White Haze on Images

[Edd]

Okay I thought I would seek some expert advice because I've had this happen before.

The first image below is how this series of shots turned out with this white haze across them.

I'm assuming that it is caused by over-exposure due the light on the right handside of the image.

Last time this occurred I managed to get round it by using a different metering mode, but it didn't work this time.

Any Ideas/advice appreciated.



I did manage to clean up another shot of the same group of fungus, but I think it could of been better to start with.



Thanks in advance.

Ed

[gldiana]

You are right in your assertion that the light leaking from the right is causing it. The best thing you can do is be careful when you chose your background (using a good lens also helps ). In the second image is seems that your white balance is off.

[bob_r]

Ed,

Luca's suggestion is probably the best solution. Spot metering would have helped keep the subject exposed properly, but the sky is always going to blow out. Digital cameras simply can't handle that large of a dynamic range.

I was wondering why you shot at f/19. Your exif data shows that you selected AV priority, f/19 and ISO100 which resulted in a shutter speed of only 1/3s. Normally small aperture settings are used when you want an extended depth of field, but I don't see anything in this shot that would require it. Also, by selecting such a small opening, you may be inviting softness due to diffraction. (Here's a link in case you're unfamiliar with that term in regards to photography: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutori ... graphy.htm )

Most lenses have a sweet spot between f/5.6 and f/8, although some are amazing wide open. When I want a shallow DOF or have poor lighting, I'll usually open my lens most of the way. Under normal circumstances, I'll shoot somewhere between f/2.8 and f/8 (I shoot primes a lot, so f/2.8 is not wide open for me in most cases). I rarely shoot past f/11 and then only when I'm shooting something that I'm trying to blur - water, car lights, etc. I think your results will improve if you stick to f/8 or wider most of the time.

Bob R

[Edd]

Hi and thanks once again for your feedback,

The Fungus was on the north side of the tree and it was mid morning on a sunny day, so I suppose I was on the back foot to start with, but I kind of hoped the leaves would help me out a little in terms of blocking the light. Last time this happened I managed to get around it oddly enough by changing from spot or centre weighted metering to Elvalutive/Pattern metering.

Luca - Yes I agree the second image doesn't look right, it looks a little yellow if you ask me, would you agree??? I took the image that looked very much like the first and just played around in photoshop. Unfortunately still reading the manual and I have got as far as Layers, so plenty ahead of me as yet. Its a bit like the blind leading the blind at the moment.

Bob - Wow how did you find that out !!!!! I'm truely amazed. Anyway I was shooting using a Tameron 28-80mm lense mounted on 13mm (iirc) extension tube. I used a high aperture setting to increase the DOF, I wasn't aware of the Diffraction effect. Everything I have read implies smaller aperture greater DOF and increased sharpness, another learning curve to hop on !!!!.

Thanks for the link, I've had a quick look but will have a proper read through later. Is this the same site that the WB info was on ?

I wasn't aware of any better performace of lenses between certain apertures, are their any manufacturers guide available on this do you know???

Thanks once again for your feedback, happy to learn !!!

Ed

[bob_r]

Ed,

Here's a link to a thread I posted about free exif readers. They are very handy tools.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2031

Bob R

[Edd]

Thanks Bob,

Will check how much space I have left on my Hard Drive, not much at the moment !!!

Will download later, like the idea of being able to see what others have done to acheive certain effects etc.

I didn't know this data was contained in Jpgs.

Ed

[bob_r]

Thanks Bob,

Will check how much space I have left on my Hard Drive, not much at the moment !!!

Will download later, like the idea of being able to see what others have done to acheive certain effects etc.

I didn't know this data was contained in Jpgs.

Ed

I believe the Opanda files take around 7mb. If you're not using 'firefox' you could delete that subdirectory after installation.

[Edd]

Just downloaded it and had a go.

Brilliant, thank you very much.

Ed

[gldiana]

>Hi and thanks once again for your feedback,

Welcome!

>I kind of hoped the leaves would help me out a little in terms of blocking the light. Unless you're in a rain forest and the leaves canopy completely conceals the sky (making the place very dark), leaves never help blocking the light, they just increase the contrast, which is bad. If you have clouds they help flattening the light therefore reducing the contrast. See my image below. Of course using a main subject in the foreground with leaves in the background makes things more difficult (another place where you need HDR ).

>it looks a little yellow if you ask me, would you agree???

Yes it does look totally yellow, it's not a bad color, just looks little bit off

>I wasn't aware of any better performance of lenses between certain apertures, are their any manufacturers guide available on this do you know???

I suggest searching your lens on Google followed by "review". Reviews usually give the important facts like this. Popular Photography even gives a nice chart with best quality at different print size.

[Edd]

Nice shot, okay starting to appreciate a little more about contrast now.

Will Google my two lenses and see what I can come up with.

Cheers

Ed

[bob_r]

Nice shot, okay starting to appreciate a little more about contrast now.

Will Google my two lenses and see what I can come up with.

Cheers

Ed

Ed,

This site has some of the best lens reviews that I've seen.

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos

Glad to hear that Opanda was working out for you. It's a wonderful tool.

[Edd]

Thanks for the link Bob, had a quick look, but need to get into town this afternoon as I have problems with the battery on my car.

Had a good look at the last link on Diffraction last night. Managed just about to keep up with it, didn't realise that light interacted/behaved like that. I thought diffraction only happened as light passed from one medium to another. Book marked the site for further reference in future.

Regards

Ed

[davedude46]

In your first image, I would also suspect flare - particularly if you weren't using a lens hood. Similar to diffraction, but different causes.