How do you expose for sky and subject?

[ChrisAdval]

If I expose for the subject then the sky gets overexposed, if I expose the sky, then the subject is underexposed.... how would you fix this? Is it possible to do it without post processing?

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by ChrisAdval

If I expose for the subject then the sky gets overexposed, if I expose the sky, then the subject is underexposed.... how would you fix this? Is it possible to do it without post processing?

Live:
You can add light to bring the ambient striking the subject up.
You can add a graduated filter.
Post:
You can add a graduated filter in post. (Problem with doing it in post is it the sky is completely gone you won't be able to recover any detail and it will just go gray.)
You can merge two photos one exposed for the sky and the other for the subject,
You can add a random sky from another shot.

[BigFuzzy]

This is happening because of the time of day you're shooting and your placement of subjects in relation to the light source.

This can be 'fixed' by various ways and yes, it's really easy to do without PP. It's that part of "get it right in camera" that's actually quite easy.

Shoot at a better time of day where the light is more even. I assume (and also from looking at some of your photos in the past) that most of your issues arise from shooting when the sun is high in the sky.

Use fill light to bring the subject light level up to match background (through flash or reflectors).

Don't place the subject with the brightest part of the sky behind them. If you place the subject with the sun to your back, everything (theoretically) you see will be lit by the same light and hence be more even.

EDIT: This might help: http://www.petapixel.com/2011/11/25/how-to-balance-your-strobes-with-daylight/

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by zona5101

Live:
You can add light to bring the ambient striking the subject up.
You can add a graduated filter.
Post:
You can add a graduated filter in post. (Problem with doing it in post is it the sky is completely gone you won't be able to recover any detail and it will just go gray.)
You can merge two photos one exposed for the sky and the other for the subject,
You can add a random sky from another shot.

yea I was thinking of not using any artificial light, and use the natural light source... maybe a reflector would be best but would be difficult to do if you can't carry one or have assistants holding them in place.

What I want to do is expose for both sky and subject without artificial light and post.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by ChrisAdval

yea I was thinking of not using any artificial light, and use the natural light source... maybe a reflector would be best but would be difficult to do if you can't carry one or have assistants holding them in place.

What I want to do is expose for both sky and subject without artificial light and post.

graduated filter.

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by ChrisAdval

yea I was thinking of not using any artificial light, and use the natural light source...
What I want to do is expose for both sky and subject without artificial light and post.

Why no use of artificial light? Just curious seeing as it's probably the easiest way to balance your subject vs background/ambient light.

And again, the time of day is a biiiiig factor.

[RichardTaylor]

Depending on the light (time of day & weather) it may pay to shoot with the sun more or less behind your back or shoot on a overcast day..

Here are a couple of examples (all from a hiking trip).
There is no exif data as I hadn't learnt about that at the time.

(1) Overcast - Notice no shadows


(2) After the sun came out (notice the shadows).


(3) Around midday in autumn, with the sun high to the left of me , probably diffused by a bit of thin cloud. I was looking east. (Exif data is available)



(4) Probably just after lunch (I hadn't set the camera clock after an international flight).
Looking northish (in the northern hemisphere) from near Edmonton (Canada) in September.
The sun is high & right.

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Why no use of artificial light? Just curious seeing as it's probably the easiest way to balance your subject vs background/ambient light.

And again, the time of day is a biiiiig factor.

because I'm trying to capture pure natural lighting photography... at least for certain assignments I assigned myself to get a specific mood or feel to the image when you add artificial it has that artificial feel or just different feel than natural... I may play with gels that portrays sun light but thats once I feel much more comfortable with natural light photography.

Originally Posted by RichardTaylor

Depending on the light (time of day & weather) it may pay to shoot with the sun more or less behind your back or shoot on a overcast day..

Here are a couple of examples (all from a hiking trip).
There is no exif data as I hadn't learnt about that at the time.

(1) Overcast - Notice no shadows


(2) After the sun came out (notice the shadows).


(3) Around midday in autumn, with the sun high to the left of me , probably diffused by a bit of thin cloud. I was looking east. (Exif data is available)



(4) Probably just after lunch (I hadn't set the camera clock after an international flight).
Looking northish (in the northern hemisphere) from near Edmonton (Canada) in September.
The sun is high & right.

thanks Richard that was very helpful! Is there an article on this on dPS? if not you should have something like this featured with your photos explaining about the sun and shadows, etc...

[RichardTaylor]

Thanks Chris.

With the light behind you it is the "easy way" to correct exposure, however it doesn't always work, especially for head shots where the sun may make people squint, or you want the light to provide some modeling or "atmosphere".
Notice how my examples above appear to be a bit flat.

I shoot 99% of my pics in available light (not always natural) and it is the first thing I think of if I have the luxury of "planning" a shoot as it may determine what gear I will be taking.
None of the shots above were planned (three of them were on vacations).

When actually shooting I always try to keep in mind:

(1) How much light?.

(2) It's direction?.

(3)How harsh is it (shadows and contrast)?

(4)The colour of the light?.

Even when shooting motor sport, where we have no control over the light, the subjects, shooting time, and limited control over our shooting positions we "tend to follow the light" on shooting days and especially like it when the lighting is diffused (as you can shoot in any direction) or late afternoon.

I personally love shooting in the rain.

I feel a tutorial coming on..