Nikon has just announced two new DX lenses for the Z System! The first is the Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR – a lens that fills one of the biggest gaps in the Z System by providing a fast midrange zoom. The second is a fast 35mm macro lens, the Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7.
Have you ever spoiled an otherwise great shot by clipping highlights on a sunlit wildlife subject? Maybe a bright white bird is blown out and totally devoid of detail, or perhaps it’s just the wings that are grossly overexposed.
Today’s eye-opening video below from Backcountry Gallery comes to the rescue by demonstrating a hidden “metering superpower” that solves the aforementioned challenges and others. The topic at hand is known as Highlight-Weighted Metering (HWM) and this mode is specifically biased toward protecting against overblown highlights, and it takes barely eight minutes to explain.
Steve Perry’s instructional videos have garnered over 26.5 million views, thanks to his ambitious goal of providing “the best wildlife photography tips and techniques on YouTube.” This episode is presented in the context of Nikon and Sony cameras, but the technique can be employed (with a slight difference in terminology) using modern models from other manufacturers except Canon.
Perry begins with a brief overview of this oft-ignored mode, and he insists that when used properly “it’s almost impossible to clip highlights.” He also explains why HWM can make it much faster to get the light right under various conditions.
You’ll learn how HWM differs from so-called “normal” metering, i.e. Nikon’s Matrix and Sony’s Multi metering. Perry provides real-world examples of birds in sunlight, backlit subjects, and other scenes with complicated mixed lighting. You’ll also learn when HWM works beautifully, as opposed to other situations in which a different metering mode may be preferable.
Perry also provides practical tips for employing HWM in tandem with Manual and Auto ISO. Other tricks incude exposure compensation tweaks, and Lightroom strategies for rescuing shadows. Be sure to visit the Backcountry Gallery YouTube channel and explore the many how-to videos available for shooters of all skill levels.
We also recommend watching a tutorial we featured earlier with an internationally acclaimed German photographer who demonstrates how to accentuate nature and wildlife subjects by using Linear Gradients to create eye-catching emphasis.
Modern cameras are amazing, and it’s rare to go out with one and feel limited. But, there is at least one thing dedicated ILCs don’t do well: capturing video in intense environments where the camera could be damaged. Hence the rise of cameras like the GoPro and similar action cameras from other brands. Today, I’ll be reviewing one such camera: the DJI Osmo 360.
Autumn is a favorite season among experienced outdoor shooters who understand the impact of beautiful light, color separation, dramatic skies, and the gorgeous warm tones that paint the landscape. Today’s tutorial from the popular PHLOG Photography YouTube channel provides eight Lightroom tips and tricks that even beginners can use to enhance their imagery in a big way.
Instructor Christian Mohrle is a notable landscape veteran based in Germany near beautiful Lake Constance. He’s also a post processing expert, and today he reveals a straightforward Lightroom workflow you can use when your fall photos need more emphasis with a realistic look. And if you’re interested in the gear and software he prefers, just scroll down to the description beneath the video.
Mohrle says, “the very first thing I do before I start with anything else is to open Lightroom’s Basic panel and adjust the Profile to my needs, and for autumn photos I generally want to push the foliage.” He choose Adobe Landscape for this specific task because it immediately provides an appropriate boost in base saturation.
He continues with the basic adjustments by reducing overall contrast for a dreamy appearance that mimics a soft autumn-glow effect. This is easily accomplished by dialing down highlights, bringing up shadows, and opening up the blacks. Mohrle accentuates these enhancements further by modifying clarity and dehaze to strengthen the glow.
Mohrle then accentuates a tree in the middle of the frame by selectively boosting contrast to make this key element stand out with greater texture and apparent sharpness on the leaves and branches. Here it’s important not to bias the intentionally soft areas elsewhere in the frame.
The next step is targeting the foliage with masks, beginning with a Color Range mask that selects all the leaves for various color and tonal enhancements. You’ll also see why and how a Landscape mask adds to the effect. All that remains to complete the impressive transformation are a few tweaks with Lightroom’s Color Mixer, additional color contrast, and a bit of final calibration.
Once you’re done watching head over to the instructional PHLOG Photography YouTube channel where there are many more how-to videos for landscape photographers of all skill levels.
