BLOWOUT! OMG

[MAGA]

Ok sorry for the dramatics
Problem , shot a waterfall cloudy setting 2k 30fps no filter. The terrain was well represented both in color and brightness BUT the waterfall was completely blown out. No help in post with Adobe rush. Highlights are bad. Not shot in D cinema like. Suggestions please also looking for a decent video edit program. Trying Adobe rush but filmora does pretty much the same so what do you suggest for 50- 80 dollars low budget. Preferible a program that call kill blown out whites.

 

[WithTheBirds]

If the highlights are blown there is nothing you can do to recover any detail.

This is a very common problem with those new to shooting waterfalls. The wet rocks and water is significantly better at reflecting light than another elements in the scene and, as a rule, takes up a small area in the frame. Average light metering and failure to reduce overall exposure to compensate almost guaranteed poor results.

Filters won’t help with this problem.

Your options are to meter directly for the water, reduce overall metered exposure by 1-2 stops, and for stills to take an exposure bracket and have options for recovery/blending in post.

You will have good success with waterfalls shooting early and late in the day- overcast sky and tree canopy is your friend also.

Even with good technique mid day open light never gives best results.

 

[MAGA]

If the highlights are blown there is nothing you can do to recover any detail.

This is a very common problem with those new to shooting waterfalls. The wet rocks and water is significantly better at reflecting light than another elements in the scene and, as a rule, takes up a small area in the frame. Average light metering and failure to reduce overall exposure to compensate almost guaranteed poor results.

Filters won’t help with this problem.

Your options are to meter directly for the water, reduce overall metered exposure by 1-2 stops, and for stills to take an exposure bracket and have options for recovery/blending in post.

You will have good success with waterfalls shooting early and late in the day- overcast sky and tree canopy is your friend also.

Even with good technique mid day open light never gives best results.

True True and its my favorite subject. I have to plan my shoots better. Just showing up at 2 pm when the light is harsh is a waste of time. N.Y. weather is the worst lately. Bright sun with rolling clouds constant exposure adjustment i will reshoot and drop properly expose the falls but not to the point i can't see the surrounding rocks or my screen.

 

[Dale D]

Ok sorry for the dramatics
Problem , shot a waterfall cloudy setting 2k 30fps no filter. The terrain was well represented both in color and brightness BUT the waterfall was completely blown out. No help in post with Adobe rush. Highlights are bad. Not shot in D cinema like. Suggestions please also looking for a decent video edit program. Trying Adobe rush but filmora does pretty much the same so what do you suggest for 50- 80 dollars low budget. Preferible a program that call kill blown out whites.

For what it is worth, I would have tried on the HISTOGRAM. In post-production, you cannot recover details in the highlights if they are blown out and you get clipping

Ok sorry for the dramatics
Problem , shot a waterfall cloudy setting 2k 30fps no filter. The terrain was well represented both in color and brightness BUT the waterfall was completely blown out. No help in post with Adobe rush. Highlights are bad. Not shot in D cinema like. Suggestions please also looking for a decent video edit program. Trying Adobe rush but filmora does pretty much the same so what do you suggest for 50- 80 dollars low budget. Preferible a program that call kill blown out whites.

I would have turned on the HISTOGRAM function which will show if you are getting clipping of the highlights. You cannot recover details in clipping of the highlights in post-production regardless of the software. See the attached article. Be sure your histogram is on and point your camera at the brightest area of the scene (the waterfalls) and be sure you do not bump up against the right side of the histogram.

If you are at all uncertain as to your exposure, point the drone camera towards the subject (of course holding the drone in your hand before take off), and look at you image on the screen- the sky, the subject, etc. You can adjust it at that time with your settings or with your ND filters. You cannot, in most cases, go back and repeat the filming if it a once in a lifetime opportunity such as a trip to Iceland and waterfalls.

 

[Dale D]

For what it is worth, I would have tried on the HISTOGRAM. In post-production, you cannot recover details in the highlights if they are blown out and you get clipping

I would have turned on the HISTOGRAM function which will show if you are getting clipping of the highlights. You cannot recover details in clipping of the highlights in post-production regardless of the software. See the attached article. Be sure your histogram is on and point your camera at the brightest area of the scene (the waterfalls) and be sure you do not bump up against the right side of the histogram.

If you are at all uncertain as to your exposure, point the drone camera towards the subject (of course holding the drone in your hand before take off), and look at you image on the screen- the sky, the subject, etc. You can adjust it at that time with your settings or with your ND filters. You cannot, in most cases, go back and repeat the filming if it a once in a lifetime opportunity such as a trip to Iceland and waterfalls.

 

[gnirtS]

Waterfalls are generally best shot on a cloudy day to avoid the huge differences in brightness.
Add to that the drone has very limited dynamic range compared to real cameras and theres the problem.

Your only real option is to look at the histogram, just accept some bits of the fall are going to blow out and then work the best you can with the shadows. If you under expose those to get the water OK you'll get a ton of noise in post.

You want a flat light, cloudy day - its why waterfalls are great. The best time for shooting them is in conditions that are normally worst for normal photography.

In photos you can bracket exposure and blending but you're doing video where you cant.