Monday, June 19, 2006

Rookie Dawn Treader Strikes Again


This is another image from a couple of weeks ago of my ill-fated dawn adventure. This has undergone some mild Photoshopping, but it only took me about twenty seconds to do' so maybe that doesn't count.

I found it extremely difficult to expose for both the sky and the ground, so I made two exposures, one overexposed (for the foggy ground) and one underexposed (for the sky). I didn't move my camera's position, so the processing was very simple. I just placed the underexposed image over the other and placed a gradient mask over the ground.

How do the film people take this kind of photo? This seems to be the only way I could get the correct exposure throughout the image. If you know how I can achieve this effect without the use of CS2, please be so kind as to share the technique with yours truly.

(I know the first sentence of this post sucked, [which is very disappointing because I really wanted it to be great] but that's what happens when you write this stuff first thing in the morning. Paragraphs within brackets cannot be blamed on the early hour [it's only 10:00 am after all], but are simply the result of this author having long since given up any pretense of being a spiffy writer. Why are you still reading this?)

Canon PowerShot S2 IS, 10mm, f/8.0 (sky) & f/3.5 (ground), 15 sec, ISO 50

16 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lovely shot and nice processing on it.

11:31 AM, June 19, 2006  
Blogger Nicola said...

Wonderful atmosphere in this photo. I love the mist between the trees!

1:00 PM, June 19, 2006  
Blogger Jill said...

love the misty, foggy love of morning! Very nice.

5:58 PM, June 19, 2006  
Blogger Dave MacIntyre said...

Really nice work on this one Tim...the mist is fantastic!

6:05 PM, June 19, 2006  
Blogger Laurie said...

This is a wonderful shot! I would say that your "ill-fated" adventure yielded some pretty impressive results.

7:36 PM, June 19, 2006  
Blogger Ptelea said...

Tim,

Thanks for the idea of how to merge two images together! In my morning shots - I am almost always going for the color in the sky, so I am OK with the dark outlines for the foreground. This image doesn't have a lot of vibrant color - it is in that beautiful subtle range. The ground mist is just exquisite!

8:04 PM, June 19, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey timmy/bomb,
i like the picture,

i am using film, but i'm generally not the technique expert. i'd do it just like you did except i had to scan the negative first. Or:
(and this is much more fun since i don't have to stare at the computer screen and still have to rely on the lab to print it the way i want it)
i manipulate the color filtering when exposing the print-out and/or use dodging&burning (in the digital world you have your ps tools for that). it's amazing how much you can manipulate an image during the analog printing process.
cheers

12:07 AM, June 20, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is lovely. Your PS skills are really progressing. I haven't tried this technique yet. You make it seem so easy!

I suppose film people would deal with this situation in camera using filters (neutral density?). It's an easy situation to deal with when printing by burning and dodging. I've also read there are comparable techniques for doing what you did in PS in the darkroom using gradients on glass.

12:50 AM, June 20, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The mist really works for this shot. Sort of a hanging cloud thinking or plotting evil against the poor barn :)

Suby.
P.s
The post today on my blog was by Sinem :)
P.p.s
Never apologies for giving your honest feedback. It is always welcome

3:06 AM, June 20, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is really beautiful. I tried taking some sunrise photos the other day and they turned out like crap. I was surprised on how truely hard it is. You did a great job!

3:10 AM, June 20, 2006  
Blogger Azhar said...

Without CS2, same effect...dunno, whatever it would be hard.
Very well processed, liking this one.
GREAT GREAT SHOT!!

3:40 AM, June 20, 2006  
Blogger micki said...

Joann was right about the filters, as well as making sure that you use a film with a wide enough latitude for the exposure differences. Unfortunately, most colored films don't have that much latitude, which is why you have to have a good collection of filters.

I do LOVE this shot!!

5:24 AM, June 20, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very well done, Tim! You did a great job!

5:28 AM, June 20, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

excellent image; very well processed.

7:26 AM, June 20, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well captured and edited. Filters must be the solution to this.

9:08 AM, June 20, 2006  
Blogger Rich said...

Love the coulours on this, very evocative

9:43 AM, June 20, 2006  

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