Where to position a grad filter

Silver Simon

Silver Simon

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Where on the Minster would a grad filter go A, B, C or somewhere different? If it is positioned too high some of the sky will be missed and too low would mean some of the Minster is covered.

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Many thanks
 
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Hi It would depend on wether it is a hard edge or soft edge. I find it best to switch to live view. To see the effect on the subject.
 
I suppose a strong hard grad would darken the Minister a bit, So maybe a soft grad would be better suited. As to where to position it i would put it diagonaly from the hedge near the bottom of the branches on the tree across to the left of the nearside wall.
 
You can't win with a photo like that. Wherever you put it there will be an obvious exposure difference. I would suggest not using a grad in this instance and rely on multiple exposures n
 
Blimey three answers and none of them what I wanted! :D

The trouble is they all make sense. I did think it was a difficult one.

Never dreamed of putting it at angle, thanks.

It is a soft grad.


TCR4x4 said:
You can't win with a photo like that. Wherever you put it there will be an obvious exposure difference. I would suggest not using a grad in this instance and rely on multiple exposures n
Click to expand...

When you say multiple exposures what do you mean please?

Thanks to you all.
 
Hi again. Multile exposures. You take 1 for correct exposure of sky. 1 for correct exposure of church. Then blend then together. You can do it using the latest Canon dpp.You can use more exposures if you need to. Look up HDR but use it with care.
 
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vetonbike said:
Hi again. Multile exposures. You take 1 for correct exposure of sky. 1 for correct exposure of church. Then blend then together. You can do it using the latest Canon dpp.You can use more exposures if you need to. Look up HDR but use it with care.
Click to expand...

So bracket the shot? I've tried that, you get one over, one under and one correctly exposed, is that it?
 
Silver Simon said:
So bracket the shot? I've tried that, you get one over, one under and one correctly exposed, is that it?
Click to expand...

You could get away with two shots. One exposed for the sky and one for the church and foreground. Then using photoshop, and layers, paint through the exposed sky onto the exposed foreground shot. Will look more realistic than an HDR shot.. Of course you could do HDR too, churches usually work well for that style as long as you don't overcook it.
 
Basicly yes but you may need to bracket by 2 or 3 stopes ether way. Idealy you spot meter for the sky .Then the church. Then tell the camera the amount of bracketing you want.
 
Oh, this is taking me into uncharted waters! Sounds really interesting.

It's only a couple of minutes down the road, so I'll get down there and give your suggestions a go and post the results.

Brill, thanks.
 
other options would be...
walking in closer and using a wider angle to fill more of the frame with the subject.
Different times of the day and weather may help with the light coming from behind you and therfore keeping the sky blue.
Using a polarizer filter might have good effect.
In this particular shot a grad filter may help but it may just turn the sky grey. Ive actully used two grad filters at oposing angles.
You could really go for it and use a grad filter and a polarizer!!!

Stuart
 
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stuart anthony said:
other options would be...
walking in closer and using a wider angle to fill more of the frame with the subject.
Different times of the day and weather may help with the light coming from behind you and therfore keeping the sky blue.
Using a polarizer filter might have good effect.
In this particular shot a grad filter may help but it may just turn the sky grey. Ive actully used two grad filters at oposing angles.
You could really go for it and use a grad filter and a polarizer!!!

Stuart
Click to expand...

The reason I wanted to stand this far back and use a grad filter was to try and get some blurring of the clouds.

Polarizer is something I've thought about, thanks.
 
Ideally yes, but it is possible to do without, if you hold the camera very steady. Stick it on continous high and rattle off however many shots you want quickly.

Or find a wall/fence/person to rest the camera on.
 
This thread is tailor made for the talk landscape sub forum IMHO :geek:

I dont think folk are perhaps aware there is one though.
 
a vast improvment on the first attemp.
However exposure blending from different shots is only usable if the subject is stationary. clouds, branches, even blades of grass will not appear as they should.

Here is another option to try and may give you more deffinition in the clouds.
Create three differently exposed images from one RAW file.
from the original make another one +3 exposure and another one -3 exposure.
Then blend them in the photomatrix as normal.

Stuart
 
stuart anthony said:
a vast improvment on the first attemp.
However exposure blending from different shots is only usable if the subject is stationary. clouds, branches, even blades of grass will not appear as they should.
Click to expand...

True in theory of course, but in practise if you shoot on auto-bracket you can get three exposures in half a second and it's rarely a problem. And some software has anti-ghosting that helps too.

Here is another option to try and may give you more deffinition in the clouds.
Create three differently exposed images from one RAW file.
from the original make another one +3 exposure and another one -3 exposure.
Then blend them in the photomatrix as normal.

Stuart
Click to expand...

I like this technique too, though you need a good camera with plenty of dynamic range to start with, and then use expose-to-the-right (of the histogram) technique to put as much detail in the shadows as possible.

Usually looks pretty good, and because what you can do is limited, you never get that horrible exagerated effect that has given HDR a bad name.
 
stuart anthony said:
a vast improvment on the first attemp.
However exposure blending from different shots is only usable if the subject is stationary. clouds, branches, even blades of grass will not appear as they should.

Here is another option to try and may give you more deffinition in the clouds.
Create three differently exposed images from one RAW file.
from the original make another one +3 exposure and another one -3 exposure.
Then blend them in the photomatrix as normal.

Stuart
Click to expand...

But if you do that will you get the blurred, clouds in motion look to the shot? As the clouds will be in the same spot.
 
Yes you will get blurred clouds if you use a slow shutter speed but in the light of day this might be difficult. you may need a big blocker filter.

Photomatrix has blured the clouds as a natural result of merging the different shots and this may look effective, but getting it blured in camera may look better.
 
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