burning out in bright weather.

Hello everyone.
My first post.
I`m a big truck photographer, and for the past year, I have been shooting trucks on my D3100,superb camera, but when the sun shines, and a WHITE truck gets snapped, the whites seen to burn out.
I have set my white balance to "preset manual", yet it still does it, after I`ve set it up. A friend of mine who i go out with, he has a Canon, and his does not do this at all. We both shoot in the "M" mode, but it does it in all modes also.
Can anyone please help,as I have treid my Brothers camera as well, an Olympus, and this too does not do it. I`m getting to the stage of going to trade the camera in for a Canon, which I don`t really want to do.
I enclose a picture to show you what I mean.
Thanks.
Alan.

We'll need some more info to help you, here. Are you shooting RAW or jpeg? What kind of post processing are you doing?

BTW, I see detail in the truck and only a small part that looks blown out to me.

Right off the bat, that shot looks to be about one stop over-exposed to me.
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Have you tried dropping your exposure?

Shot looks a little over to me too.

No need to swap cameras its an exposure issue,just needs a little less exposure,you could bring it back a bit in processing.

exposure. looks like you tried correcting it but im certain the image was OE as it was shot in camera. the dynamic range is off. the red car (seat? not the VW)and silver car(merc) would not look that if it was exposed properly

The histogram spikes at the right. You lost some information there because of overexposure. It isn't much but it's loss nonetheless.

You can lower it a bit in post but there's no way to recover that data.

As everyone said, it is an exposure issue, it has nothing to do with white balance. White balance controls overall colour cast of the picture. I'd keep it in auto, unless you measure your preset WB with a grey card.

You can either use spot metering and measure exposure off the white truck, or leave it in matrix and perhaps introduce EV correction until you get a satisfactory result.

Thanks for the replies folks.
“Looks like you tried correcting it” The image is untouched.
Re “OE”, I`ll have to question this, asI have tried dropping it down a stop/half a stop, and it still does it, I`ve tried in Auto/Manual, still does it.
I have loads of others like this too, the background is perfectly exposed, yet the truck is burnt out.
I`ve downloaded a few pictures, and taken them to my friends house who has stood next to me, the exposure in the background are the same, yet his truck is spot on, mine is burnt out?
I shoot in RAW/JPEG.
Thanks again.
Alan

Cosa2000 said:

Thanks for the replies folks.
Looks like you tried correcting it” The image is untouched.
Re “OE”, I`ll have to question this, as I have tried dropping it down a stop/half a stop, and it still does it, I've tried in Auto/Manual, still does it.
I have loads of others like this too, the background is perfectly exposed, yet the truck is burnt out.
I`ve downloaded a few pictures, and taken them to my friends house who has stood next to me, the exposure in the background are the same, yet his truck is spot on, mine is burnt out?
I shoot in RAW/JPEG.
Thanks again.
Alan

Click to expand...

Hey Alan,

I have a few questions for you... First, I'm curious how you think correcting exposure when in shooting Auto since the camera doesn't allow you to adjust exposure in full Auto mode? Also, what metering mode are you using? Do you have Auto-ISO enabled? Do you know how to read histograms?
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Horoscope Fish said:

Hey Alan,

I have a few questions for you... First, I'm curious how you think correcting exposure when in shooting Auto since the camera doesn't allow you to adjust exposure in full Auto mode? Also, what metering mode are you using? Do you have Auto-ISO enabled? Do you know how to read histograms?
.....

Click to expand...

Hello Paul.
Thanks for the reply.
I tried in auto mode to see if it made any difference etc.

I usually shoot in full Manual mode.
Re Auto ISO, again, It`s all Manual I shoot in, and histograms, No idea about these.
Thanks again.
Alan

If shooting in RAW, you really should be able to bring back detail in whites with the exposure and levels tools in your post processing software. This shot does not look so blown out that the details would be gone forever.

Here is a pretty good video to help with exposure problems. There are a million others on the Internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-H2IbHluLg

Sorry Allan not sure but are you saying you use auto ISO because this can lean towards over exposure

Cosa200 said:

I usually shoot in full Manual mode.
Re Auto ISO, again, It`s all Manual I shoot in, and histograms, No idea about these.
Thanks again.
Alan

Click to expand...

I understand you're shooting in Manual.

That being said, if you have not shut off the Auto-ISO option in the menus, this function will adjust exposure by altering your ISO even when shooting in Manual mode. For that reason we need to confirm you've actively selected a specific ISO.

Second, this might be a good time to get an understanding of histograms. I'd start here with this tutorial, Understanding Histograms on Luminous Landscape.
....

Horoscope Fish said:

I understand you're shooting in Manual.

That being said, if you have not shut off the Auto-ISO option in the menus, this function will adjust exposure by altering your ISO even when shooting in Manual mode. For that reason we need to confirm you've actively selected a specific ISO.

Second, this might be a good time to get an understanding of histograms. I'd start here with this tutorial, Understanding Histograms on Luminous Landscape.
....

Click to expand...

Hello Paul.
My ISO is usually set at 100, or 200 depending on the light. 99% of the time in full sun, its 100 ISO.
I used my friends/Brothers camera,Canon/Olympus, again set at 100 ISO, and the white trucks are perfect, yet mine as stated before, burn out!
So frustrating.
Alan.

Cosa200 said:

Hello Paul.
My ISO is usually set at 100, or 200 depending on the light. 99% of the time in full sun, its 100 ISO.
I used my friends/Brothers camera,Canon/Olympus, again set at 100 ISO, and the white trucks are perfect, yet mine as stated before, burn out!
So frustrating.
Alan.

Click to expand...

A quick glance at your histogram could have prevented that. Learn to use them and you'll start nailing exposure every time.

Also, you do know you can look for the "Highlight Overexposure Warning", what are called "blinkies" when reviewing an image on the rear LCD, right? You just press the four-way selector up/down through the different screens while reviewing your shots. Blinkies, as the name implies, blink on the screen when you you have highlights that are blowing out. Then you can adjust your exposure on subsequent shots until you no longer see them.
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It may also help to change your exposure metering setting. If you're shooting on full matrix mode it's probably compensating more for your background than your already super bright subject causing some OE on it. Try shooting in center weighted or spot metering modes and play around with exposure settings when in those modes to try and lock down a good setup for shooting white trucks in the daylight.

Cosa200 said:

this, as I have tried dropping it down a stop/half a stop, and it still does it, I`ve tried in Auto/Manual, still does it.
have loads of others like this too, the background is perfectly exposed, yet the truck is burnt out.
I`ve downloaded a few pictures, and taken them to my friends house who has stood next to me, the exposure in the background are the same, yet his truck is spot on, mine is burnt out?

Click to expand...

What metering mode are you using? (get the feeling that this might be the issue)
If shooting in manual exposure mode, what settings? And what does the camera do in A/ P or S modes?
Also - do you have exposure compensation on?

The light meter uses an average 12% gray as 'normal' for exposure. If the scene or subject is brighter than normal go to EV +1 or more and if darker go to EV -1 or more depending on the conditions. Just my $0.02.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who took the time to reply.


As the sun was out again today, Thought I`d have another try with the camera settings you have told me, and very pleased with the results.