Blown out

[ssshumack]

Could someone please tell me a good way to not have your background blown out. I have noticed on some of my photos, my sky is blown out, no matter what time of day. I have noticed this when I have used different modes on my camera, not just on Auto mode.

[kelleyrie]

the only way I know to do it on camera is to use a good polarizing filter. I'm sure there are other ways.

[metalpam]

Avoid Automatic mode like the plague. Set to manual! Use smaller apertures and ride your shutter speed until you get what you want. Take a meter reading off the sky, or if you're shooting a reflected sky in water...meter off the water. Take some shots with the sky zero'd in your meter (in the middle) and some a half stop underexposed, 1 stop underexposed, etc until you get what you like.

You can also set your white balance to different settings and achieve lots of different effects, try playing with that.

If you're trying to take a portrait of someone and still expose both the person AND sunset, you're going to need to use a fill-flash and expose your camera for the sky.

A lot of times exposing for the sky means you'll need a tripod to keep it sharp, but it's worth the extra effort.

Hope that's helpful!

[Jim Poor]

The original question is far to vague to give a firm answer too.

What situations are you talking about? Studio backgrounds, natural backgrounds, wildlife, landscape? Each will have it's own set of challenges and solutions. Since you mention sky, I'll take a stab at a couple potential solutions.

Polarizing filters will lower the exposure of the sky, but they will also lower the exposure of everything else in the scene. Polarizing filters are best used to remove glare, and probably worst used to make that really deep, unnatural blue sky we see far too often. They are not good for keeping the sky from blowing out though if you want proper exposure of everything else.

A graduated filter is a better solution for keeping sky exposures closer to the rest of the scene. This works in situations like landscape photography when you have a transition from brighter to darker / sky to land. Of course, if your talking about a bird in the sky, then you have sky all around and a graduated filter will do you no good.

You could try controlling the exposure of the sky and subject separately. You'll need some flash or other external light source for this.

[dakwegmo]

Originally Posted by ssshumack

Could someone please tell me a good way to not have your background blown out. I have noticed on some of my photos, my sky is blown out, no matter what time of day. I have noticed this when I have used different modes on my camera, not just on Auto mode.

To keep your background from blowing out, you'll need to expose your shot for the background. Take a meter reading and set the exposure based on the background and your background won't get blown out.

The problem with this answer, is that it ignores the foreground and any subjects in it. Exposing for the background is going to leave your foreground underexposed, so you'll have to compensate for that somehow. As Jim Poor points out, there are different techniques for doing that depending on what you're shooting.

[ssshumack]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

The original question is far to vague to give a firm answer too.

What situations are you talking about? Studio backgrounds, natural backgrounds, wildlife, landscape? Each will have it's own set of challenges and solutions.

I am sorry for being so vague.....I meant for any type of outdoor photography. Such as landscape or portraits.

Thanks for all of your solutions, but I'm still new to this and I'm not real sure on the whole metering deal. I will read up on it though. Thanks again!

[metalpam]

Originally Posted by ssshumack

I am sorry for being so vague.....I meant for any type of outdoor photography. Such as landscape or portraits.

Thanks for all of your solutions, but I'm still new to this and I'm not real sure on the whole metering deal. I will read up on it though. Thanks again!

I HIGHLY recommend "Understanding Exposure" by Brian Peterson. It's amazing for this kind of stuff and the book that finally made everything "click" for me.

[Cuchulainn]

I will second that recommendation. The "Revised Edition" I believe is the latest edition. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

I actually own 3 of his books. In addition to Understanding Exposure, I have Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography as well as Beyond Portraiture: Creative People Photography.

I still think someone should write one called "Dr. Strangephoto or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Histogram."

Originally Posted by metalpam

I HIGHLY recommend "Understanding Exposure" by Brian Peterson. It's amazing for this kind of stuff and the book that finally made everything "click" for me.

[metalpam]

Hahaha. I have most of Peterson's books too. I adore him.

To the OP...I was sunset shooting today. This is an example of what metering off the sky, (I put it one full stop underexposed) and using a flash on my subject got me:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lickmysticks/3026522810/

There's a few on there, but I thought you'd like to see them. That was my first time doing this and I just learned this stuff, so it's totally do-able! Good luck!

[gh patriot]

A graduated neutral density filter could help with your problem.