Specular highlights

[InskiP]

Does anyone have any good tips for fixing/reducing specular highlights? I know avoiding them would be best...

[DavidEB]

InskiP -- by my meager understanding, your photo doesn't contain specular highlights. A speculum is a mirror, and a specular highlight is a reflection of the full strength of the main light source. The bright spots in your picture are from ordinary (non-mirror) surfaces, which scatter light uniformly rather than reflecting it in a concentrated beam.

Non-specular highlights are no brighter than a 100% white card -- 2 stops brighter than neutral grey. To avoid overexposing these, shoot a series of shots with increasing negative exp compensation until the histogram shows no blinkies. Or, meter an 18% gray card (palm of your hand or blue sky away from the sun are both good approximations of this) and use that exposure in M mode. this technique won't help you avoid specular highlights which are brighter than +2 stops.

the photo of the royal opera house includes white surfaces and sky that are not blown out and metal hand rails that are blown out (specular).

hope this helps.

[InskiP]

Non-specular highlights are no brighter than a 100% white card -- 2 stops brighter than neutral grey. To avoid overexposing these, shoot a series of shots with increasing negative exp compensation until the histogram shows no blinkies. Or, meter an 18% gray card (palm of your hand or blue sky away from the sun are both good approximations of this) and use that exposure in M mode.

Thanks for the explaination. I'm not sure I fully understand this technique??? Overall I like the exposure, and if I use negative exp compensation until the histogram shows no blinkies won't I end up w/ the rest of her underexposed? I was hoping someone might have a technique for fixing these hotspots in PS even though I didn't clearly state that in my post.

[TheSteveMadden]

Parameter 1 has High contrast which tends to exagerate the highlights and shadows on full sun portraits. This is still a problem if using RAW in that the blinkies and histogram are based on the jpg as processed according to the contrast, sharpness, and saturation. Having Contrast too high in the camera will cause you to overcompensate below what is necessary. I prefer to Use Parameter 2 as that allows more DR in harsh sun.

Just my personal preference. Play around and find what works for you.

[Bodog]

For the example you posted, fill flash would have been the answer. From a workshop I attended last year the one thing I retained: For digital and slides, expose for the highlights and fill the the shadows (flash or reflector). For negative film, expose for the shadows and let the processing take care of the highlights.

[InskiP]

Thanks for the tips...I will check out the parameters, and I'm still trying to figure out fill flash w/ my 580EX. Today I tried to do a meter reading on the background using manual, but still ended up WAY overexposed. I forgot to use HSS though, so I image that's why???

[jfrancho]

Here is an example with relevent data. The following taken during the big egg hunt. 17mm 1/200 @ f/8 ISO 100 FEC -2/3 w/ Omnibounce pointed straight ahead.

http://plan-b.smugmug.com/photos/65164331-M.jpg

A better example, in the other direction, same EXIF as before, except 1/125 s.
http://plan-b.smugmug.com/photos/65164298-M.jpg