How do I improve photography on dull days?

[jhewitt15]

Well I think we all know that summer has been rubbish so far.

So I was wondering how to improve my photography on dull rainy overcast days? In past experience, my photos have been awful as they lack character and it is impossible to get a decent shutter speed and the colour is dull.

How do I solve the problem?

All Aprreciated!

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

try doing some macro or close-up photography, the overcast conditions suit that style. If it is really dull try a bit of flash to pump a bit of colour into the photo.

neil

[skywatcher]

Trouble is it's dull AND windy! Makes macro an uphill struggle. Let's all hope we get a golden autumn.

[jhewitt15]

Originally Posted by wildlifesnapper

Hi

try doing some macro or close-up photography, the overcast conditions suit that style. If it is really dull try a bit of flash to pump a bit of colour into the photo.

neil

thanks. macro is my speciality I prefer to photograph flower because you don't need a lens as long as your arm and they don't fly away.

whenever I use flash the colour is bleached and the subject of the photo turns bright white.

when I don't use flash the colour is dull and lacks the tone that I would get in sunlight.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by jhewitt15

whenever I use flash the colour is bleached and the subject of the photo turns bright white.

when I don't use flash the colour is dull and lacks the tone that I would get in sunlight.

You need to reduce the exposure when you are using flash.
If it is over-exposed. Either stop down, or reduce the flash
energy.

What camera are you using? Some don't have that degree
of flexibility.

Putting two sheets of tissue or a hanky over the flash can help
by both reducing the amount of light and diffusing it.

Post-processing software can also do wonders for dull boring
shots.
Check for levels, brightness, contrast, saturation.

[jhewitt15]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

You need to reduce the exposure when you are using flash.
If it is over-exposed. Either stop down, or reduce the flash
energy.

What camera are you using? Some don't have that degree
of flexibility.

Putting two sheets of tissue or a hanky over the flash can help
by both reducing the amount of light and diffusing it.

Post-processing software can also do wonders for dull boring
shots.
Check for levels, brightness, contrast, saturation.

Thanks for all the advice . I think I will try the tissue thing because my camera isn't a DSLR (can't afford one) and the flash is always the same amount of energy. theres auto flash, fill flash, red eye flash and no flash.

Also whenever I try and edit photos by changing the contrast etc I ruin the photo and when I use auto-enhance, no changes can be seen!

[Geoff F]

Check with your camera manual to see if Flash Compensation is available. If so reduce it. If not can you adjust and reduce the ISO setting (light sensitivity) or are you stuck with Auto? Do you have any control over manual settings. If so set a smaller aperture (higher number). Can you adjust how to meter for the exposure; ie spot metering? If so this will give a much more accurate reading.

I prefer overcast days for flower photography as you don't get unwanted shadows. But not too low a light level.

When you edit your photos don't use any of the Auto settings. Learn to understand adjusting with Curves or Levels to give each image the exact amount of required tweak. This does appear very complicated at first but it isn't really too bad once you jump in and give it a try. There are many free online tutorials about this subject. So just experiment until it begins to make sense.

[big bill]

Another way is to use some reflectors to push light back into your specimens ,either use a piece of baco foil scrunched up then straighten out onto cardboard or white card position it to push light into the shadows just watch you dont include it in the image

[jhewitt15]

Originally Posted by Geoff F

Check with your camera manual to see if Flash Compensation is available. If so reduce it. If not can you adjust and reduce the ISO setting (light sensitivity) or are you stuck with Auto? Do you have any control over manual settings. If so set a smaller aperture (higher number). Can you adjust how to meter for the exposure; ie spot metering? If so this will give a much more accurate reading.

I prefer overcast days for flower photography as you don't get unwanted shadows. But not too low a light level.

When you edit your photos don't use any of the Auto settings. Learn to understand adjusting with Curves or Levels to give each image the exact amount of required tweak. This does appear very complicated at first but it isn't really too bad once you jump in and give it a try. There are many free online tutorials about this subject. So just experiment until it begins to make sense.

My camera has a manual mode and I can change aperture, ISO etc. But I can't change any flash compensation. I can change the exposure compensation though (-2.0 to +2.0)

[BruceP]

What camera and flash unit have you got?