blown out highlights

[Robsweeney]

Hello,

I shoot abstract natural landscapes, always underexpose by 3 stops, especially when I'm dealing with lots of highlights.  Even then, sometimes my highlights blow out.  In post, I try lowering "highlights" and "whites" but it still is a problem.  Any suggestions are appreciated.   

the white "grass" is blownout  

[JP Hess]

Are you sure you're not remembering some colors that just weren't there? That just looks like underbrush that has lost its summer color. Nothing looks blown out to me.

[Robsweeney]

Thanks Jim.  I don't think colors "that weren't there" is the issue.  It's that underbrush that's clearly overexposed.  My question is how to deal with such a wide range of exposure points (I've never shot HDR - I'm not very proficient in how to digitally manage my exposures).

[ricky336]

Where are your blown out highlights exactly? Not in the grass. Also in this type of shot, why underexpose by 3 stops. It's rather a lot when in this photo you don't have strong highlight areas.

If you have strong highlights and dark shadow areas, it will be best to do an HDR type of shot, do one stop underexposed, exposed and one stop overexposed, i.e bracket your exposures,  then merge the shots together in Lightroom. It has an HDR function.

[Robsweeney]

Thank you Ricky336.  This makes sense.  I'm such a dinosaur when it comes to shooting digitally.  I'm having fun in LightRoom but clearly I need to produce better files.  Crazy question but is HDR considered a "technical manipulation", thereby making it less attractive for a purist collector of art photography?

[ricky336]

HDR if done properly looks fine and does not have that typical 'HDR look'. If done well,the image will have a good range of tones.

Read this info from Adobe.

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/lightroom-cc/using/hdr-panorama.html 

I would give this a go - it takes a bit of practice as you have to get your alignment right- so using a tripod can help with that.

[Robsweeney]

Thank you, much appreciated.

[D Fosse]

The sky is blown out, but not the rest.