White sky

How do I set my Rebel XT to maintain accurate sky color while capturing

foreground objects in true color as well? I'm tired of white skies!

It's not really about color, per se. By the time you're letting in enough light for your foreground subjects to be properly exposed, the brighter sky is simply <i>over</i> exposed.

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Using a fill flash so that you can get the sky under control and still see your subjects... that's probably the most straightforward way to solve the problem. If a flash isn't an option, then you have to start working with things like graduated neutral density filters ... soft of like sunglasses for the sky part of the image. But that's more about carefully composed landscape type shots, where you've got time to really fiddle with it. Flash is your friend, otherwise, even on a sunny day.

You need a graduated ND filter. I just got a Singh Ray Galen Rowell model for this reason. It works great. Below are two images, one is a RAW capture straight from my Canon 40D, the other (shot seconds later) is with the grad ND filter and some tweaks to the image in PSE 6.0. I have lots to learn, but these two images will show what a grad ND can do. I got the 3 stop soft model. Lots of info here in old post if you want to read more. Also, great info on Singh Ray's website when you go to the graduated ND filter section. On the below link, click "view slideshow" in the upper right and you can toggle the arrow back and forth between the two images.

 

Also, a polarizing filter may help darken the sky, depending on which way the camera is facing in relationshiop to the sun. Additionally, make sure you're casting a very keen eye on your sky. High, very wispy clouds that are thin enough will leave your eyes/brain with the impression that the sky is still mostly blue but the reflected light from the water droplets in the thin clouds will be enough to blow out your picture and render the sky white.

You can also hdr or expose to get enough information in the sky and foreground to photoshop them into what you want. Make 2 adjustment layers and mask what you want adjusted in each and bingo proper sky and proper foreground. You lose some detail with that method but it works.

 

Best options were already stated, flash and or a polarizer. Neutral densities are good but can be limiting when creating a composition if you don't have a decent variety of them.

Paul, as said above the reason the sky is white is that it is over-exposed. There are several ways to balance the brightness of the sky with the darker foreground. The first is to use a polarising filter. The second is to use an ND graduated filter where the top is darkened by 1 to 3 stops.

 

There are ther ways which involve post processing. The simplest of these is to shoot in RAW format which allows an exposure latitude of plus or minus 2 stops. The image can then be 'devloped' in the software to give a better exposure balamce. This process is analogous to the art of dodging and burning in the darkroom.

Be aware that a polarizer will reduce light in ALL of your image. You want to get rid of "white skies" and keep the foreground bright. That is what a gradual ND filter is for. They are very easy to use and will definitely fix your problem. Read up on grad ND's, then read over this thread again. The solution will be obvious.

What Dan says is quite true but nevertheless the polariser is a useful tool to balance light from the sky against the foreground . Have a look here to see an example :

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_filter

"nevertheless the polariser is a useful tool"

 

Agreed. Very useful. Just pointing out to the OP that it will cut down the light on the foreground as well. He mentioned trying to keep it bright while darkening the sky. I would hate to go after landscapes without a CP and grad ND. Both are very good to have. Sometimes together from what I am told.

I imagine that the graduated filter would dampen the appearance of an object sticking up into the sky as well since horizons can be so irregular.

Using digital you have two options, expose for the ground and expose for the sky (I'm assuming you are using a tripod, you are using a tripod, aren't you?) The other option is to use a GND as has been mentioned.

 

Paul touches on a point that has to be contended with. Things that stick up into the sky can be troublesome to contend with. If you are shooting into the sun, your only choice is to blend multiple exposures, or settle for silhouette.

Depending on the number of stops of light present in your photo, a GND filter may not

do the the trick. Sounds like the prime condition for HDR techniques; take several

photos in the field, and blend them together in the software. Much cleaner (if more

time consuming) than the use of a GND.