Concord, NH USA

[Airedale1]

I like "trying" to photgraph this particular view. It's downtown Concord, looking at the Clock Tower w/ the State House in the background. The tree on the left is a metal sculpture. '

Taken with Pro1 w/ lens at 28mm M mode 4 sec @ F 8.0 Any suggestions as to better settings to try would be appreciated. When I have the scene exposed "properly," the light in the clock tower is blown out.:(

[LadyHawk]

You have a good eye for composition, Concord. Very nice. Sorry I can't help with settings...

[Rroet]

This one looks really wonderfull.

[sdommin]

I think the Pro-1 has an "auto-bracket" feature (I'm not sure if it works in manual mode, though. Try using AV.). Its easy since your camera is already on a tripod. Just use auto-bracket (and the self-timer) to get 3 different exposures of the same scene, then blend them together using the correctly exposed parts from each one.

[rammy]

Do what Scott suggests as that is the usual way round this.

Another is to carry an ND Grad filter with you. (EDITED: Ah, not sure if you can use a filter on a compact)

Your original picture still has a blown out clock face. Next time meter directly off the clock, don't worry that the scene will be too dark, you want a good picture of the just the clock face. Then meter for the whole scene and take another shot (the clock face should be blown on this one).

It will then mean you could create a two layer picture, one that is metered and shot correctly for the whole scene and one that is metered and shot just for the clock face. Put the clock face image at the bottom of the layers and the correct whole scene image on top. Now add a layer mask and rub out the clock face on the top layer, revealing the correctly exposed clock face below.

A little like this (Dodge and burn version uses the Overlay 50% trick on the layered image):

[Airedale1]

It will then mean you could create a two layer picture, one that is metered and shot correctly for the whole scene and one that is metered and shot just for the clock face. Put the clock face image at the bottom of the layers and the correct whole scene image on top. Now add a layer mask and rub out the clock face on the top layer, revealing the correctly exposed clock face below.

Can someone explain in detail how to do this. I don't know how to add a "layer mask". I use Photoshop CS.

[jaypie77]

Airdale, where do you live? Who are you?

[rammy]

Can someone explain in detail how to do this. I don't know how to add a "layer mask". I use Photoshop CS.

Quite easily, read through the Help on PhotoShop CS! That is what it is there for. Or search the WWW for a tutotial on the basics of PS. A quick search using Google reveals this:

http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=334

It is similar to what you need to do.

You don't have to use a layer mask, you could quite easily use the rubber to rub out the clock face on the top layer. This ultimately is "destructive" in that the underlying image is actually changed. But still, it gets you to where you want to be.

[Michaelmjc]

I like it, I think it looks fine the way it is.

[Airedale1]

Thanks all for the info and tips. A friend suggested that I simply try to use the clone tool which I did and here's the results. Not perfect, but better than before.

[eminaddiesmom]

very nice. My aunt used to live in Concord. beautiful place!


Erika