Some Advice Please

[russellsnr]

Hi, I am trying to get a photograph with the sun in but up to now I am struggling the sun always seems blown out. For these two I used a 0.6 grad filter and I assume this is the way to go but how much is too much?
If this is posted in the wrong section please can you move?
Thank You.

[Shadowman]

Hi, I am trying to get a photograph with the sun in but up to now I am struggling the sun always seems blown out. For these two I used a 0.6 grad filter and I assume this is the way to go but how much is too much?
If this is posted in the wrong section please can you move?
Thank You.

Hi Russell,

I would have used a CP filter and even then I would be very careful about pointing my camera directly at the sun. What was your exposure time and aperture setting. Have you done any post processing. You have blown highlights within the sun and some of the upper cloud region. I would also wait for the sun to go behind the clouds a bit before you take the shot.

[russellsnr]

Hi Russell,

I would have used a CP filter and even then I would be very careful about pointing my camera directly at the sun. What was your exposure time and aperture setting. Have you done any post processing. You have blown highlights within the sun and some of the upper cloud region. I would also wait for the sun to go behind the clouds a bit before you take the shot.

Hi, I used AV at F22 a 0.6 grad took 3 exposures +1 0 -1, once auto focus had finished I switched to manual focus on a tripod. PP was with DXO Optics and that did tone them down and actually IMO made better job than straight out of camera.
I did not use a cir pol filter will try it next time, to be honest I thought you used a cir pol filter to give the sky a better colour when the sun was at around 45 deg to the camera.
Thank You for the reply.

[arith]

Actually I think the top one is good. What does the sun look like when you look at it? I think it is blown out anyway but I'm virtually blind anyway.

I did this once, as you can see it isn't very good but you might be surprised to know it was around midday. It took a lot of practice to get to this using a 10D which has a metal shutter and the biggest problem was with silhouetting chromatic aberration and flare.

[Shadowman]

Hi, I used AV at F22 a 0.6 grad took 3 exposures +1 0 -1, once auto focus had finished I switched to manual focus on a tripod. PP was with DXO Optics and that did tone them down and actually IMO made better job than straight out of camera.
I did not use a cir pol filter will try it next time, to be honest I thought you used a cir pol filter to give the sky a better colour when the sun was at around 45 deg to the camera.
Thank You for the reply.

You are correct about the angle a CP filter is used but my reasoning is coupled with my belief that pointing directly at the sun is not a good idea. Even with the CP filter I am careful when composing the shot, but my camera does not have live view so you may be able to compose without looking directly into the lens.

[Shadowman]

Post processed with Photoshop Elements.