Sky Over Exposed?

[BShumaker]

This shot was taken during the 4th of July weekend this year and trying to figure out if it would be worth going in and toning the sky down. This was at the peek of the day and absolutely no clouds. Any thoughts on the sky issue? All other ideas welcome and thanks.

Canon T3
F/20
1/200 sec
ISO 800

[Art]

Originally Posted by BShumaker

This shot was taken during the 4th of July weekend this year and trying to figure out if it would be worth going in and toning the sky down. This was at the peek of the day and absolutely no clouds. Any thoughts on the sky issue? All other ideas welcome and thanks.

Canon T3
F/20
1/200 sec
ISO 800

It is difficult to shoot in hard light and no clouds to help, you may crop a little from the top so subject will pull my eye
Art

[PointNShoot]

I think it's lovely.

I'd suggest getting closer to the boy. Talk him out of his shoes, if you can

[BShumaker]

I appreciate both of your comments. This shot was completely random as the kid was out there fishing for a couple of hours, and I was on a boat dock across the channel. Luckily, I had a 200mm lens with me, and this was still cropped quite a bit. Thanks again. Always appreciate the critiques!

[Wholigan1/20]

It's a precious shot. I love happy accidents like that. I would recommend trying to see what a darker shade of sky would do. Who knows...you might end up liking it. My main issue is the fact that his hat blends in with the sky.
As far as cropping is concerned I think it's great. However, can you try cropping out some of the cement wall? Would that crop out the canal?

[nikonkid]

I would tone the sky a little if you could, but it is a great shot as it is.

Out of curiosity, why did you use such a high iso?

[BShumaker]

Wholigan, that is the part that bothers me a bit, is the hat blending into the sky, but I appreciate the advise. Maybe I could adjust the shadows and midtones of just the hat...

Nikonkid, I have been asking myself that same question on the ISO sense looking at the EXIF data. It doesn't make much sense to me either.

[mwatson]

It may be just my screen but it looks just hazy rather than overexposed. Depending on your editing software, you can add a graduated filter in Lightroom or a Gradient in Photoshop. Other than those two programs, I don’t know much.

I have to agree with Wholigan, my main issue is the hat. I think that is more overexposed that than sky. I would just darken it a little. Also, I wouldn’t crop it anymore. I like how you framed it. The wall is ugly but it’s a canal.

Just a thought, have you tried this in b/w?

[BShumaker]

Thanks for the thoughts MWatson. Yeah, I will have to go into Photoshop and look at maybe burning the hat a bit to separate it from the sky. I have looked at it in BW, but I think it is the color of his clothes that really make this, especially the pop of red in the life jacket that draw the eye. Thanks again for the advice.

[Lextar]

Hi ... the sky doesn't really bother me. That's how skies are.
If you find that it bothers you, you could replace it with another more to your liking.
I keep a Mortuary of Photos for this very reason.
As memtioned I think that the boys hat's more of a problem than the sky.
Just love the cannel wall, and the little boy's activity tho'.



To be more ownest, the real reason that I'm keeping a Mortuary is because I will be moving into Surreal.


Cheers,
Leslie.