DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Don’t worry about blown out highlights: Sometimes it’s the right thing to do

Jun 26, 2020 by Dunja Djudjic 3 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Blowing out highlights is usually something we try to avoid like a plague. I remember one of the first classes in photography course when I was taught about it. But is it always the case? Should blown out highlights sometimes be a deliberate choice? Pye Jirsa of SLR Lounge says yes, and he guides you through his shooting process to show you when and why you should break the rules and overexpose your image.

In his video, Pye shoots a bridal image indoors, using available light. The window light is kinda wrapped around the model, lighting her from the right side but also from the back. In situations like this, if you want the correct exposure on the subject, you’ll have to blow out the highlights.

Now, you can expose for the highlights and bring up the shadows in Lightroom. But should you? This won’t make a bad image, but Pye points out that photos like this can be a bit “sterile.” Instead, expose for the model and don’t be afraid to have some overexposed highlights. It could give an authentic look to your image and make it look more natural.

Of course, there’s no universal rule and this won’t work for all photos. But it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t be afraid of blown out highlights. In some photos, they can be your ally. Make sure to watch the video for Pye’s explanations and his shooting process. And let us know – do you sometimes prefer this look as well?

[When SHOULD You Blow Out the Highlights? |SLR Lounge]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailWorry Free Digital White Balance – The 0.05 Cent Expodisc How To Prevent Bright Ears In Camera So You Don’t Have To Worry About It In Post Production Movie Depicts The Battle Of Keeping Photography Legal In Afghanistan & Why Some Worry It Won’t Last How much do you really need to worry about damaging your camera’s sensor?

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: blown out, highlights, Pye Jirsa

About Dunja Djudjic

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

« Analog people in a digital world – why do some still shoot the old ways?
11 features and improvements of the Nikon D6 that you might have missed »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Tokina announces shoe-mounted red dot finder for long telephoto lenses
  • Laowa announces the super wide FF 15mm f/2 Zero-D for Leica M
  • How I took challenging Aurora photos on a steep “platform” cliff at -20 °C
  • How I shot abstract light orbs with a 360 camera and camera rotation
  • Color theory, RAW files, and RAW developers

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy