Blending of exposure in PS vs the use of GND filter

[Tuhin]

When the subject is static ( as in the case of sunrise /sunset ),

one can question the use of GND filter specially if someone is

using digital camera . However , for candid shots where sky is

present , there is no time to take more than one shot .

Does not the use of GND filter becomes inevitable in such

circumstances ? I am attaching the following picture taken by me

( D70 , 1/320 , f11 , exp. com -0.3) to highlight my point .

Should I use GND filter in such situations or not ? If your answer is

yes then what if the second opportunity for the candid shot

does not require the use of GND ? Again the third may require ! In

other words it increases the hassles . By the time I remove the

filter or put it , the opportunity might have been lost . I am asking

this because I thinking about buying GND filters( 2 stop

soft and 3 stop soft/hard edged ) and want to clear all doubts ( and

must be certain of its use ) before I buy .

I am an amateur, learning and would be greatly helped by your

inputs ! Thanks ..

[sheldonnalos]

I had a set of GND filters, and ended up selling them when I went digital. I think you can accomplish most of what you want in post processing.

 

If your subject is stationary and you're shooting from a tripod, then you can bracket and blend in Photoshop later on, even going as far as layering and masking 3 or 4 exposures for very high contrast scenes.

 

If your subject is a candid, then a GND filter would be too cumbersome to use quickly. The composition also may not have a perfect horizon for you to put the transition on. What you could do is to shoot RAW, and expose "to the right", just barely keeping the highlights from clipping. Then when you are developing in your RAW converter later on, you can develop twice, once for the highlights and once for the shadows, then blend the two photos in photoshop to maximize dynamic range.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Sheldon<div></div>

[ellis_vener_photography]

You could use a GND filter, but you could also shoot in RAW ratherthan jpg format, and

process the image twice -- once for the foreground (subjects) exposure. And a second

time to bring up detail i nthe sky. That last technique only works of the sky isn't

completely overexposed. forthat reason i still think high quality GND filters are not a bad

tool to have around.

[Tuhin]

thanks Sheldon and Ellis , your inputs would help to take the decision , thanks very much !

[todd_caudle]

Can anyone suggest a good online tutorial for the blending process? Preferably for PS7.

[sheldonnalos]

Try these tutorials out...

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-contrast-masking.shtml

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/digital-blending.shtml

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/blended_exposures.shtml

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast_masking.shtml

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/masking.shtml

 

Hope this helps!

 

Sheldon

[hique]

I think blending exposures work so well that I can't see a reason to buy gnd's. Only if you oppose to digital manipulation and you want your raw files to be perfectly done with the sky dark already.

[elf]

Move up to CS and you'll get so much more control you'll never go back to 7 again.

It's totally amazing what ACR makes possible.

 

In addition, I've been astounded at the detail that my 10D captures that doesn't show

up until I apply some of the controls in ACR. There is so much more in that RAW file

than you can see off hand in the browser, you'd be amazed. The other day I

underexposed a flash shot at least 4 stops and was able to recover it acceptably for

reportorial purposes, not for stock, in CS using ACR.

 

Your RAW file is a wealth of information - neither a negative nor a positive but

somthing beyond. It has no innate bias, color or otherwise. No color cast, no mask

whatsoever. Very powerful thing that RAW file.

[j._williams]

Does this technique work with film? In other words, if you took two exposures with slide film (say Velvia)--exposing one for the highlights and one for the shadows--could the same effect be achieved in Photoshop?

[elf]

Yup.

 

A couple of good scans and you're on your way!

 

The real debate centers around how much time it takes to do the mask. And this

applies to both film and digital. Irregular edges with lots of leaves, and sometimes

it's easier to use the 2 or 3 stop grad because it takes less time.

[jim_rosario]

quote, "--exposing one for the highlights and one for the shadows--could the same effect be achieved in Photoshop?"

 

Don't even need to have two exposures if the detail is there. It can be done with a curves or levels adjustment and layer mask with gradient tool. Martin Evening gives details in his 'PS For Photographers' book.