Highlights in middle of the picture

[AshNZ]

Hi

How would you deal with highlights that are in middle of the picture? For example in this photo, I had real trouble balancing the exposure - either I had to over expose the city lights or underexpose the sky and water. What techniques would you use? If I use the nd grad that would still underexpose the sky. I guess I could use HDR but I prefer a simpler solution.


Untitled by Arsh NZ, on Flickr


Exif data

Camera Sony DSLR-A300
Exposure 10
Aperture f/13.0
Focal Length 40 mm
ISO Speed 100

[dmann]

I am very new at this keep in mind. I would use the quick selection tool to select the areas I want to be darker. Then I would refine the edges and feather it (about 20 to start). Then I would play with the levels until it looked the way I wanted.

Hope that helps and I don't leave you astray!

[CBabcock]

I would try a little dodge and burn. or using curves and levels. Here's a quick tutuorial - Dodging and Burning in Photoshop - Tutorials

[RichardTaylor]

Shoot a couple of different exposures and selectively merge them (not HDR) when post processing.

[AshNZ]

Thanks for all the suggestions, they're all valid. But ideally I'm looking for a solution (if there is any) that can be implemented while taking the picture rather than in PP. The picture I've posted above is edited in LR but the original was pretty unevenly exposed. I'm looking for ways to improve the originals.

[zona5101]

you could dodge it like you would dodge light from an enlarger. That's pretty trial & error. Easier, faster and better to do it in the electronic darkroom.

[Barry Jackson]

The problem with trying to do it in camera instead of post processing is that there is an overlay between the light sky and the lights on the tall buildings which I take it is what you want to darken.

Making the selection as earlier mentioned and then making a duplicate layer and setting the blend mode to multiply would darken the area. You could then control the amount also.

The only way I know to do something like this in camera is to effectively dodge a certain portion as also mentioned earlier. One way to do that in this instance might be to cut a thin strip from an acetate gel filter such as a polarizing one. These are sometimes used in studio lights. You could then tape it to the lens in the proper position. Of course when you do this you are introducing a possible lack of sharpness or other problems.

Since it is digital you could always try it. It won't cost anything but a gel filter.

I like the shot the way it is but I would darken the water and the lights reflected in it.

[RichardTaylor]

Or possibly these, more than one if necessary:

Singh-Ray Filters: Galen Rowell Graduated Neutral Density Filters

[Doug Sundseth]

The problem you said you had was balancing the sky with the city lights. In general, when you have a dynamic range problem you need to reduce the dynamic range. This can be done by changing the range in the scene or changing the range in post.

To change the range in the scene, shoot earlier (later if this was taken in the morning); the sky will be brighter and thus closer in brightness to the city lights.

To change the rang in post, shoot multiple images, merge to an HDR, then tone-map to a narrower dynamic range.

[Nikoner]

I might be a bit off-topic but I love the picture the way it is (I faved it in flickr :P)