Exposure Issue

[bojanb20496408]

Hi, I've just got rejected a few photos, but the problem is that this photo has even levels, nothing i think can be done on shadows or highlights. It's in natural light. What can I do meet technical requirements?

[joanH]

The rejection is probably due to too many conflicting subject areas and no single useable area other than the shadow of the branches. Sure, exposure is a problem. So, If you are sincere about how to present your work you will need to read the guidelines for submission by Adobe. Please take the time to go to this site, Everything you need to understand the process of contributing to Adobe Stock is here. Best regards, JH

For  you to be able to achieve better image results and get offerings accepted into Adobe Stock go to   https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/user-guide.html

[bojanb20496408]

OK, thanks! As I se it is more like content issue (composition), maybe should be made more like HDR ... Br, B

[v.poth · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I think you are right here that image processing here has little possibility to correct the exposure. An exposure series would certainly be one way to get a grip on the backlight problem.

In terms of image design, it is basically correct to have a foreground, middle and background, especially for landscape shots. The branches in the foreground are a popular means for many people to use as foreground, but they are too dominant in the image in terms of the area in the image, the brightness value and the image sharpness.

The sharpness of the image should certainly be in the middle to possibly to the background. Here, as I already mentioned in your other thread, I can only advise you to use a rather wide-angle lens for such shots in order to be able to do this better. A 100mm macro lens is not a good choice here.

I think if the image hadn't been rejected because of exposure, it would have been rejected because of wrong focus. This would be different if the branches were the main motif of the picture, but there is too little of it in the picture.

Greets,

v.poth

[Ricky336]

Problem here is the branches are too dark and the foreground is too dark and the overall picture is too dark - underexposed. You can alter the exposure a bit - especially if you took this in raw, but also if you have PS CC, you can use the Camera Raw Filter, which gives you the same options as if you took this in raw.

So, you can lighten the foreground by increasing your shadow areas, decrease the highlights, and increase the exposure a bit, crop, and you can get something like this:

You can bring out the sun sparkle as well (which is nice) and gives it a focal point. So, all is not lost.

[joanH]

I like your treatment rickey336. All is not lost. Thanks for this.  JH