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Grrr exposure... video critique and help

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Moosen
Posts: 4285 - Karma: 2,585
So i have been having trouble figuring out exposure for filming with my t3i. The snow is a bitch and a half.... I am using Cinestyle flat picturestyle and Using a LUT in post with an s curve to get a higher dynamic range. However I have still been having trouble exposing right for the snow. I also use a live histogram to not clip the whites which is super nice, but In post when i am color grading I have trouble not blowing out the whites.... what should i do?! Should i underexpose or overexpose for the snow?

anyways here is my edit. What do you think?

Jan 21 2012 12:35AM
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hollygrove
Posts: 7845 - Karma: 93
a ND filter will help ALOT. definitely invest in one.
Jan 21 2012 11:58AM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
Looked pretty good man! The slider and tripod shots were excellent, but the moving shots need some work, they were very shaky. Did u crank up the blues? all the snow in the shadows was royal blue. i see what u mean with over exposing, definitely takes practice with the bright snow. Grab an ND filter and keep practicing!
Jan 21 2012 12:27PM
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Moosen
Posts: 4285 - Karma: 2,585
Yeah it was shaky cause i dont have a glidcam :/ i have a homemade rig which works decent. but dont have money to invest in a glidecam yet. Yeah i love that slider. who says friction sliders cant be good!
Jan 21 2012 1:01PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
i think OP's problem is more that he doesn't know how to handle snow when shooting, not that he isn't able to limit the light enough. so an ND filter wouldn't necessarily solve his problem.



OP, you generally are going to need to underexpose a little if you want to preserve detail in the snow, since the snow is so bright. your riders will look a little dark, but you can brighten them in post.
Jan 21 2012 1:52PM
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@ScubaSteve
Posts: 378 - Karma: 822
I circular polarizer or ND filter will help like none other.
Also, if you have magic lantern on your camera use the histogram and zebras.  Don't even look at the center weighted average meter.  Those 2 functions well help you expose properly every time, even in a neutral profile.
Check this out, the time lapses were shot in neutral and everything else was super flat.  Haven't gotten around to coloring it yet..

password : 1234

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/35356454?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="398" height="224" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>


Jan 21 2012 2:34PM
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@ScubaSteve
Posts: 378 - Karma: 822

Jan 21 2012 2:36PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
That was pretty rad. I know you said you clipped your whites and all, but even on the sunny shots, your colors were way to blown out IMO. If you like that style, then power to you. You did a nice job making your cloudy shots mix in with the sunny ones. Thats one of my major difficulties.

What slider were you using?
Jan 21 2012 6:08PM
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Moosen
Posts: 4285 - Karma: 2,585
http://www.indisystem.com/products/indiSLIDERmini-w%7B47%7Dlegs.html

I used the levels alot in post to try to get them to balance. I will try underexposing my next edit!
Jan 22 2012 12:43AM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
Circular polarizer would help a little and just making sure your exposure is right for the snow rather than the trees; just make sure the snow looks proper
Jan 22 2012 2:12AM
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Moosen
Posts: 4285 - Karma: 2,585
I have a circular polarizer. It doesn't seem to help too much.
Jan 22 2012 9:05AM
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Brock.
Posts: 5698 - Karma: 1,332
Try just using the videoscopes + 3 way to grade/correct. It's simple and great grading ultraflat
Jan 22 2012 12:56PM
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