Four o'clock high

[malechi]

One of my most favorite shots. Thoughts?

[Bambi]

I quite like this shot and can see why it's one of your favorites. I love the clouds, texture of the grass and the sharpness of the tree. the bird is a great addition. the contrast is good too and I like the rays of the sun. I have not made up my mind about the blown out sky part. i wish it wasn't quite so large but it also adds to the whole sunburst effect.

overall nice work!

[Mad Aussie]

Yep cool shot. The blown out area is a bit big ... but ... in this case it kinda of works as it's totally part of the scene/story.

[tirediron]

Nice image, agree that the blown area is a bit large. A graduated ND would have really taken this image to the next level.

[AntZ]

I like it. I think the blown out area works. Its kind of biblical, with the tree and the bird.

[Iguanasan]

What they said!

Seriously, nice capture. I'd be very happy with that photo. I don't see anything particularly wrong with it.

[malechi]

Thanks all. I don't mind the blown out area at all. I didnt have time to install a graduated ND filter. I did it in post.

[Marko]

Thanks all. I don't mind the blown out area at all. I didnt have time to install a graduated ND filter. I did it in post.

I'll be the odd man out here, blown out sky is a blown out sky. You have detail on the edge which is saving this shot somewhat, not totally though. Just as an FYI - you cannot use a ND grad filter in post to save a blown sky. Only proper exposure will save you and that cannot be done easily in post production. Hope that helps - Marko

[malechi]

I'll be the odd man out here, blown out sky is a blown out sky. You have detail on the edge which is saving this shot somewhat. Just as an FYI - you cannot use a ND grad filter in post to save a blown sky. Only proper exposure will save you and that cannot be done easily in post production. Hope that helps - Marko

Marko:

I appreciate the Critique. Yes, the sky is blown out and I can't get that back in post. If I didn't shoot immediately, I would have missed the bird. Shot in Aperture priority. Just a question, what would you have metered off of for this shot? To me personally, I know the sun was right there so I would expect that to be blown out. I didn't have a ND filter or any filter. I just had my D300s and a 50mm lens. How could I not blow out the sun and still have detail in the foreground?

[Mad Aussie]

How could I not blow out the sun and still have detail in the foreground?

Without resorting to HDR ... nothing really. You could meter off some spot that was very bright but not bright enough to kill all dark detail and then recover some of that in post later but it's always going to be a compromise. And without something like a ND Grad (and even then perhaps) there was always going to be a blown out section of sky in this photo I think.