Highlights/Shadows tool
Does anyone use the shadow/highlight tools? I do occasionally, but they don't seem very effective. They both seem to alter the whole image, shadows and highlights. Is there something I'm missing?
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I use them frequently as exposure-like corrections for either one part of the spectrum, highlight or shadow. I find them very useful, combined with other tools you'll find on the exposure tool tab, from exposure to levels and curve.
Their effect however may depend on the 'headroom' the initial exposure left to you. This also depends on camera (in general, the larger the sensor, the more headroom).
Regarding values of the HDR sliders, I recommend (again depending on camera, taste, and use it as a rule of thumb) to a max of 50 together for both sliders with 0 (zero) exposure correction. In case of a exposure correction, I subtract that correction. Example: I have blown highlights. I use the highlight slider to 50 (occasionally higher). However, with a -0.20 correction, I max the highlight slider to 30.
Note that higher values might technically be still effective, it seldom gives brilliant results and I use other tools as well, with local adjustments coming first.
Rule of thumb values based on experience with Canon 5D mkII and 5D, Leica M8. A Canon 7D for example has less headroom, hence lower values.0 -
Yea I've been playing with it more since I wrote this and it definitely is useful, but the two sliders seem to have a push-pull relationship, almost like the EQ on a Vox AC-30. (if you're into guitars!) Pushing the shadows up lightens up the shadows, but it also pushes highlights up too, so then you need to push the highlights slider, which also pushes the shadows back down a bit. But as I push them both farther and farther they definitely help dynamic range. It works it's just weird I guess. 0 -
[quote="Zach2" wrote:
Y... but the two sliders seem to have a push-pull relationship ...
Agree, they are connected, each others opposite, and often you use either one. However, you can use both but with some care. See my 'rule of thumb max. values' and how they add up as a start.0 -
I guess the thing I'm noticing is that it doesn't quite work like you're describing. Pulling the shadows slider up causes highlights to blow, pulling the highlights slider up causes shadows to block up. They both effect the entire image in some way. So if I pull the shadows up to say 50, I'd have to pull my exposure back down a little bit to bring the blown highlights back to where they were. Or, I can pull the highlights slider up with the shadows slider as well. They're clearly helping dynamic range but I don't get why they shadows slider effects the highlights so much, it seems broken. Yet together they do work.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, get a photo with blown or almost blown highlights pulled up and hit Apple + E to make the blown areas red. Now turn up the shadow slider and watch the blown highlight areas grow. I'm using 5D mkII's and I've noticed this on all different kinds of exposures, it's not the dynamic range of the files that's causing it.0 -
One of the weird things about the Shadows slider is that while it does lighten shadows, it simultaneously seems to move the black point inwards. Another way to think of it is that while the overall shadow portion of the histogram is moving rightward, the darkest point is moving leftwards.
I vacillate between using the HDR sliders and the black and white input points.
Rob0
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