Bright sunny FL days?

[Twoboysnmygirl]

What settings do you regularly use at WDW when it's bright and sunny? I tend to see a lot of washed out and over exposed pictures (not on the photography board though!!)

I'm usually in A mode on my D40, but I find I have a difficult time when it's really bright getting the shot to look the way I want and not have the color all washed out. I normally avoid mid-day shots ...but that's not completely possible on special trip to WDW!

 

[VVFF]

What settings do you regularly use at WDW when it's bright and sunny? I tend to see a lot of washed out and over exposed pictures (not on the photography board though!!)

I'm usually in A mode on my D40, but I find I have a difficult time when it's really bright getting the shot to look the way I want and not have the color all washed out. I normally avoid mid-day shots ...but that's not completely possible on special trip to WDW!

Learn to use the different metering options. Specifically if you want reliable control over your metering use AE lock(might be a Canon term) which locks the exposure with the current scene allowing you to recompose with the same settings.

Also use spot metering if you want to get very reliable control over the exposure at a specific point of the picture.

Perhaps its time to venture away from Auto mode eh?

 

[ukcatfan]

What settings do you regularly use at WDW when it's bright and sunny? I tend to see a lot of washed out and over exposed pictures (not on the photography board though!!)

I'm usually in A mode on my D40, but I find I have a difficult time when it's really bright getting the shot to look the way I want and not have the color all washed out. I normally avoid mid-day shots ...but that's not completely possible on special trip to WDW!

You might consider a polarizing filter to help. It technically does not do anything when the sun is directly overhead, but there are many hours of harsh sun down here in FL where the sun is not directly overhead.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Learn to use the different metering options. Specifically if you want reliable control over your metering use AE lock(might be a Canon term) which locks the exposure with the current scene allowing you to recompose with the same settings.

Also use spot metering if you want to get very reliable control over the exposure at a specific point of the picture.

Perhaps its time to venture away from Auto mode eh?

Yep, I know! I have gotten some nice shots in manual, but I don't trust myself when I'm with our whole family and trying to enjoy WDW as well. I'm afraid I'll come home with a bunch of wasted pics!

I'm off to read more on metering in my manual.

 

[VVFF]

Yep, I know! I have gotten some nice shots in manual, but I don't trust myself when I'm with our whole family and trying to enjoy WDW as well. I'm afraid I'll come home with a bunch of wasted pics!

I'm off to read more on metering in my manual.

For a good example of metering. Choose spot metering and aim your camera at something primarily black(my choice is a keyboard). Then take the picture. You will find your camera will do a long exposure and it will be overexposed. This is because the camera gets "confused" with the black object and has trouble judging exposure. Next time do spot metering on something around the keyboard that is a mid tone...perhaps a brown desk. Find out how to lock the exposure when aiming at that target and recompose on the keyboard. You should find that your picture comes out looking much better. This is a good practice example of spot metering.

You can also play with exposure compensation. I find this can be a bit unreliable if you are recomposing on the scene but it generally works well. If you want a bit more of the sky to have detail and color apply a bit of negative exposure compensation. This will darken everything in the picture though so be away of what your real subject is. Sometimes overexposure of sky is simply unavoidable. Just try to shoot in the opposite direction of the sun where possible until we get cameras with the same dynamic range as the human eye.

 

[boBQuincy]

It's rare when Program mode with evaluative metering misses an exposure. Except for fireworks (Manual) and HDR (Aperture) I leave my camera in Program 99% of the time and get good exposures. It's not that I don't know how to use other modes, I do, but why do it manually when the camera is so good and so fast?

I just took about 1200 photos in 4 days at WDW and there are precious few bad exposures (like maybe 1 per day). A lot of washout exposure issues arise when the camera is metering from a darker area, leaving the brighter areas overexposed. In many cases the camera can not capture the full range of brightnesses and we must decide which is important to us, highlights or shadows.

The "sunny 16" rule still holds, for a basic bright day exposure start with f/16 and a shutter speed of 1/ISO. That should be pretty close. Do you have any examples to share with us?

 

[VVFF]

It's rare when Program mode with evaluative metering misses an exposure. Except for fireworks (Manual) and HDR (Aperture) I leave my camera in Program 99% of the time and get good exposures. It's not that I don't know how to use other modes, I do, but why do it manually when the camera is so good and so fast?

I just took about 1200 photos in 4 days at WDW and there are precious few bad exposures (like maybe 1 per day). A lot of washout exposure issues arise when the camera is metering from a darker area, leaving the brighter areas overexposed. In many cases the camera can not capture the full range of brightnesses and we must decide which is important to us, highlights or shadows.

The "sunny 16" rule still holds, for a basic bright day exposure start with f/16 and a shutter speed of 1/ISO. That should be pretty close. Do you have any examples to share with us?

Bob I think there are numerous situations that I take pictures in that confused the normal metering system of a camera. For instance, today I took a picture aiming at a building that was backlit with an open dark entryway. The camera attempted to lighten this up and therefore overexposed based on actual conditions. Was it clipped on the high end...no...but it also wasn't accurate. This is a good example when exposure compensation is necessary to get the best possible exposure.

Does P mode usually get a decent exposure? Yes...is it usually the best? Not always in my experience.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Yes, I have a few examples.

I got my D40 in late spring, so some of these are earlier pics just to give you an example of how my sky always washes out. Landscape really seems to be my worst enemy. Even a shot in early morning light (the lake pic) turned out that way. (I do believe I have corrected some of the issue, I adjusted my exposure and I'm going to spend tomorrow using P mode, I have used manual before as well, but I want to try P also.

The shot of just my dd on the fence had a LOT of post processing b/c of the sky and I'm still not completely happy with it.

 

[boBQuincy]

Bob I think there are numerous situations that I take pictures in that confused the normal metering system of a camera. For instance, today I took a picture aiming at a building that was backlit with an open dark entryway. The camera attempted to lighten this up and therefore overexposed based on actual conditions. Was it clipped on the high end...no...but it also wasn't accurate. This is a good example when exposure compensation is necessary to get the best possible exposure.

Does P mode usually get a decent exposure? Yes...is it usually the best? Not always in my experience.

I think we are looking at things in a similar way and maybe writing about them differently. Of course the camera will try to make the scene 18% gray or thereabouts. That is almost always a "good" exposure in that the subject will be recognizable and have detail. Is that the exposure we want to suit our artistic vision? Maybe not, even usually not.

As you note, the backlit building will not look like you envisioned it. However, the image will probably contain the most data available with this exposure and that is probably what most beginning photographers want, an exposure that shows the most of the subject and will display (or print) well.

I feel that too many beginners rush into using Manual mode because they read it is the "best " way to go (or the only way to be a "real" photographer) and end up with a bunch of poorly exposed photos and a lot of frustration with photography. You are far from a beginner and know how to expose the photo to look like what you envision but I feel the OP is likely to get a much higher percentage of good exposures by letting the camera set the exposure.

In my experience I forget things and make a lot of mistakes, P mode is the best for me. Btw, I really like your Disboards name, I miss Food Rocks and Kitchen Kaberet!

 

[VVFF]

I think we are looking at things in a similar way and maybe writing about them differently. Of course the camera will try to make the scene 18% gray or thereabouts. That is almost always a "good" exposure in that the subject will be recognizable and have detail. Is that the exposure we want to suit our artistic vision? Maybe not, even usually not.

As you note, the backlit building will not look like you envisioned it. However, the image will probably contain the most data available with this exposure and that is probably what most beginning photographers want, an exposure that shows the most of the subject and will display (or print) well.

I feel that too many beginners rush into using Manual mode because they read it is the "best " way to go (or the only way to be a "real" photographer) and end up with a bunch of poorly exposed photos and a lot of frustration with photography. You are far from a beginner and know how to expose the photo to look like what you envision but I feel the OP is likely to get a much higher percentage of good exposures by letting the camera set the exposure.

In my experience I forget things and make a lot of mistakes, P mode is the best for me. Btw, I really like your Disboards name, I miss Food Rocks and Kitchen Kaberet!

I agree with your assessment here. I also agree that diving into "M" mode is often unneeded except in rare circumstances. From what she posted, I don't see a whole lot to be unhappy with honestly(except for the dust on the sensor in the fence picture). Other than that I think she's done well! There are just limitations in dynamics range and unfortunately that often comes at the expense of color in the sky.

And yes, I still to this day remember when Kitchen Kaberet was closed...I was very distraught that trip

 

[klmall]

Yes, I have a few examples.

I got my D40 in late spring, so some of these are earlier pics just to give you an example of how my sky always washes out. Landscape really seems to be my worst enemy. Even a shot in early morning light (the lake pic) turned out that way. (I do believe I have corrected some of the issue, I adjusted my exposure and I'm going to spend tomorrow using P mode, I have used manual before as well, but I want to try P also.

The shot of just my dd on the fence had a LOT of post processing b/c of the sky and I'm still not completely happy with it.

Were these taken in RAW?

I had similar problems sometimes when I shot only in jpeg.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I did have dust on my sensor, I got it cleaned luckily! No idea how it got on there, I believe my husband changed lenses without turning off the camera.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

No, not in RAW unfortunately. Money is tight and my Capture NX2 trial ran out, so I don't even have the software to process RAW files right now. I will soon, but renting a 18-200mm for the trip came first!

 

[boBQuincy]

A polarizer would probably help on some of the photos, darkening the blue sky. The lake photo looks like it was a very hazy day, the more distant trees are more washed out. Polarizers can help a little with haze but it's just a tough subject.

Overall you are doing well, these are much better than I expected from your description! Avoiding washed out skies has been a problem since long ago!

In post-processing a curve adjustment may help to improve the skies without changing the overall exposure. RAW definitely helps to allow getting the most exposure latitude possible.

 

[Chikabowa]

Google the "Sunny 16" rule. On hot, sunny mid-day sun in Florida, it really is a helpful little tool to get you started.

 

[YesDear]

I have not looked but let me see if I remember from the old days!

ISO 100
F 16
Shutter speed 125th second

on a bright sunny day!

 

[Evad]

Here's a link to the sunny 16 rule






.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Thank you so much everyone!

 

[YesDear]

Trying to figure if I am good or just old!

I am going with the old!!!!!!!!!

 

[Golf4food]

Can't believe there's been no mention of a graduated ND filter in all of this...