Jock Elliott
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Troy, NY
Streams leading off into the woods have always caught my eye, but photographing them has always been problematic. It's difficult to show depth; they come out looking flat and uninteresting.
Yesterday my wife are walking at Oakwood cemetery and we cross a bridge where a stream lead out of a pond. On one side of the bridge is the pond; on the other, the stream, leading down a ravine that is overshadowed by trees. On this day, the sunlight is penetrating the canopy, illuminating three small pools leading off into the darkness. In the foreground are a couple of leafed tree branches that I can't avoid, but the leaves are muted because they are in shadow.
So I point the LX100 at the distance pools and attempt to expose for them. When I push the shutter halfway down and the exposure locks in, the foreground leaves look hot, like they are in full, bright, sunlight. I don't take the shot because the foreground would be a huge distraction from the pools leading off into the gloom.
Clearly, the sensor on the camera is seeing the leaves in the foreground differently from my eye. What I want is the leaves in the foreground to not be competing with the real subject of the photos, the pools leading into the distance.
Suggestions? Is there a way to "knock down" the leaves in the foreground without losing the pools in the distance? Can I "dodge and burn" in post processing?
Cheers, Jock
Yesterday my wife are walking at Oakwood cemetery and we cross a bridge where a stream lead out of a pond. On one side of the bridge is the pond; on the other, the stream, leading down a ravine that is overshadowed by trees. On this day, the sunlight is penetrating the canopy, illuminating three small pools leading off into the darkness. In the foreground are a couple of leafed tree branches that I can't avoid, but the leaves are muted because they are in shadow.
So I point the LX100 at the distance pools and attempt to expose for them. When I push the shutter halfway down and the exposure locks in, the foreground leaves look hot, like they are in full, bright, sunlight. I don't take the shot because the foreground would be a huge distraction from the pools leading off into the gloom.
Clearly, the sensor on the camera is seeing the leaves in the foreground differently from my eye. What I want is the leaves in the foreground to not be competing with the real subject of the photos, the pools leading into the distance.
Suggestions? Is there a way to "knock down" the leaves in the foreground without losing the pools in the distance? Can I "dodge and burn" in post processing?
Cheers, Jock
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