Post processing for cloudy/overcast videos and photos?

[C2CDrones]

Well California hasn't seen the sun in what feels like over a month so most of my recent photos and videos have been on really cloudy and just ugly days. I am very new to post processing and was wondering if you all had any tips or tricks to make my videos/photos look a little more "alive" on such crappy weather days? I use powerdirector365 for my post processing.

 

[@Rip]

You know... a polarized filter can bring life into the cloud-scape. One of my Clients said she likes the clouds. (we are always looking for the "sucker days" right?)
Another way to look at this is... You have proof that "Cali" has something other than always clear skies! I think it is an opportunity, not a problem.
Fly Safe!

 

[mavic3usa]

Well California hasn't seen the sun in what feels like over a month so most of my recent photos and videos have been on really cloudy and just ugly days. I am very new to post processing and was wondering if you all had any tips or tricks to make my videos/photos look a little more "alive" on such crappy weather days? I use powerdirector365 for my post processing.

Personally I think it would be helpful to switch to Davinci Resolve and apply some of the tools found there and take advice from the numerous experts who can suggests lots of different ways to improve your videos.

 

[Robert Prior]

Cloudy days can be great for landscape photography because colours really have a chance to come into their own in the nice, even lighting. Try composing (or cropping) leaving the sky out. or at least minimizing it, if it is flat.

It can be a good time to focus on details (pun intended!).

 

[akdrone]

I'm excited to see B. Prior's videos and will add that one important thing to do is to shoot some form of DLog whether DLog or DLog M. Prior's videos were about photography but here I'm really talking about drone videography and with the Mavic, specifically the ability to use DLog. If the sky is a dark grey it may not be critical but in many cases there will be very bright pockets within the sky that will get blown out if you fail to shoot a form of DLog. I can't stress enough how important DLog can be to ensuring that you don't get blown out white areas although there are those that could care less and don't bother with any color grading. For those for whom Normal color setting is just fine...go for it, but I get picky about my color and want to get the most from my videos that I can. I cringe when I go back to old videos now and actually am in the process of remaking some 20 year old videos. As to using a polarizing filter, they only work when the sun rays are 90ish degrees from the camera's axis so while a CPL might be useful they can be tricky on a wide angle lens affecting some parts of the image and not others. I know nothing about your NLE but it certainly is the key, along with shooting DLog in some form. When you pan and or change lighting within a scene being able to keyframe the exposure also becomes an important skill. In that context, shooting Auto Exposure is often frowned upon but if the sky is entirely overcast you can get away with it if the scene doesn't change the dark/light too much, otherwise you have to shoot separate scenes in manual. Best of luck.

 

[Robert Prior]

As to using a polarizing filter, they only work when the sun rays are 90ish degrees from the camera's axis so while a CPL might be useful they can be tricky on a wide angle lens affecting some parts of the image and not others.

I've used a polarizer on my camera while shooting videos. When panning across a large angle there's often a noticeable and strange look as the filter becomes more and less effective. I mostly shoot 360 panoramas with my drone so I avoid a polarizer as the sky ends up with really strange bands in it.

If I was shooting video I'd still avoid polarizers except for very specific shots where I wanted the effect and knew that I wouldn't be taking any other shots from a different angle.

YMMV, of course.

 

[akdrone]

I've used a polarizer on my camera while shooting videos. When panning across a large angle there's often a noticeable and strange look as the filter becomes more and less effective. I mostly shoot 360 panoramas with my drone so I avoid a polarizer as the sky ends up with really strange bands in it.

If I was shooting video I'd still avoid polarizers except for very specific shots where I wanted the effect and knew that I wouldn't be taking any other shots from a different angle.

YMMV, of course.

Agreed. CP filters should not be used indiscriminately on video, particularly with a wide angle lens. Even if a wide angle shot is still some sky will be deep blue and other areas much less so. I find CP filters useful particularly when shooting into water as any transparency they provide looks good and areas that are not transparent don't look out of place. A CP filter when used with a tele lens can be very effective if the sun is at an angle to the shot and the shot does not swing around.