I have a question?????

[Stephanie Miller]

Ok, so now that I have finally learned to post a picture, I need some advice, if I invest in a light meter will this help with not getting a washed out look on the brides dress? The bright sunlight was a killer this day.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk297/millerphotography/Alyssaaaronwedding273web.jpg

[EL Photo]

Your camera histogram will tell you that... (Im assuming your using a digital camera)

[GPR1]

I agree. I don't think you need a lightmeter at this point, but to learn to use the resources available with your camera, especially the histogram. I'd also search for threads about blowing out the wedding dress and how to properly expose. Some more work in nailing down your exposure under difficult conditions will serve you well.

[ImagesByInku]

Hi... just a suggestion... but, I think you've picked a very difficult situation to light unless you have some supplemental lighting where the groom is standing. You have the bride in a bright white dress standing almost in direct sunlight, then you have the groom wearing a black tuxedo standing in the shadows of some large trees.

Just me, but I probably would have chosen a different location or maybe put the groom against the tree on the right side of the frame.

[Bob Charnier]

WOW! I didn't even see the groom!

[photojournalista]

I agree. I don't think you need a lightmeter at this point, but to learn to use the resources available with your camera, especially the histogram.

How do you use the histogram to tell blown out sections? Blinkies seems to be useful for me, but after so much reading, I'm still confused how to interpret histograms. Photo and histogram samples please. Thanks.

[JCH77Yanks]

I may be incorrect, but if you spot meter for the white of the bride's dress and apply +1 to +2 EC, you'll preserve the white color without clipping it... If I am giving bad info, somebody please correct me.

[highway0691]

Reading histograms on the job is fine if you really understand them. As already stated there's such range of light in this photo, from the brides white dress in the sun to the groom in black in the shade.
If you shot in RAW mode you could try this to recover some of the dress detail. Save another version from the raw file with the dress only in correct exposure - the rest will be underexposed. As a layer place it under the one that you have posted and erase the dress carefully. There's several ways to do this.

You could email me the raw file if you like.

damian

[Stephanie Miller]

yea I am not really sure I understand the reading of a histogram myself either, the more I read on it the more confused I am. This picture was just a sample I sent in, was really focusing more on the bride with the groom just off in the background. I will try and send something a little different where the lighting on both of them is more the same. Thanks to all for your input.

[RandyMN]

Think we could use that 'BLINKIE' thing I was reading in here the other day.

[RandyMN]

Here ya go... Blinkie conversation the other day was down this line.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=497415

[k5bh]

for the love of baby jesus which is the rigth size for posting photos, if i resize for web it's still bigger than 150k which is not allow to post, and when i resize to 150k the photo is too small??:confused:

[RandyMN]

for the love of baby jesus which is the rigth size for posting photos, if i resize for web it's still bigger than 150k which is not allow to post, and when i resize to 150k the photo is too small??:confused:

Make your size around 800 pixels or less and usually 72 dpi will work.

If you have the option do a 'Save For Web' and the latter will be changed for you.

[k5bh]

the meter will adjust the outside ligth to the flash in your camara, it works better when you are indoors, and so you have control of the ligth using lighs and umbrelas. Another way to correct the white on your bride is opening the photo in photoshop make a new layer dragging it to a new layer, selecting the bride dress, either with the lasso tool or creating a path with the pen tool on path layer,then copy and paste the selection to a new layer, then you can play around with the curve, RGB, also you can do a little dogging and burning to play with the shadows.

[www.mbpixel.com]

If you were shooting in RAW you may be able to recover the dress??

[Jonny]

A really bad choice of location i am afraid.

As a rule, when i am under pressure i meter the grass in front of the bride and shoot raw. This gives me a pretty good exposure that i can adjust 1 or 2 stops in raw processing if it is way out.

[BMS Studios]

I use a light meter and confirm it with the histogram. The Sekonic web site has a good article describing how to use both. Of course they want you to buy their equipment but it's still a good discussion. Without a light meter it is really important to be able to read the histogram and know what you have. As for which is best you’ll find as many opinions as there are photographers. Try one out and see if you like it. Also, did you do a WB before shooting the pic?

[Stephanie Miller]

K5bh,
thanks I will give it a try, seems that the bride and groom are always so rushed to have pictures done, because they are doing the photos after wedding and before the reception, so I feel rushed, how do you find the time to set up lights and umbrellas?
Am gonna try your idea in photoshop to edit

[seaside]

You don't have "Image Editing OK" feature on. If you'd like you can see what can be done PP. Do you mind someone editing your image as an example?

Chris