ND Grad or multiple exposure blend?

This topic is something I see quite regularly on the various forums. People want to know if they need ND grads or split neutral density filters anymore since digital allows us to take more than one exposure to compensate for the difference in brightness (dynamic range) between the sky and ground.

Well the answer is you actually need both to cover all circumstances, as there a pros and cons to using each which I'll cover next.

ND Grad / Split Neutral Density

The filter method is quicker and allows you to get the photo as close to correct as possible 'in camera' which will greatly reduce the amount of time you need to spend in Photoshop. Also if you need to take the picture quickly or hand-held then this is the only way to go.

the main disadvantage to using the filter is the obvious change you will see between dark and light over objects that appear in front of the sky such as trees and buildings. Personally I quite like this effect and I don't think it detracts from the image. Some people really hate it though.

Multiple Exposures

This method is handy if you don't want to shell out for ND Grads or you want to capture more dynamic range than you would with the filter method. Basically you would take 2 or 3 exposures to cover the entire dynamic range then blend them in Photoshop.

The main disadvantages to this method are more time in front of the computer, no hand-held shots, tricky selections to get the blend right (can be a real nightmare with trees!).
you could use a program that specializes in HDR which will blend for you, however these type of pictures always have that HDR look to them that is not always what you want.

So it really comes down to personal preference, personally I like to use both methods depending on what I'm shooting at the time.

Thanks for listening.

Sensor cleaning and chamber lubricant

I recently got hold of the Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly as I had some noticeable dust on the sensor of my Canon DSLR. I'd heard these were really good so I popped a battery in, turned it on for 10 seconds as directed and then swept the brush across the sensor. I then took a picture of the sky and examined it for dust. All dust spots gone!

I then went to one of my haunts early the next morning (5am) along the coast to get some sunrise shots. After the sun was fully up I noticed something in the top right corner of the view finder which looked like a couple of streaks. I assumed that these were on the my polariser so I gave it a clean, took another shot a rechecked. The streaks were still there which meant there had to be something on the sensor! Now during shooting I hadn't noticed as the light was very low, the chance had also passed to get the shots again, and anyway I don't carry any sensor cleaning kit in my bag as I'm not overly keen on cleaning my sensor on the beach for obvious reasons!

After I returned home I flipped the mirror up on the camera and had a look at the sensor. There were two or three large oily streaks on the sensor it self. Where had this come from? I can only assume that the Arctic Butterfly had caught some excess lubrication from the chamber which had later fallen onto the sensor.

The photo's I had taken all had these streaks on them and it took me an absolute age to clean them up. At one point I thought the shots were ruined, but I managed to save them.

The moral here is BE VERY CAREFUL WITH SENSOR CLEANING BRUSHES and do NOT touch the side of the chamber!

to remove the oil I bought Visible dust swabs (£50.00!!) which easily removed the residue.

Thanks for listening.