Tough time with photographing white objects

3 years 11 months ago #685982 by Roman Omell
Morning PT.  I've been having a tough time with photographing objects that are white.  Whether it be a house or car that is white.  My photos with larger white objects always seem to no have detail in the white areas.  Or rather there is a clear reduction in detail in these white areas.  The white areas always seem to have this white blah look to them. 

What I have found I have to do is crank up the processing in post where the image almost pulls in HDR like feel to it.  

How are you photographing white areas?   Are you bracketing shots in order to get the detail in the whites?


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3 years 11 months ago #685983 by Nikon Shooter
Protecting the whites is a challenge, Roman.

Rely on your best friend: the histogram using the EV to
compensate in manual mode, Auto ISO.

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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3 years 11 months ago #686000 by Roman Omell

Nikon Shooter wrote: Protecting the whites is a challenge, Roman.

Rely on your best friend: the histogram using the EV to
compensate in manual mode, Auto ISO.



Are bracketing your shots to capture more detail in your whites?


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3 years 11 months ago #686004 by Spencerphoto
If you have flexibility time-wise, it helps to shoot in subdued or diffuse lighting. The brighter and harsher the light used, the more blown your whites will be.

Directional light can help too, by creating shadows that reveal shapes and contours within the white.


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3 years 11 months ago - 3 years 11 months ago #686007 by Nikon Shooter

Roman Omell wrote: Are bracketing your shots to capture more detail in your whites?


The D8xx series have up to 14,3 stops of DR and it has
proven enough if it is well managed. No, I don't need to.

Are these close to what you are aiming to?



Light is free… capturing it is not!
Photo Comments
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3 years 11 months ago #686047 by Nikon Shooter
These were shot using the settings described above and
the camera light meter.

There is another, safer but slower way to go — unless the
light is absolutely constant like in studio — the handheld
light meter in ambient mode (the reflective mode is much
like the one in the camera). 

If the light is absolutely constant, you can shoot anything
in the same direction of the 180° of arc with confidence. A
reading is required if ever the light is changing in any way.

Slower because the reading is taking you eye off the came-
ra and then follow the eventual adjustment… that strategy
is less compatible with most wildlife situations but works in
no motion scenari like in studio, interior architecture, etc .

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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3 years 11 months ago #686144 by Overread
How close are you to the subject you are photographing?  


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3 years 11 months ago #686150 by Nikon Shooter

Overread wrote: How close are you to the subject you are photographing?  


Where would you like the answer to come from?

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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