emergency! Can these be fixed?

[KCMO]

Here are a couple of example aerials I tood and they look like crap, too dark, whites blown out, what the hell did I do? Anyway, I have links to the originals and could really use any advise on how I could salvage them. Thanks in advance!





http://photos.imageevent.com/kcphotos/misc/IMG_8060.JPG

http://photos.imageevent.com/kcphotos/misc/IMG_8065.JPG

[creeduk]

The images are under exposed, the histogram shows bunching on the left side (shadow) to repair you have several options. You can use levels, you can duplicate and set layer mode to screen and lower opacity until it looks right, you can use shadows and highlights tool. A little color puch can also be given , either a small curves or a little saturation.

Here is one I did with my method and tweaks, took 1 to 2 mins.

[Boily]

Like creeduk said, your pictures are underexposed!!

You should play with the levels a little bit and try to add some contrast after...

This is the result I got with the first one..

[KCMO]

Thanks guys, I'll play with the levels, even though, I really don't know what I'm doing . I don't understand this, do any of you do aerials? I tend to shoot inAT mode with the lens wide open and ISO 100. I don't get why the images are doing this. This has been more of a problem with my 5D than my 20D.

[pagerboy]

I usually always play with the levels to tweak them.

[creeduk]

KCMO wrote:

I don't understand this, do any of you do aerials? I tend to shoot inAT mode with the lens wide open and ISO 100. I don't get why the images are doing this. This has been more of a problem with my 5D than my 20D.

I don't but I know a man who does, I will ask him tomorrow if I get the chance see what tips I can find for you.

[KCMO]

^ Thanks, you can visit my websites:

http://www.kc-photos.com

or

http://www.urban-photos.com

and see that I typically do well with aerial work, but here lately my cameras are pulling a fast one on me and I don't always have time nor and I even really make out the preview on the camera display or the historgram etc while in an airplane or helicopter.

Thanks.

[granthagen]

KCMO, the only thing that I added to a straight levels adjustment was unsharp mask using an amount of 58, a radius of 87 and a threshold of 0. Using a relatively small amount and a big radius can help remove a "hazy" look from a pic. Mostly I was interested in the area in back of the river. I applied it to the whole image, then added a layer mask and ended up painting with black on the mask at a brush opacity of 50% on most everything in front of the river. The unsharp mask effect was just too strong for most of the pic, so the layer mask lets you choose where and by how much an effect shows through to the image.

It might be that those major hot-spots on the buildings were reflecting enough light to influence your cameras light meter so that it underexposed most of the scene. Have you tried a polarizing filter? That would help with a lot of the reflections. Also, were you shooting RAW? Using RAW mode will give you your best chance at getting a properly exposed shot -- especially in high-contrast situations.

Grant

[KCMO]

granthagen wrote:

It might be that those major hot-spots on the buildings were reflecting enough light to influence your cameras light meter so that it underexposed most of the scene. Have you tried a polarizing filter? That would help with a lot of the reflections. Also, were you shooting RAW? Using RAW mode will give you your best chance at getting a properly exposed shot -- especially in high-contrast situations.

Grant

No, I did not shoot these in RAW, I didn't thnk I would have enough space. From now on, I will always make sure I make room for raw, I didn't know that effects exposure although I have noticed fewer problems with raw files. Thanks again for the help and I'll try to make sense of you PS steps, I'm still learning PS

I have heard that filters don't do much, so I avoid them, I'm ready to try anything, I can't keep taking photos like this...

[slipe]

Shadow/Highlight and defogging.