Okay . .call me stupid! Blue Sky Blues

Graham Bernard · July 7th, 2003, 01:55 PM

Now, I've tried and tried and tried . . . but how on Earth do I get my XM2 give me a blue sky? If I concentrate the take on the sky - no problem. Blue sky, white fluffy clouds.Where should I be placing the subject, relative to the sky to get them against the old blue stuff? What's the trick then?

Grazie

Alex Knappenberger · July 7th, 2003, 02:15 PM

This is a common problem with DV cameras, bud. Most CCD's can't do the dynamic range of film, for example. 35mm film has a great dynamic range, where you could easally get everything exposed right, but not DV... Fuji has these "super ccds" or whatever, for digital cameras now, that are supposed to have 8x the dynamic range of normal ones....we'll see how that works, and hopefully they come to camcorders.

1. Try putting on the ND filter.

2. Look at getting a ND gradient (grad) filter.

3. Add more light to the subject...

4. Shoot at the right time so the sun is on the subject....

Hope this helps...

Graham Bernard · July 7th, 2003, 02:29 PM

Alex - yeah, I guessed as much. So I'm not so stupid - eh?

Grazie

Tony Claxton · November 1st, 2006, 10:11 AM

I know this is an old thread but I have a thought about how to get better skys. I've used the graduated ND filters before to decrease the range of contrast in a scene and they work well. Another filter that can help is a polarizer. A lot of people already have one of those from filter kits they buy for their cameras.

I've really enjoyed reading these threads and learning more about taking videos. I've had a couple of different, lower level, cameras for about the last 15 or 16 years and just recently moved up to a GL2 (about 2 months ago). Thank y'all for the information and help that is provided here. It's truly a wonderful resource. I'm just glad I found it!

Graham Bernard · November 1st, 2006, 11:29 AM

Woah! That took me back!

Well, things HAVE moved on for me! A Matte box and several Filters later . . . .

A Pola is great and splitting an horizon with various ND Grads is a perfect way to "pull" up detail from underexposed and push back that pushy/bossy sky.

Please enjoy the stills attached .. I'd like to thank all those over the years who have assisted me. . .

grazie

Dale Guthormsen · November 3rd, 2006, 09:34 AM

Grazie,
I posted a reply to this the other day, but i see it got lost in cyber space.

first the shots look great!! Imagine if you could do something like your bee footage with sky background like that!!

Questions:

1. did you do anything in post?

2. how much help was the matt box in acheiving the look?

3. have you tried a graduated color filter that enhances blues (upper half of the filter is colored bottom half is not)?

Dale Guthormsen · November 3rd, 2006, 09:35 AM

Grazie,
I posted a reply to this the other day, but i see it got lost in cyber space.

first the shots look great!! Imagine if you could do something like your bee footage with sky background like that!!

Questions:

1. did you do anything in post?

2. how much help was the matt box in acheiving the look?

3. have you tried a graduated color filter that enhances blues (upper half of the filter is colored bottom half is not)?

Graham Bernard · November 3rd, 2006, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale Guthormsen

1. did you do anything in post?

2. how much help was the matt box in acheiving the look?

3. have you tried a graduated color filter that enhances blues (upper half of the filter is colored bottom half is not)?

Thanks DALE!!!! Thanks plenty! I truly am glad you appreciated them.

See, I DO listen to youse!! - LOL!

1. - Eh? I'll have to go and look? But I thought this was straight from tape. Maybe I did some work within Vegas. But yes, I try and get the "look" while at the DIAL - so to speak.

2. - TOTAL help! It would have been totally impossible without.

3. - Eh? I used a Grad "Tobacco filter" - you can guess which one - I think? But generally I don't use coloured filters, just NDs - solids or Grads. PLUS Pola, don't leave home without it.

I'm developing a style whereby I try and get "the look" if not IN-camera then allowing me enough "dynamic range" to apply stuff in post. Very exciting developments.

This camera just gets better and better!

Graham Bernard · November 3rd, 2006, 04:14 PM

Dale - apologies. Got me Dales and Dons disorganised! Sorry . ..

Dale Guthormsen · November 4th, 2006, 09:17 PM

Grazie,

It all kind of made sense to me, no apologies needed!!

I love my gl2, for some things I like it better than my xl2!!

the look is great, keep it up and I personally would like the low down on all that was done.

Dale

July 7th, 2003, 01:55 PM	#1
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Okay . .call me stupid! Blue Sky Blues - NOT! Now, I've tried and tried and tried . . . but how on Earth do I get my XM2 give me a blue sky? If I concentrate the take on the sky - no problem. Blue sky, white fluffy clouds.Where should I be placing the subject, relative to the sky to get them against the old blue stuff? What's the trick then? Grazie

November 1st, 2006, 11:29 AM	#5
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Woah! That took me back! Well, things HAVE moved on for me! A Matte box and several Filters later . . . . A Pola is great and splitting an horizon with various ND Grads is a perfect way to "pull" up detail from underexposed and push back that pushy/bossy sky. Please enjoy the stills attached .. I'd like to thank all those over the years who have assisted me. . . grazie Attached Thumbnails

November 3rd, 2006, 09:34 AM	#6
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Reply Grazie, I posted a reply to this the other day, but i see it got lost in cyber space. first the shots look great!! Imagine if you could do something like your bee footage with sky background like that!! Questions: 1. did you do anything in post? 2. how much help was the matt box in acheiving the look? 3. have you tried a graduated color filter that enhances blues (upper half of the filter is colored bottom half is not)? __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

November 3rd, 2006, 09:35 AM	#7
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	sky Grazie, I posted a reply to this the other day, but i see it got lost in cyber space. first the shots look great!! Imagine if you could do something like your bee footage with sky background like that!! Questions: 1. did you do anything in post? 2. how much help was the matt box in acheiving the look? 3. have you tried a graduated color filter that enhances blues (upper half of the filter is colored bottom half is not)? __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

November 4th, 2006, 09:17 PM	#10
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Grazie, It all kind of made sense to me, no apologies needed!! I love my gl2, for some things I like it better than my xl2!! the look is great, keep it up and I personally would like the low down on all that was done. Dale __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

July 7th, 2003, 02:15 PM	#2
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	This is a common problem with DV cameras, bud. Most CCD's can't do the dynamic range of film, for example. 35mm film has a great dynamic range, where you could easally get everything exposed right, but not DV... Fuji has these "super ccds" or whatever, for digital cameras now, that are supposed to have 8x the dynamic range of normal ones....we'll see how that works, and hopefully they come to camcorders. 1. Try putting on the ND filter. 2. Look at getting a ND gradient (grad) filter. 3. Add more light to the subject... 4. Shoot at the right time so the sun is on the subject.... Hope this helps...

July 7th, 2003, 02:29 PM	#3
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Alex - yeah, I guessed as much. So I'm not so stupid - eh? Grazie

November 1st, 2006, 10:11 AM	#4
Tony Claxton New Boot Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Big Spring, TX Posts: 5	I know this is an old thread but I have a thought about how to get better skys. I've used the graduated ND filters before to decrease the range of contrast in a scene and they work well. Another filter that can help is a polarizer. A lot of people already have one of those from filter kits they buy for their cameras. I've really enjoyed reading these threads and learning more about taking videos. I've had a couple of different, lower level, cameras for about the last 15 or 16 years and just recently moved up to a GL2 (about 2 months ago). Thank y'all for the information and help that is provided here. It's truly a wonderful resource. I'm just glad I found it!

November 3rd, 2006, 04:14 PM	#9
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Dale - apologies. Got me Dales and Dons disorganised! Sorry . ..