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henry1
Joined: 18 Jan 2007
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:39 pm Post subject: How Would You Shoot This Exterior? |
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Hello Everyone:
I am brand new to the forum and relatively new to digital. I USED to shoot architectural photos using 4x5 film. It has been five years since, and things have changed a lot; and now I am going digital. I am hoping for, and will be very appeciative of, any advice you folks will be so kind as to give me.
It would really be helpful if you would tell me:
How You Personaly Would Shoot This Exterior:
This two-story building has some neat lights on it along with a neon sign.
I don't want to burn out those lights or the neon sign while at the same time showing the complete exterior of the building in morning light. This will no doubt be a two-part exposure, one for the lights (shot while it is still dark) and another for the exterior (shot SOON after the sun comes up and lights the building). I will later composit these two shots in Photoshop Elements. I'm pretty good with Photoshop Elements.
This building faces east, so the exposure for the lights will be shot first in the dark. I have done this kind of shot many times with 4x5 film, but with digital, I'm still in the "dark", so to speak.
Briefly, the way I would do it on film, shooting full manual, of course, f stop about f32, wide-angle lens.
Arrive an hour or two before daylight.
Meter the lights with a hand-held meter.
Check focus (of the lights) with a loop directly on the ground glass.
Make the settings.
Shoot a couple (maybe more) polaroids.
Click.
Sit around waiting until it starts to get daylight.
Do the same as above except exposing for the exterior.
Click.
The two exposures are, of course, composited on one piece of film.
How would you shoot these two exposures with a digital camera?
Specific questions:
1. Would you shoot full manual? Remember, to avoid camera shake, I want to touch the camera as few (if at all) times as possible.
2. If you choose full manual, would you trust the camera's meter, or would you use a hand-held meter.
3. Would you shoot Aperature Priority letting the camera choose the shutter speed?
4. Would you shoot Shutter Priority, letting the camera decide the aperature?
5. Would you do either of the above differently for each of the two shots. Again, remember I want to touch the camera as little as possible.
6. I plan to bracked the exposures in continuous mode? Would you also bracket the white balance, or would you leave that complication to Photoshop?
7. Would you leave the "noise reduction" setting for long exposures on or off--even though the exposure is less than one second? I know that the camera processing time is longer with this setting, but I don't care.
Now kind folks, I know that I am asking a lot, but maybe someday I might be able to return the favour.
Thanks
Henry |
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miguelcoelho
Joined: 20 Jan 2007
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 7:05 am Post subject: |
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Dear Henry,
Welcome back to architectural photography! 
Currently I do all my work using digital SLR's (http://www.miguelcoelho.com) and I face this kind of problems many times.
I suggest you use Photoshop CS2 (or CS3) for far more capabilities to handle this kind of work. Photoshop CS2's "MERGE TO HDR" is a very reliable and powerful tool for this task os combining multiple images.
1. I always shoot full manual (to increase control and to slow me down... I miss LF )
2. I trust the camera meter most of the time. But I always carry a GOSSEN lightmeter with me anyway... (Working in RAW gives you more flexibility).
3. No...
4. No...
5. If you have the time and this means you'll be more relaxed after the shoot I think it's fine...
6. Shoot in RAW (please!) and relax...
7. NR on!
Just my two cents... |
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henry1
Joined: 18 Jan 2007
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject: Thanks for your help. |
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I sincerely appreciate your advice. I think I am really going to enjoy the flexibility of shooting digital.
Currently, I am using Photoshop Elements. When my pockets get a little deeper I may upgrade to CS2 or 3.
Is there really that much difference? |
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