Exposure setting for a "sky reveal"

[Octoruss]

Hello friends, I wanted to get your suggestions on how to set the exposure for a sky reveal.

For example, if you're shooting a dark forest straight down then slowly pan up to reveal a bright sky, the exposure will suddenly and dramatically automatically change.

If I wanted to keep that pan as one continuous shot, is there anyway to do that so the exposure stays "normal"? Or is the only way to do that in post production?

 

[juicedrummer]

Best gong to do imo is set the exposure for the sky and let the forest be a bit underexposed. If you are shooting in cinelike profile set the contrast on your style settings to like -2 or -3 to preserve a bit of details in the forest. As you pan up the sky is perfectly exposed and makes the shot more dramatic imo. I used to be all about keeping shadows and letting some highlights get blown out, like areas right around sun and what not, but now I'm more for a bit on the underexposed side and bring up the shadows a touch in post without stretching them too far


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[ianwood]

That's a difficult shot to do without some knowledge of how the exposure works. You'll need to set the camera to manual and set ISO, aperture and shutter by hand. Use the histogram to see where you are crushing the dark areas and blowing out the light areas. You will ultimately have to make a choice as to what you sacrifice.

Also, until DJI fixes DLOG mode, any changes you make to color, contrast etc. will have no effect on how much latitude you pull out of the shot. If they do fix DLOG, you will want to use it for this type of shot as it might give you another stop or so.

 

[JimHarris]

Possibly a graduated filter could be useful. It would still be a challenge though.

 

[Techcop50]

I'd try different exposures and do multiple takes. If you are really good, you might be able to edit a solution from more than one take...

 

[Tom K]

RR sunrise

Exposed for the best sky on this shot

 

[Techcop50]

RR sunrise

Exposed for the best sky on this shot

That looks really cool with the underexposed foreground, I like the transition. But I'd play with the focus some, too. Maybe set the focus for distance, instead of the foreground.

 

[Tom K]

That looks really cool with the underexposed foreground, I like the transition. But I'd play with the focus some, too. Maybe set the focus for distance, instead of the foreground.

Thx. Used a LUT on it

 

[gr8pics]

Hello friends, I wanted to get your suggestions on how to set the exposure for a sky reveal.

For example, if you're shooting a dark forest straight down then slowly pan up to reveal a bright sky, the exposure will suddenly and dramatically automatically change.

If I wanted to keep that pan as one continuous shot, is there anyway to do that so the exposure stays "normal"? Or is the only way to do that in post production?

In photography theres not right or wrong, its all a matter of taste and what you wish to communicate, or what story you would like to tell.
Maybe the story you would like to tell happens mainly on the ground, and when you tilt up to the sky, it can just be blown out and act as a fade out or outro of your film, maybe even add credits or other text to it, is all about creativity, youre the director, and youre the one that gets to decide whats intended or not.

"Flaws" in the picture doesnt always have to be negative, it can also act as an effect, again, it all boils down to what stor you want tell.
Dont be afraid to experiment, thats how people sometimes succeed, when they think out of the box, and dont get limited by rules for this and that

For this one you fex can start by tilting up and down, play with shutter speeds, or iso, if you prefer a particular setting for aperture and shutterspeeds, then try to decide something in between, that you feel comfortable with.
If your skilled at grading and editing, a blown out sky can always be replaced.
My experience is, try and test as much as you possible can, go back home, study your material, analyze whats good and bad, go out and do it again, this time improve the things you werent satisfied with the first time, and ad them to the things you were.

Eventually you will get better and better, the more experience you get over time, its a learning curve.
Search the net and videos for inspiration, then try do your own version of it. Its no point trying to reinvent the wheel, but get ideas and create your own style out of that, that is what will make your work unique, cause we all have different preferences of whats good or bad.

Last, dont look at the limitations, but the opportunities.

Happy flying