dark foreground bright background....HELP!

[Kevin CTMP]

There is a particular shot that I have always had trouble with......it is when the subject of my shot (whatever it may be) is darker than the background behind it.....i tinker with my settings, but I always end up with either a nice background by dark subject, or a nice subject with completely washed out background?.....obviously i can just pop a little fill flash.....but I still run into the problem when I'm shooting a ceremony and not allowed to use flash....especially when there are stained glass windows behind the altar.....does anyone have any other tips aside from shooting at an angle or using fill flash?

[Nihilation]

Find an assistant to handle a reflector? Try using filters or exposure bracketing perhaps?

[ThatCanonGuy]

Maybe a polarizing filter. (I think that's what it's called)

[Sam]

Kevin,

With the scenario your outlined you only have one choice. You can shoot so your couple is properly exposed, or you can shoot so the stained glass is properly exposed. You can't do both with out some added light on the couple or blocking the outside light on the stained glass.

Sam

[Nikolai]

Kevin,

With the scenario your outlined you only have one choice. You can shoot so your couple is properly exposed, or you can shoot so the stained glass is properly exposed. You can't do both with out some added light on the couple or blocking the outside light on the stained glass.

Sam

Yep. Or you can try speedbracketing (tripod highly recommended) but it would only work for a slow-action scenarios (weddings can be ok, though).

[Sam]

OK, I just woke up..................put the camera on a tripod. Take an image of the stained glass properly exposed. Then have the couple move in and take an image with them properly exposed. Merge / mask / etc in Photoshop.

Sam