1/2 of frame too bright

[Scott Timothy Wilson]

i had to film a baptism in a house (and against my request) I was shooting towards two large windows. My subjects were too the middle of these two windows, so the windows are very bright and the subjects are very dark. For the most part I just stayed on a tripod. What are my options for fixing in post?? Is there some sort of matte I can apply over the windows to darken only them? Or am I missing an easy way to reduce highlights?

Thanks
Scott

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Scott Timothy Wilson

My subjects were too the middle of these two windows, so the windows are very bright and the subjects are very dark.

Adjust frame for subjects not background. Unless you want to create a silhouette.

Originally Posted by Scott Timothy Wilson

What are my options for fixing in post??

Not many.

Originally Posted by Scott Timothy Wilson

Is there some sort of matte I can apply over the windows to darken only them?

The time to do that was before you shot it. Some gel over the windows, a light on the subjects to reduce the contrast. Blow out the windows and expose for the subjects.

Originally Posted by Scott Timothy Wilson

Or am I missing an easy way to reduce highlights?

Nope, you're not missing anything now.


You MIGHT be able to mask off the windows bring the rest of the footage up some and get something usable. But if the subjects were really dark, when you bring them up, you're going to bring a ton of noise with it, and the windows will still be blown out.

There are a lot of things you can fix in post, but typically, poor exposure is not one of them.

Good luck.

[Battle Vaughan]

Good news and bad news -- if you have CS4 Premiere, the useful highlight/shadow tool, analogous to the one in Photoshop, is in the video effects/adjustment folder, and is maybe your best chance. Bad news: it won't add data where there isn't any, so blown highlights will not be helped, and as Perrone points out, your shadows will be noisy....but give it a try.../Battle Vaughan