Photography Tips: Sunset Disappointment PT1
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ม.ค. 2017
- Sunset photography is a genre loved by all. But what can you do if it's disappointing? Instead of reds and oranges and drama, you have dull washed out colours.
In this video I'll show you how to get the exposure as good as possible so there's tons of data in the RAW file. In PT2 we'll develop the images and rescue them in Lightroom.
Mike Browne
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Retired a little while ago and took up photography again and have been following your videos on You Tube, I would like to say how very helpful they are to me. I have learnt so much from them. Thank you.
Thank you Robin. Please help me keep making more by sharing any you like around with other photographers. Best wishes - MIKE :-)
Mike, Your videos inspired me to buy my first DSLR (I bought it yesterday) Canon T6i. Nobody could explain this to me better! You dont use fancy words. There is a huge encouragement hidden in all your videos. Count me your subscriber for life.
Thanks so much Libin Joy! So pleased you've purchased your first DSLR, have fun - CHRISTINA :-)
wow I love the videos where you explain the process behind common missteps in photography. so informative and really helps to challenge perceptions
Thanks BassClefable. Have a look at my 7 Blocks course. It's 7 weeks of how to learn that process step by step and you just might like it... MIKE
www.photographycourses.biz/7blocks
Bravo about shooting Raw. I'm amazed by the amount of 'professional' photographers on TH-cam who seem to brag about only using out-of-camera jpegs. It may explain why their photos look exactly same as everyone else's. Look forward to Part 2.
Hi Mike Never really thought about the time of the year would make much difference, as I can see it was. I was so lucky the day I went on my 1to1 training day with you. so with the luck and your fab teachings i had a great bunch of shots thanks so much for making my hobby fun
I used to bracket my exposure. Using manual gives me more control. I like the composition you have. Also maybe a polarizing filter.
another great video of Mr Mike Brown, looking forward to pt2..... i can't wait .... thanks
Nice video Mike. Loved the compositions tips with the trees and the puddle. Looking forward for part 2!
*Thanks Mike :) Always very practical video-tutorials :)*
Thanx a lot for sharing your thought process - it helps so much.
Thanks Mike. Made me smile at 11:15 as there is a "tripod" in the timber post right behind your back.
Always love your work. Always learn so much from you.
Thanks Gina - MIKE
I do love your videos. I learn the most and have vastly improved my photography. Thank you for all of the hard work you put in each video,
thank you stephen, please so all at www.photographycourses.biz/videos - Melissa pp Mike
Than you @Stephen S. Peters... MIKE
Mike brown is a fantastic photographer and if you listen and learn it really does help.. ive been following mike now for a few years when i first bought a compact camera.. i thought my photos were brilliant untill i made the jump to a bridge camera,,, 8 months after that i bought a nice nikon D5300.. just take it all in your stride guys and never ever rush ;)
Thank you TROLL FOX - MIKE :-)
Great. Thanks for sharing.
Nice video. Mike please also mention couple of points. What are you focusing, as well as what type of metering option you used either spot, center weighted or matrix. These additional information very helpful for my type of photographers. Thanks.
Thanks Mike - especially for the thought process explanations. Got up at stupid o'clock yesterday to get some shots at a place I'd picked out. Driving there way before sunrise the clouds were starting to appear black and red and gold. Was getting excited. Got off a couple of shots and was doing the ritual wait for the sun to pop up. And it started snowing... I don't mind standing in the snow, but could barely see 100 ft. And that was that! Glad to know everyone goes through the useless weather forecast disappintments :)
Good on you for getting out there. my buddy tom Mackie went to shoot sunrise from a mountain top in Turkey. Arrived a day early for a recce, climbed mountain at 3 am to be in place and ready for sunrise - it was cloudy. He did it 4 days in a row before he got his shot... MIKE
www.tommackie.com/
Can't wait to see part two Mike.
Can't wait to make it Anthony - MIKE :-)
only just found you, 10 000 views since yesterday, thats wonderful Mike
Thanks Graham - MIKE :-)
I have been waiting for you to make this kind of video mike ! I really enjoyed it because i did encounter such problems. Thank you !
We all do from time to time... MIKE :-)
Another great video mike and very informative.Mike is there any chance that you would be making a video on how to shoot a wedding from start to finish ?
oh wow that's a long time plan Mike and i wanted to do, who knows we can in the future :) - Melissa pp Mike
Thanks Mike
Another great video Mike. Looking forward to part 2.
Thanks Craig - MIKE
I really like your tutorials Mike wish I was back in England to join one of your courses . Greetings form a small island in the Aegean Sea. Where I live and do most of my photography & art . The sunsets in summer are amazing. Its like watching a slideshow every day with different colour combinations straight from my house.
Thanks MegaCleopatra123. Sounds fantastic. I want to set up a workshop in your neck of the woods one day. maybe Thassos because I know my way around quite well... Won't be for a year or two though... MIKE :-)
Easily one of my favorite guru's on youtube.
aawwwthank you A lovedone - Melissa pp Mike
As always with you, very good video and highly interesting for your way of thinking the image ! Looking forward your second part ! :o)
Thanks Patrick - MIKE
Very interesting...experience has taught me that it's far easier to brighten/correct dark areas than darken bright areas due to the fact that overexposed skies (for example) remain blown out regardless, due to data lost .....I would love to know how to correct a blown out sky
Hi Angus Bennett. You can't correct a blow out sky (or blocked out shade) - if there's no data that's the end of the story. You have to ensure you've captured both ends of the histogram in the raw file so you can bring them back to a natural look the way your eye saw it in post... MIKE
Love it when a plan falls over :0) Is this becoming a trend in your videos?
I'm very much an opportunist when out with the camera: Most of my favorite photos have just happened without much planning or forethought on my part.
Last summer the poppies at Polly Joke had a year off & didn't bloom; but faulty intelligence saw a bunch of us drive over on a fine, but cloudy, evening to photograph them.
One bloke got straight back in his car, "I came to shoot poppies & there's no poppies": "Aren't you going to stay for the sunset?"; "Seen one sunset, you've seen 'em all".
He missed one of the finest Apocalypseses I've ever captured.
Not to mention a pint or two in the Bowie Inn.
Always appreciate the real world approach.
Thanks - MIKE
I would be using manual exposure settings. on my DSLRs I have the viewfinder set to maximum brightness. I choose aperture, then duration, watching the detail in the darkest areas. if I can see detail there I will be fine later. I do keep an eye out for blinkies, if needed I can make more exposures and blend later.
7:57 That bit where you talk about shooting raw and then making your own JPEGs was quite eye-opening. I like photography (from a hobbyist perspective) and have always had the idea that using photo editing programs was 'cheating'. But when you mentioned how post-production is already happening because the camera converts the picture into a JPEG itself, well, may as well do it myself if I want to add a bit of 'artistic flair' to it (when I get to that level).
Glad you found this helpful, it really adds more value to our images if we " the photographer" process it for our own liking, we are the creators anyway, please do check our Lightroom post processing course sample here www.photographycourses.biz/courses/7stpp-sample - Melissa pp Mike
nice video .. look forward to part 2
Another great informative video Mike, thanks a lot. Also bringing back a lot of memories when I used to live there. Hatchet Pond I believe. Spent many hours fishing it and it always was cold. Cheers
Thanks Russell Ford, it is indeed hatchet pond.....the best place locally to us for a sunset, a very popular spot - CHRISTINA :-)
Thanks Russle. I have a few fishermen mates and think you're all mad. But then I ride motorbikes in winter so... MIKE :-)
Inspirational as usual Mike 😀
Thanks Jackie Pentecost - CHRISTINA
Something I've often wondered - you can burn your retinas looking into the sun, can you also damage your camera sensor by shooting into the sun?
thx Mike.
I was on a trip to cayo largo, Cuba. wake up call 3:30 in the morning, 4 times, to get my stuff and go to the beach, view to the southern Cross, waiting for the milky way. rain, clouds, stormy weather....
but had kind of luck, the pool-bar was still open xD...
They say every cloud has a silver lining Christoph - MIKE :-)
Hi Mike love this vlog, cos it happens to so many people, you pick a day, but the weather doesn't show up. Your then left with dull colours so this is a great piece on what to do to improve the photo. Thanks
thanks Eoin, glad you like it :) - Melissa pp Mike
Part 2 is coming tomorrow night Eoin... MIKE
Oh great, looking forward too it thanks
I had a thought.... used my building block..... what if you got even lower ? Would the sun and trees show up as a reflection in that puddle? It wasn't rippling like the big pond so maybe? I can't try it out here yet as I'm living in frozen northern Michigan but I'm going to try that this spring. Love your videos, er films. Thanks.
Good on you Terri. Yes i thought of that and tried it between takes. It didn't work very well and in the interests of not making the video too long i didn't film trying. Hope you thaw out soon... MIKE :-)
I believe he said pimp up the colors a bit? Awesome
Hi Mike. Interesting article. I bagged some good sunsets there at Hatchet Pond a few weeks ago so good location. Looking forward to part 2.
It's a great location for a sunset when conditions are right Paul... MIKE :-)
Another great video Mike. I've found that using a ND grad filter offers me the best results rather than doing it in post production. Not only does it allow me to increase the exposure of my foreground but is quite useful in achieving that glassy look for motion landscapes with water. Looking forward to Part 2 of this video. BTW just my thought, I wouldn't consider the shot as a disappointment, rather a prelude to an award winning landscape. :)
Cheers,Kreyg Scott
Thank you kreygscott... MIKE :-)
Cracking little intro into LR. Looking forward to more LR tutorials. I have been a user for 3 years but have a great deal to learn. You tube tutorials have been very useful but sometimes fluster with 'tech' speak and not enough of actual key stroke guidance..
Thank you Vince! melissa pp Mike
very good point on "RAW" being processed from RAW to Jpeg. I suppose that is why every camera looks slightly different because each camera has slightly different ways of processing from RAW to Jpeg
Exactly Malachi Viloria. - MIKE :-)
I apreciate that you are willing to take the time to interact with your followers, I find it very helpful. and thank you so much for taking the time to make such great content and how you make it easy to understand. - sorry just had it on my mind at the moment, didn't Want to forget it.
Thanks Mike, i have learned quite a lot from your videos, i like the way you talk the viewer through every little detail. PS, still struggling with what's supposed to be an easy post editing programme ( elements 11 ), as the saying goes nothing worthwhile in life comes easy, but hey ! we have TH-cam.
You're welcome Peter. I always recommend Lightroom. I think it's much easier than Photoshop (whatever version) once you have it set up properly. And at only $9 a month it's very affordable too... MIKE
Most informative video. Got a perfectly capable Fujipix HS30 but never used the RAW data disk that came with it! Gawd alive, how slack is that! I work with Ps Elements 11 and live in Devon so I've no excuses. I enjoy your vids and will catch up on the recent ones and WILL produce something ASAP...there, I've said it!
go go go! - Melissa pp Mike
YES!!!
8:39 I feel like the entire photo is way too saturated, the oranges and blues and greens just are overwhelming. And the water texture isn't very good looking, a long exposure might make it look better.
Great informative video, I have a question here. Which subjects do you focus in the photos?
Thank you SUNG HWAN KIM. In these images it doesn't really matter because I'm using a wode lens and smallish aperture so there's a lot of depth of field from just in front of the camera to infinity. It was a long time ago but I think I probably focussed on the trees... MIKE
@@MikeBrowne thank you very much. I enjoy your videos.
Now I know why some of my dark pictures get grainy ☺ got to take brighter pictures from now.
Hi Mike, do you keep your files in RAW in Lightroom and Photoshop to be saved as PSDs or do you convert to TIFFs? I've a few people suggesting converting to TIFF so Adobe doesn't take over some elements in you photograph. There are also a few actions on the internet to reduce a copy of the TIFF in size and sharpen them for the Internet, meaning no one can steal them to print off. As usual a brilliant video, showing that even on a bad day you can get the all important practice in.
Mike might reply for himself, but Tiff files are usually as large as Raw files so there's usually not much point in them. Export to jpeg and keep the Raw of course. Jpegs can be resized for web use by any image editing software (i.e 72dpi resolution) . People stealing other people's photos on the web is a bit of a myth, or are you really that good?
Still Life - Art and the photographic image I understand Tiff files are at least as large and, more often than not, a lot larger as they save all the information. But Photoshop and Lightroom don't give you the option of a true RAW it's a PSD meaning that Photoshop has created a lossy file to help the program run faster. It makes their programs look more efficient when in fact in reality it's less due to the loss in the files stored information. It takes over all the information you've asked the camera to put in when you shot in CRW or whatever your camera's version of RAW is, it's this information from the camera that in reality makes a RAW file a digital negative. If you then convert to jpeg you lose even more information often resulting in anomalies when posted online such as bars or lines, ghosting and other issues with tone. Don't forget jpegs are not true files but a method of overviewing a rough snapshot of an image. When you use plugins such as NIK or Sleeklens you may have noticed your first choice of saving your image is TIFF, this is because you've added more information yourself, if you then convert it back to a PSD a lot of your work is written over or deleted. A TIFF action for computer screens will create a new image which you rename to something different, I usually use the original name with "web" added to it. This version of the file is a lot smaller in physical size as you have not only made it smaller in dimensions but also purposely removed some information. One of the biggest advantages of the original TIFF files, and not the one saved for the 'net, is that if you can close and reopen them in Photoshop your last history remains there, so even ten years later you can go back to any point in your editing. Your history is the first thing a PSD deletes on closing a file, so your only option to work with your layers and masks, not go back to a specific point. This is also why you should increase the number of actions in your history as the default is only 20. Furthermore, the history of your plugin remains there as well so you can edit those plugins. TIFFS are totally non lossy and the files can be viewed as intended across a range of platforms and the only downside is the the size of the original you save alongside your web version, these can be massive thus costing more in physical or cloud backups.
As an aside I have had a jpeg stolen and very badly reedited resulting in a purple great tit.
I keep my raws in the format the camera shot them in (NEF and RAF) then exposrt in whatever format is most appropriate for the destination. jpg for web and usually TIFF for clients in case they want to enlarge or crop in a big way. There isn't really a way to stop image theft online. Clickasnap are developing a very clever system which doesn't rely on pixel markers. It'd be premature to say much more at the moment, but keep an eye on Clickasnap forum if it's something you're interested in... MIKE
www.clickasnap.com/forum/
Mike Browne Thanks Mike.
waiting for part 2 :-)
Handheld at 1/50th? I go 1/200th for safety. And there is a whole row of wooden monopods behind you ;) Funny how many photogs focus at infinity VS hyperfocal distance for the aperture in use. Thanks for braving the cold and sharing your thoughts. -S
the old thought process for minimum shutter speed has been thrown out the window by the new IBIS mirrorless camera's. In some cases it can be a ~4 stop difference.. For DSLR systems the old Konica Minolta's already had it built in. People that have been shooting those ( like me) are already used to shooting that way :) Also in this case your shutter let's in more or less ambient light... maybe he's shooting at base iso for image quality/dynamic range and needs to go down in order to let in more light.
The shots would of looked quite nice with a little bit of long time exposure... to make those water ripples more smooth and dreamy...
You could of used those stumps behind you as a tripod. Would of been interesting to see a composition on portrait mode as well.
As you say... experiment :D ;)
May be Sunset Disappointment for pro It is waaoo to me out of Hatchet Pond Love it !!
Hey thanks Canon Gurung
- Mike
Great video but would be the best software especially if I have a GoPor4 and a Gppro7
Thanks RoyceIsrael Recio Deadline Force. I'm assuming you mean for stills photography on GoPro? You can't edit video in Lightroom. If the GoPro shoots RAW I don't see why Lightroom shouldn't be great unless the file format is one they don't have. Sorry, never used a GoPro so I'm not much help here. Suggest you Google it. ... MIKE
Thanks for the new Video on Sunsets. I had a sunset very identical like this the other night so will be interesting to study up what you have done. Yes and it very much depends on the night! Looking forward to the Lightrooom video. Rose DigitalPhotographyGroups.com
Thanks Rose Kerin - CHRISTINA
Hi mike , are u using a Fuji now ?
Hi Yoyoamg Amg, Mike is using his Fuji X-T1 - CHRISTINA
To add to what Christina said. I use XT-1 for most TH-cam videos and when running workshops because it's small, light weight and the images are great. But I use my Nikon D600 for commissions because the files are bigger and I don't know what end use the client may have, so I give them the biggest files I can... MIKE
Hi Mike, on 12:33 of this magnificent video, you said something that I cannot ear or understand, and I believe is important. Please can you please repeat it for mi?
Thank you.
SureJaime Cifuentes. I said" So long as you haven't clipped the data off the bright end [of the histogram] you can do that [darken] really easily. Hope that helped... MIKE
Thank you Mike.
Hi Mike, need your advice, from a master.
I have got my first real assignment as a photographer , client wants me to take some product photos of leaflets for their website, nothing fancy just good shots on a white background
Then they want a 30 second video
The boss will speak as he opens a leaflet and show gift cards etc. I just film it
Should take about 1 hour
I not sure what roughly to charge
He said he would cover my expenses for going and then said I just need to give him a price
What would u say?
Regards to traveling it's on my way to one of my other jobs, so not putting me out except for time
Any advice would be helpful
Thanks
Steve
oh nuisance of pricing our worth, if this is just your part time job i would suggest you turn the table around, ask your client how much they can pay you, if you feel the price is right or reasonable then it's a fit, but if you feel that it's devalued and deserved more don't be shy to ask and explain " why" it's that price your asking. Hope this helps - Melissa pp Mike
Mike Browne hi Mike
Thanks for that, yes it's my part time at the moment
To add to Melissa's comment. If they have agreed to pay expenses only - then that's all you can charge. To get a price you have to work out cost of kit, insurances, computers, what you need to earn, your level of experience and how long it will take to edit. Ask the client a pile of questions before giving them a price. How experienced in presenting is the person being filmed? Have they learned their lines or will they need Teleprompter? Will they need coaching through the shoot? Are there to be cutaways and edits - or is it a continuous 30 sec piece to camera? How many stills do they want? What light source are you using because that'll affect how quickly you can do the post production / colour correction.. Don't want to put you off, but that's how to work out what to charge. check that client is happy to pay that so no nasty surprises on either side. If it's just a quick shoot for someone you know you're doing for pocket money, then do it for whatever you feel is OK... MIKE
Thank u for that Mike 👍
Do the best with what you have got, if it is a shoot that you can not return to make the best of it.
7:49 pun intended about the sun? haha!
I can't get bokeh or dof when the subject is farther out in the distance. even when using aperture 1.4 widest and 2.8 fully zoomed everything is in focus.. this comment isn't about sunsets just in general. does bokeh only work when subject is up close?
You can only make background blur if the subject is inside the infinity point of the lens Yoko Kurama. I have to ask - what is it that's beyond the sun that you want to blur? - MIKE
Mike Browne I'm not talking about sunsets. like if I'm 50ft from the subject I don't get blurry background. but when it's close up I do.. I'm using a 1 inch sensor maybe that's why?
Yoko Kurama, the amount of bokeh or out of focus background will increase with the distance of the background from the subject.
the closer the background is to the subject, lesser the blur.
Japinder Singh OK thanks for the explanation
Thanks Japinder. Sorry I left that out of my reply... MIKE
Mike what camera are you using?
it seems to be the Fuji X-T1.
bip321boom has it. I use the XT-1 a lot for these videos... MIKE
Mike Browne is it sony
Sorry sent by mistake why is everyone changing to mirror less cameras
I believe Mike's using his Fuji XT-1.
I know it's blindingly obvious, pun (although not funny) intended, looking through the view finder at the sun is a really bad idea unless you have an electronic viewfinder. I have burn marks on my retina, attributed by the ophthalmic surgeon, from potentially this activity.
Are you ok?
Mike I have always you can be the greatest photographer in the world but you have to be there to get the shot.
Yep, sure do Rick. Being in the right place at the right time is more important than the camera / lens combination in my opinion... MIKE
*working in lightroom on sunset photos that turned out well*
*music video on youtube playing in the backgroud finishes, decides to look whether there's anything new uploaded*
*finds this*
Nice :D
I do totally get what you experienced in your trip. Sometimes I'm at a really nice place, and I feel there's a good photo to be taken somewhere, but I can't find it. Often I do find a good angle, but sometimes it just stays hidden. Maybe there sometimes just is no good angle.
Some earlier sunset shots I made
maxarceus.deviantart.com/gallery/?catpath=%2F&q=sunset
(If you're not okay with me posting links, please tell me and I'll remove it at once)
Nice pics and no worries with the share Max - MIKE :-)
Ok you completely lost me here with all of your setting changes and the histogram but I so enjoyed the confusion!
haha I totally understand Donna, there's so much info out there, now the key is to find "first things first" it's like eating an elephant piece by piece, We do have a step by step guide on how you can take control of your camera complete with worksheets and tips here www.photographycourses.biz/courses/ultimate-beginners-photography-course - melissa pp Mike
Haha it's Gary I use Jackie's IPad my dear wife lol
Well thank your wife from us - CHRISTINA :-)
Shooting sunsets or sunrises is just like hunting or fishing, you get skunked every time you DON"T go out....
"you get skunked every time you DON"T go out" Love that B. Capen - MIKE :-)
so why did you not bring a tripod to do a HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH a sunset video?
I did take a tripod Today's Hike - used it for the video camera because shutter plenty fast enough to hand hold the sunset... MIKE
I think the thumbnails on your channel would look better if you picked one from the video as opposed to designing one.
Geo-engineering ruining sunsets the world over.
I would be using manual exposure settings. on my DSLRs I have the viewfinder set to maximum brightness. I choose aperture, then duration, watching the detail in the darkest areas. if I can see detail there I will be fine later. I do keep an eye out for blinkies, if needed I can make more exposures and blend later.
I would be using manual exposure settings. on my DSLRs I have the viewfinder set to maximum brightness. I choose aperture, then duration, watching the detail in the darkest areas. if I can see detail there I will be fine later. I do keep an eye out for blinkies, if needed I can make more exposures and blend later.