I need your help and suggestions. Re: Mid day Sun

eyeguyeyeguy Registered Users Posts: 169 Major grins
edited September 3, 2008 in Technique
I need your help and suggestions.

I will be heading off to Ixtapa mexico in December of this year, I will be heading out in the morning and evening to shoot but I know I will be taking photos during the day as well so I need your help and suggestions on how to best deal with the Mexican mid day sun. Is there a filter or a trick that I could use to reduce the harsh effects or try to make the sun a bit warmer ? I will be using my Film SLR , I use ASA 100 or 200 and have a Polarizing filter at this time.

thanks in advance for your time, help and suggestions :thumb

Dean

Comments

  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited September 1, 2008
    Being aware of the problem with a mid-day sun is much of the solution.

    I do not think filters for the camera really help that much. I leave mine at home.

    Think of shooting macros with flash instead, or architectural details, rather than large sunlit shots. Shoot indoors location shots. Shoot portraits in the shade, with fill flash if you have it available. Think of alternatives to broad landscapes.

    The pros who must shoot in bright sunlight, have large [url-="http://www.sunbounce.com/cms/index.php?id=sun_swatter"]scrims to soften the light or large shades to block it[/url], and then add flash or reflectors to add the needed light.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • davidweaverdavidweaver Registered Users Posts: 681 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2008
    good words here. If you want to shoot outside midday then go for things that will look good with hard overhead lighting. Architecture is a good and safe place. Also, look down. Stuff on the street is well illuminated in the midday sun!

    Cheers,
    David
  • eyeguyeyeguy Registered Users Posts: 169 Major grins
    edited September 3, 2008
    Thanks for the great Info
    Thanks to the both of you for the informationthumb.gif
    Eye guy
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited September 3, 2008
    I know Pathy said he leaves his filters at home ..... however that could be the time for filter creativity.....bring out those special effects and such....also if you are in the desert....drag out those ND filters to enhance those harsh exposures.......you will need straight #3,4,5, etc ND's as well as at least a couple of graduated ND's.....what you acquirre is soley dependent on your cash flow...as really good filters do not come cheap and in my opion screw on filters are a waste of time.....large 4x4 0r 4x5 inch filters are the better choice as you can just hand hold them in from of the lens when needed.
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • jasonstonejasonstone Registered Users Posts: 735 Major grins
    edited September 3, 2008
    I'd be looking UP! Yes seriously....
    I love looking for cool silhouettes where you take a meter reading for the sun and put it just on the edge or behind the object your taking a photo of.

    Can be really fun to experiment with different objects...
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,694 moderator
    edited September 3, 2008
    Art Scott wrote:
    I know Pathy said he leaves his filters at home ..... however that could be the time for filter creativity.....bring out those special effects and such....also if you are in the desert....drag out those ND filters to enhance those harsh exposures.......you will need straight #3,4,5, etc ND's as well as at least a couple of graduated ND's.....what you acquirre is soley dependent on your cash flow...as really good filters do not come cheap and in my opion screw on filters are a waste of time.....large 4x4 0r 4x5 inch filters are the better choice as you can just hand hold them in from of the lens when needed.
    HI Art, I guess I was thinking of a polarizer and a high sun.ne_nau.gif

    Some folks like the Gold-N-Blue polarizer made by Singh-Ray Michael Reichman wrote about blue-yellow poarizers here

    Of course an infra red filter can be used, as shooting infrared is best during the bright sunlit afternoon, although I recently saw a thread about shooting IR at night. A standard R-72 will work with film if you do not have a modded IR camera.

    Shooting Muench stars can be done without filters, but is always fun as well --
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • eyeguyeyeguy Registered Users Posts: 169 Major grins
    edited September 3, 2008
    ND Filters
    I was thinking about getting a set of ND filter as my max shutter speed is 1/1000 and I don't want to blow out all of my shots. The ND filter will allow me to slow down the water to get some cool shots. I think the Gold-N-Blue polarizer is a cool filter but I don't know if I will use it that much ne_nau.gif
    What about worming filters ?ne_nau.gif
    Dean
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