How can I brighten people in snow photos without blowing out the snow?
Asked 7/21/2017
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2 answers
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I photographed people on a snowfield, and in many shots the people came out too dark compared with the bright snow. I already have the images, so I’m looking for post-processing advice rather than shooting tips for next time.
What’s the best way to brighten the subjects in both RAW and JPEG files while keeping as much detail as possible in the snow highlights?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
1
The simple Brightness tools in editors work, but are often the worst choice.
You did not mention which software tools you had, but if you have Photoshop Levels (CTRL L) or any similar histogram tool, then simply adjust the center slider for the best brighter result. it is a great tool for brightness. Or the Exposure Tool in Adobe Raw is similar (but not exactly the same).
This will not much affect the detail in the brightened result UNTIL you increase it enough to cause clipping. The Photoshop Levels center slider is "gamma" and will never cause clipping. The Raw Exposure slider can. Certainly the Brightness tools can.
If in Adobe Levels or in Adobe Raw, then holding the ALT keyboard key while moving the Levels sliders or the Adobe Raw Exposure slider will show any pixels that are being clipped, so you can judge, and you can stop if it seems a problem.
Originally by user38978. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user38978
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Use tonal adjustments rather than a simple global Brightness control, which often gives the worst results.
For RAW files, Adobe Camera Raw’s Fill Light can help by lifting darker areas more than the bright snow. You can also use the Exposure control carefully, but watch for clipped highlights.
For RAW or JPEG, a Levels or histogram-based adjustment is a good choice. In Photoshop Levels, move the middle (gamma) slider to brighten the midtones and darker subjects without directly clipping highlights the way a crude brightness boost can. Increase it gradually and stop before the snow loses detail.
If your software supports it, hold Alt/Option while adjusting highlight-related sliders to preview clipping. That makes it easier to protect snow detail.
In short: avoid basic Brightness, use Levels/gamma for controlled midtone brightening, and for RAW files also try Fill Light for shadow recovery.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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