Hell Fire Woods

• swingking

  Member

  June 24, 2010 at 12:24 pm

  I’m finding it hard to balance the exposure in a wooded area because an ND grad would look too obvious. Because of that there are blown highlights.

  Any C & C is greatly appreciated.

  Thanks

  

  
  b318isp

  Participant

  June 24, 2010 at 5:33 pm

  The second shot works quite well. The composition in the first needs to be better to make it as good.
  RASMITH32

  Member

  June 24, 2010 at 7:14 pm

  yeah shame about the blown out background, like the 2nd
  bigalguitarpicker

  Participant

  June 24, 2010 at 8:55 pm

  A situation where HDR would be a solution.
  swingking

  Member

  June 24, 2010 at 10:50 pm

  thanks for the replies. I shot 3 bracketed shots. Any suggestions to how I can improve on my composition for the first shot?
  MMX

  Participant

  June 25, 2010 at 3:28 am

  swingking wrote:

  Any suggestions to how I can improve on my composition for the first shot?

  I wonder if anybody can answer this question without visiting the place
  b318isp

  Participant

  June 25, 2010 at 12:39 pm

  A couple of thoughts:

  – avoid central “horizon”
  – pick a main focal point – perhaps you intended the tree near the left third, but it is not that interesting
  – avoid blowing the highlights so much – you may have to bracket the full stop of the camera, or shot with manual settings
  – use some foreground interest (e.g. the stump in the 2nd helps)

  Note that the B&W shot strips away colour so there is more emphasis on form and geometery that does not come over in the first.