How to get nice skies???(Digital)

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John
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Hi Everyone,
One of the subjects that i shoot occasionally are steam trains, preferably in a nice landscape type shot. I use Cokin filters and, when it's a blue sky with white fluffy clouds they're fine. However, i've never been really happy with the results when it's grey and overcast with either the detail or what i consider to be accurate colour.
I use Lightroom and have tried using the Grad' filter, but that doesn't impress me either!
Any advice/ help/comments would be very welcome.

Many thanks.
 
Grey skies can be a problem. My first thought is your Cokin filters may be giving a colour cast, some neutral density filters are more neutral than others, the old Cokin filters had a habit of adding a hint of pink if I remember rightly.
My favorite method with horrible boring grey skies is to go black and white, punch up the sky with burning/dodging and go for the dramatic look. The other option is to replace the sky with a better one.
 
Many thanks to Wayne and Graham for your suggestions. One of the aspects of Steam Locomotive photography is that they run to a timetable and the light is the best available at that time. Often with a cloud covering the sun at the vital moment!

Cheers
 
You might want to try using the luminance control. Yes I know it sounds odd, but try reducing the luminance in the blue channel. This works best with blue skys. but can have does have some impact on overcast days. Works best in RAW, but no so good with JPEGS. Only caution I would suggest is to watch out for it's effect on other colours.
 
Steve Smith said:
Do people still do that?


Steve.
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Don't get ME started........;)

Being a bit of a traditionalist I'd say that grey skies and dull light are one of the drawbacks of doing any kind of photography outdoors. Sometimes you just can't win.

When it's cloudy and dull could you go to the engine shed and do some close-ups of coupling rods and leaky pipes etc? They would probably look as good (if not better?) with even light. All part of the steam experience.
 
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Rapscallion said:
Personally I would have lightened the sky to increase the contrast between the smoke and the sky. I also would decrease the saturation of the flowers considering the subject is the train, but thats just me.
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Many thanks for your input, much appreciated.
 
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