NDR - top side

[justleesa]

Still no diving for me, so a couple of top side pictures from yesterday:

 

[bladephotog]

While it's warming up, based on these pix it's still much colder here. The top photo would benefit greatly from the use of a graduated neutral density filter but I like what it represents. Cool photos, thanks.

 

[justleesa]

The top one was a play around picture. The forground was pretty much black, but I wanted to show the sand castle.. What benifit would the filter give me? (I bet I even have it, but never thought to use filters with my digital because I can get most effects in PS, no?)

 

[Jamdiver]

Gorgeous shots Lisa, love the depth of field in the third shot.......
Which lens(es) are you using?

First shot is lovely, love the contrast, blues and colours

 

[justleesa]

Aloha and Mahalo Jam, I used my 24/70 mm lens.

for the 1st shot I had the camera set to tungsten light...the daylight pictures come out blue...sometimes pretty interesting results

 

[Jamdiver]

Aloha and Mahalo Jam, I used my 24/70 mm lens.

for the 1st shot I had the camera set to tungsten light...the daylight pictures come out blue...sometimes pretty interesting results

Interesting, you know i've never realised just how much of a creative effect changing the white balance can lend to a picture...

Thanks for sharing :14:

 

[bladephotog]

The top one was a play around picture. The forground was pretty much black, but I wanted to show the sand castle.. What benifit would the filter give me? (I bet I even have it, but never thought to use filters with my digital because I can get most effects in PS, no?)

GND filters let you balance the light in two different parts of the frame. In the case of your photo, The sand in the foreground happens to be several stops darker than the sky. If you expose for the sky you get a dark foreground. If you were to expose for the sand, the sky would be blown out. A GND will help balance these two exposures.

While you could do the same in Photoshop by combining two different frames, or RAW conversions, it's easier and better to do it in camera, IMO. Photoshop is awesome but somethings you just need to do in the field. And I think the top photo, with the sand castle properly exposed, would make a great stock photo.

Here's a link to the GND I would have first tried on this photo. And here's a link to a photo I made using a GND. I never would have been able to pull any detail out of the foreground and retain the background exposure without a GND. These filters really just let the camera see what we can see.

 

[justleesa]

I looked thru my stash of cokin filters (bought a huge lot on eBay, but never got a chance to use them) and I have a couple of GND filters. I just have to get a fitting adapter ring. Thanks for the tip

 

[Soggy]

Very nice pictures!

never thought to use filters with my digital because I can get most effects in PS, no?)

Certain effects are best done at exposure time. Polarizers and ND filters are a couple. You can get an approximation of what a ND will do for you in photoshop by using a gradient mask combined with a multiplied layer or two, but your noise level will go up and it won't necessarily look as natural.

Polarizing effects really cannot be done post.

 

[justleesa]

Thank you Soggy!
When it comes down to it...taking the picture that is. I don't really know what the heck I'm doing. I work the settings and get something that looks halfway decent. I have a certain degree of PS skills and take it from there. I really need to take a class or two (they don't offer that much locally) or go thru an apprenticeship with a photographer. How would I go about that?