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View Full Version : Asking for help w/over water shots (ELEVEN PHOTOS)

petepics
May-22-2007, 06:44 PM
I'll be cruising Alaska during the second half of June. I went to the Chicago lakefront today to do a little practicing and wasn't happy with the results. It was near midday, the sky was hazy, and I was shooting over water. These are the conditions I expect to encounter during the trip. Can anyone offer some suggestions that will help keep the PP to a minimum? (Other than cleaning my sensor?) I was using a haze filter or a polarizer for all but the Sigma 14mm shots. I was using a tripod except for the shot of multiple sail boats. I'm particularly interested in help on the shots that include the skyline. These are compositionally similar to many I'll be taking on the trip. (Substitute glaciers/mountains for the tall buildings).

Thanks!!
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#10
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#11
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pyroPrints.com
May-23-2007, 06:18 AM
You can always crank up the contrast a bit
LiquidAir
May-23-2007, 12:55 PM
Two quick bits of advice:

1. For those shots I would have set my camera to manual mode: ISO 100, f/8 1/400s. That is a proper setting on the camera for any shot taken in midday sun and setting your camera up that way will give you more consitant exposure.

2. Haze (usually water vapor) in the air will cut the contrast progressively as things get farther the camera and make your shots look flat if there is nothing close up in the scene. There are some simple (curve) and not so simple (local contrast enhancement) you can do in photoshop to improve shots like that. However, it is best to learn to see that haze while you are shooting. Every day and every location is different so you need to judge your current conditions. Try to include something in the frame that is close enough to the camera to not look hazy. That will set the dynamic range for the shot so that hazy objects in the background are more likely to look far away than flat.
petepics
May-24-2007, 05:33 AM
Thanks for the suggestions. I've heard somewhere that relflections over water can fool the in camera meter. I'll need to brush up on using "sunny 16". We'll be cruising Glacier bay, Tracy Arm, etc. I've been there before. Lighting conditions can change quickly and the principle subjects, (marine life), come and go without warning. I'll be using a D70. Anyone have suggestions on camera settings that will help increase the number of keepers?
cmason
May-24-2007, 07:08 AM
Thanks for the suggestions. I've heard somewhere that relflections over water can fool the in camera meter. I'll need to brush up on using "sunny 16". We'll be cruising Glacier bay, Tracy Arm, etc. I've been there before. Lighting conditions can change quickly and the principle subjects, (marine life), come and go without warning. I'll be using a D70. Anyone have suggestions on camera settings that will help increase the number of keepers?

If you are using a polarizer, (and they are real handy to cut the sharp glare from water), make sure you rotate it or change your angle to get the best result. Polarizers will only cut glare from specific angles.