RK writes:
> I've messed up some very important landscape shots- I had to take them
> about just after noon in blazing sunlight and the resulting images are
> ghastly: burnt out highlights with deep shadows.
If you've gone off the end of both your highlights and your shadows then
there's not really a lot you can do with your exposure. Typically on a sunny
day you have to pick one: either you get highlight detail or you get shadow
detail.
IMO your best bet in this situation is to come back when the light is a bit
better (partially or fully overcast days are great for reducing contrast but they
can also make the picture look bland).
You could also try a really low-contrast print film (a portrait film could work)
but the paper used in printing doesn't tend to hold much contrast so it might
not buy you a lot. A good scan of a print film will reveal much more detail
than any print, and you can soften it further in Photoshop to get as much
detail as possible in your final print.
You could also shoot B&W film if that is an option. You can tailor the
exposure and processing to suit the contrast in your scene (you may have
heard of Ansel Adams' zone system).
Cheers,
- Dave
David A. Mann, B.E. (Elec)
http://www.digistar.com/~dmann/
"Why is it that if an adult behaves like a child they lock him up,
while children are allowed to run free on the streets?" -- Garfield
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