Advice Please

[bertam]

I we trying to photograph a sunset across the sea with the last days of light falling on the see. I set the exposure to get the background detail but the light shimering on the sea was over exposed. Is it possible to get set the exposure for both?

[Shadowman]

You can either process the captured image to try to contain the dynamic range of the scene or use a graduated neutral density filter. You stated you are trying to capture reflected light, is the sun also in the image?

[DanK]

You could also do exposure blending, but since the sun will be moving, you might have to do it manually.

[Manfred M]

The answer (as always) is that it depends... Posting the image would give the members something more concrete work with.

The issue at play is determining what is meant by a "correct exposure". Your camera's light metering system will be fooled if you shoot directly into the sun. There are many situations, including the one you describe, where the lighting situation exceed's your sensor's ability to record the data. Your computer display may not be able to reproduce what your camera has captured.

There are techniques, as Dan has mentioned. that are used in these situations. As with all techniques there are trade-offs involved when we use them and they also generally require practice and skill to get an image the works well.

[xpatUSA]

I we trying to photograph a sunset across the sea with the last [rays] of light falling on the sea. I set the exposure to get the background detail but the light shimmering on the sea was over-exposed. Is it possible to set the exposure for both?

The short answer is "no", Bertam. Any scene has a 'dynamic range' (DR) which is the ratio of lightest light seen by the camera to the darkest, usually expressed in decibels (dB) but often expressed in 'stops' (EV) for photographic work. If the scene that you describe has swells (long waves that do not break) the sun's reflections will be very bright. Similar to the sun reflected off a motor-cycle exhaust, these reflections are called 'specular highlights'.

It looks as if the DR of your scene is greater than the DR capability of your camera.

Under those circumstances, it is necessary at that moment to choose between a setting than blows those highlights or one that turns shadows black. Or wait until the sun is much lower and much less bright due the angle of it's rays through the atmosphere.

I understand that reflected light can be reduced with a polarizing filter but I have never tried it myself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polari..._(photography)

https://petapixel.com/2018/09/04/whe...rizing-filter/