Comala Coffee Factory, Mexico

**Wes** · 12-01-2009, 12:10 PM

This is another one of my favourites. Very tough exposure--left of the camera was an open door looking out onto a courtyard--obviously with sun streaming in, hence the burned out highlights in the corner.

**tirediron** · 12-01-2009, 12:26 PM

Interesting image; lots of potential here, and definitely a challenging expousure. I think this was a situation custom-made for an HDR. As well, I'd suggest leveling the image; the tilting column is a bit hard on the eye.

**Marko** · 12-01-2009, 01:22 PM

It's an interesting image but I'm not sure it can be saved. The overexposed parts of the image look too overexposed to save.

The image will likely always have those clipped zones which are major distractions imo. Also the image needs to be leveled as TI mentioned.
Hope that helps - Marko

**Wes** · 12-01-2009, 01:38 PM

Yeah, I tried straightening the tilt, but then the floor goes off-square, because the building was actually built on a bit of a lean.

All in all I think it shows that I can get a really good shot if I just get myself on a plane and head back to Mexico for a couple of weeks!

**Marko** · 12-01-2009, 02:55 PM

TRUST me, this happens all the time....sigh.

With digital though, a great help (especially for images you love) is the histogram feature which represents the distribution of tones in a graph.

If the waveform of the graph leans too heavily to the right, portions of the image will be clipped and there isn't any magic that i know of to easily or effectively remedy the situation.

If you notice this during the shoot, underexpose to save the highlights, or play with the light by
1 - waiting for the light to get better
2 - use flash to help balance the scene better
3 - Use HDR
4 - Use an ND filter or grad filter as previously posted.

We've all gone through this same horrible experience so don't feel too bad, just don't do it again

Hope that helps - Marko

**kat** · 12-01-2009, 03:02 PM

Another thing I use to help with blow outs is to have my highlight graph option on. It will blink and those areas you can see your highlights.

It is best in shots like this, from my experience, to shoot a bit darker, make sure you don't have those blown out areas and through post processing brighten up the rest.

Marko nailed what can be done for this photo. Those are the best options to make this photo opportunity better. Composition wise..not to bad!

Ahh..wish I could be in Mexico right now!

**Mad Aussie** · 12-01-2009, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Wes

Yeah, I tried straightening the tilt, but then the floor goes off-square, because the building was actually built on a bit of a lean.

All in all I think it shows that I can get a really good shot if I just get myself on a plane and head back to Mexico for a couple of weeks!

Off you go ... we'll wait

I reckon cropping out the highlights completely and then saturating the colours more might produce an almost abstract shot.

If this was me I probably would have exposed for the highlights and then dealt with the darker areas later in PP. Then again, if it was me I'd have used an HDR merge, but without that option, underexposing was the best option I think.
Having a graduated ND filter would have helped too perhaps ... even a circular polarizer might have done the rick to level out the highlights and retain some good detail elsewhere.

I would have leveled this to the pole and wall. With those two vertical then the floor would look right I think.

Good eye though Wes ... this was indeed a worthy scene to shoot!!

**Wes** · 12-01-2009, 05:55 PM

All great suggestions, guys--and the big message, I guess, is take the time to get the shot right instead of snapping away tourist-style and running off to get the next shot of tequila.

Thanks for all the tips.

**tirediron** · 12-02-2009, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Wes

All great suggestions, guys--and the big message, I guess, is take the time to get the shot right instead of snapping away tourist-style and running off to get the next shot of tequila.

Thanks for all the tips.

Well d'uhh... There's your problem right there. A real photographer would have had the Tequila with him so he didn't have to run!