# [Wet Thumb Forum]-How to balance the light?



## ChicagoAndy (Jan 24, 2004)

Do I need to get a better camera or is there a way to lessen the brightness near the lights without darkening the photo too much? I have a simple, point and shoot, 2.1 megapixel camera. I suppose I could take off the hood and shine some lights from a greater distance above the water, but is there some technique that would allow me to use my current setup?










Thanks very much.


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## MarcinB (Apr 16, 2004)

Your photo is OK, just as your camera. The camera sets the same exsposure parameters for the whole frame. So if you have dark and bright areas within the frame, you have to choose between overexposure of the bright ones and underexposure of the dark ones. It's always a tradeoff. If I were making this photo I would do it just as you. You can solve the problem by providing more light to the front of the tank.

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## rudedog (Feb 6, 2003)

If you took your picture from a higher point of view, the effect of the bright lights at the surface would not be so pronounced.

The way I would do this would be to set up my camera on a tripod and take 2 pictures. One picture would have the tank exposed for the shadows and the other picture exposed for the highlights, you can then make a composite in photoshop or paint shop pro of the 2 using the correctly exposed parts of both images. As long as you take the picture from exactly the same place (hence the tripod) this is pretty straight foward. As I don't know what kind of camera you have, I can't instruct you on the best way to achieve the 2 different exposures of your tank - do you know if your camera has exposure lock or exposure compensation capabilities?

rob


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## ChicagoAndy (Jan 24, 2004)

I have a Kodak DC something with both digital and manual zoom, and it does have some settings for exposure compensation now that you mention it. I think one is called "white balance" or something like that. I understand what you're saying about making a composite.

Thanks


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2004)

Andy,

I agree with Rob.

Please look into this article.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-contrast-masking.shtml

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Regards,
Jay Luto


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## ChicagoAndy (Jan 24, 2004)

Thanks to all. That article was helpful. I'll work on it and thanks again.


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> If you took your picture from a higher point of view, the effect of the bright lights at the surface would not be so pronounced.


Yup.

______________________________
It's bio*tope*, not biotype.


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