HELP!

[Harold Davis]

how do you minimize the light in a situation like this. i like starbursts, but this is totally overboard for me! i didnt do any pp to this to give you guys a look at what i had to work with.

D300, 300 f/4, f/14, 25s, ISO 200, 0EV.

thanks for the help!!!!!!

[Fabs Forns]

How about trying to process is in Photomatix?????
Or duplicating the layer and using multiply as blending mode?
Remember light sources are allowed to burn :)

[Harold Davis]

How about trying to process is in Photomatix?????
Or duplicating the layer and using multiply as blending mode?
Remember light sources are allowed to burn :)

but there still will not be any detail in the structure of the lighthouse. the light has burned out all the detail. i guess that's what i was after. getting the light and still being able to see the structure around it. something like this one, but there's still a little bit of a lack of detail. both were shot from the same location. only this one was taken about fifteen minutes earlier when there was still some light. the first one had hardly any light at all.

[Robert Amoruso]

Photograph it without the light on and then again later with it on. Layer in PS and mask to show the lighthouse detail.

[Roman Kurywczak]

OK Harold,
Agree with Robert but here's the craziest one you will hear from an in camera guy.....at 25 seconds I know you were on a tripod.....so compose.....look through the viewfinder and place one or 2 fingers in front of the lens ....blocking the light.....from the bottom of the lens (it's black there and won't affect the sky) and depress the shutter.....move your fingers slightly left to right......pull them off about 1/2 way through the exposure and wait......still too bright.....hold them there longer and move them more.....too dark.....hold them in front less till you get the look desired. No I'm not nuts (well in this case anyway!) I used the method here; http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=15832
& http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16027
& here to read the saying; http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13973
You can also use this during daylight hours but you need long SS's. I use my fingers because objects with sharp edges will leave a clearly defined line and don't forget to move the fingers back and forth.
How's that for nuts!......so much for the people telling you not to put your fingers in front of the camera!

[Roman Kurywczak]

BTW.....I like the sunburst one.....even with the blown light .....the burst has a nice look to it and was placed nicely in the frame. In the sunset one.....crop the buildings out to more of a pano as the trees have a nice layered look to them.

[Harold Davis]

thank you, roman!!! that's the answer i was looking for. may try that experiment tonite!!!!!

[Ed Vatza]

Usually I comment about the original image but I have to say Roman's solution to the "problem" sounds unique to me. Cool idea that I will store away in the deep dark recesses of my brain.