Landscape Advice

indiabravo

indiabravo

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Iain
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Hi all, after some advice.

I'm not really a landscape guy but there is a local lighthouse that's caught my eye and I'm heading out early tomorrow morning to get a shot of it. I'll probably be using my grad filters and here lies my problem... As the tower of the lighthouse will be well above the horizon how do I use the grad filters without affecting the exposure on the top of the lighthouse? Is there any specific technique or is it a case of taking multiple exposures and blending them in PS? Hope this makes sense.

Thanks,
Iain
 
Yeah I think that's the answer, can't see any other way to do it
 
Yeah I thought of that but they will probably be long exposures so unsure of the effect photomatix will have. Well give it a try. Will try composite as well
 
I'd be tempted to take two exposures, one with and one without the filter, then use a layer mask in PS to bring the two together.
 
as @markmullen said just take the one exposure and use the dodge tool on PS set to about 1 or 2% and go over the lighthouse.
If its low strength you'll not need to do multiple exposures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/njwimages/11261677813/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/njwimages/11261660994/

Dont wanna clog up the thread with photos so i've linked 2 lighthouse pics that i took on saturday morning just gone.
These were with a cokin ND grad (medium strength) which is fairly dark, just a little bit of dodging has brought the lighouse expsure back up without ruining it.
 
Phil Young said:
To be honest I'd be taking multiple exposures and blending them in photomatix - I can't see how a grad ND won't give you a halo effect...unless you're really careful with your PP.
Click to expand...

If you're just revealing layers on PS there is no reason to get a halo effect unless you're sloppy with your PP.
 
Thanks guys, Nick very impressive stuff if I can get even halfway as good I'll be very happy. Heading up to Rattray Head lighthouse about an hour or so north of Aberdeen. Hope the snow stays off for the drive
 
Phil Young said:
True, but multiple exposures would get the job done just as well and save a whole heap of time and monotonous work erasing layers etc.
Click to expand...

I think you're getting your terminology confused.

The way to do this in post processing in photoshop would be to take multiple exposures, layer them and then mask them off. I don't see how you could do it any other way.
 
indiabravo said:
Thanks guys, Nick very impressive stuff if I can get even halfway as good I'll be very happy. Heading up to Rattray Head lighthouse about an hour or so north of Aberdeen. Hope the snow stays off for the drive
Click to expand...

looks like a cool place. make sure you tag me when you uploads the pics on here so i can have a look!! :)
 
Will do Nick, although they won't be a patch on your stuff. I'll give it a shot tho
 
Phil Young said:
To be honest I'd be taking multiple exposures and blending them in photomatix - I can't see how a grad ND won't give you a halo effect...unless you're really careful with your PP.
Click to expand...


Layer masking. Easy. Photomatix, or other tone-mapping software is far mre likely to give a halo. You could do it very easily in PS without a halo. It will even be easy to mask.. just use quick select, then refine edge and it will be perfect.
 
Stuck to the dodging method in lightroom as I'm not too hot with layers
 
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