Noise Near The Top Of Sunset Photos
Hi guys!
I have a Canon 5D, with a 17-40 and 70-200 L lenses. When shooting sunsets, I try not to over expose the sunlight, but then usually get noise in the darker parts of the sky, particularly at the top of the photo. Was wondering how to avoid this? Do GND filters help?
I have a Canon 5D, with a 17-40 and 70-200 L lenses. When shooting sunsets, I try not to over expose the sunlight, but then usually get noise in the darker parts of the sky, particularly at the top of the photo. Was wondering how to avoid this? Do GND filters help?
What you are describing sounds like reaching the max of the dynamic range of your camera, by exposing for the brightest part of the image and then increasing in post you can introduce noise into the darkest parts of the image. Grad filters can help with this but are not ideal for all situations(I use NiSi filters for this myself but they can be expensive). The cheapest method round your problem is to bracket the shot (take different shots for the darkest parts and the lightest parts) and then blend them in post. Most software will combine these automatically giving you single photo with a better dynamic range to work with. Lots of cameras will have a setting to take the bracketed photos automatically setting to however many stops above and below you setup. Hope this helps
Cheers
Jason
Cheers
Jason
An old guide for sunset exposures is to meter off the sky without the sun in the metering area.
Doing this should better expose the shadows.
Doing this should better expose the shadows.
The best remover for noise is in my opinion Topaz - they have recently brought out an AI deNoise which folk say is fantastic. I still use their plug in for Photoshop which I use to remove all noise - there are different sliders for different types of noise.
Thanks guys! I currently use DeNoise, but will try the others too!😀
On the odd occasions I take sunsets, I always bracket then use HDR in LR. Such extremes in DR can be a stretch even for more recent DSLR's.
Dave
Dave
Quote:On the odd occasions I take sunsets, I always bracket then use HDR in LR. Such extremes in DR can be a stretch even for more recent DSLR's.
Dave
Good suggestions.
The OP was asking about was to avoid getting the problem.
This is different to using software to reduce an exposure problem easily avoided at the shooting stage
Quote:
Quote:On the odd occasions I take sunsets, I always bracket then use HDR in LR. Such extremes in DR can be a stretch even for more recent DSLR's.
Dave
Good suggestions.
The OP was asking about was to avoid getting the problem.
This is different to using software to reduce an exposure problem easily avoided at the shooting stage
If the DR is large, then to avoid highlight burn out, you set the exposure to suit (as the OP is doing). The result will be blocked and noisy shadows. By taking several exposures and combining you can ensure that each tonal area is exposed correctly. Of course you know all of this but this is the solution I was giving to the OP. I do not consider using a filter will help.
Dave
Thanks again guys!
I used to use HDR but might try it again here. Am just wondering if it would be better to just combine the image that the meter regards as correctly exposed with the slightly overexposed one and leave out the underexposed one?
I used to use HDR but might try it again here. Am just wondering if it would be better to just combine the image that the meter regards as correctly exposed with the slightly overexposed one and leave out the underexposed one?
Quote:
If the DR is large, then to avoid highlight burn out, you set the exposure to suit (as the OP is doing). The result will be blocked and noisy shadows.
Dave
The dynamic range is not huge for a sunset - partly because there would be no sunset orange/red if the light was not coming at a low angle through a lot of the atmosphere and partly because what is usually considered a good sunset/sunrise is a scene with lots of light reflected off clouds.
With many modern cameras having around 12 stops DR at base ISO exposing carefully I find does not produce highlight burnout or noise in darker clouds.
I agree for belt and braces maybe 3 shots quickly taken and something like HDR in Lightroom can be useful.
