highlights blown out at DVinfo.net

Art Willig · September 29th, 2014, 10:43 PM

I've been shooting green screen with white balance set.
However, now I've noticed the front of the character's costume has been whited out from a strong reflection.
The flashing lights are now completely gone.
I was wondering if any gurus knew how to somewhat correct this blowout.
Pic attached below.
Running Vegas Pro 10c
Thanks for a clue

Graham Bernard · September 30th, 2014, 12:10 AM

Wouldn't regard myself as a Guru, but I'm certainly needing to see exactly what your BEFORE and AFTER is about.

Grazie

Chris Harding · September 30th, 2014, 12:11 AM

Hi Art

Take a look at the footage in Vegas with scopes on at look at your white levels ..They are probably way over the top as you say so try pulling the white levels down with the levels plugin.

I don't really know why this also works but if you put the invert plugin into the chain first and push the slider all the way so the image is totally inverted (the whites will be black) and then put the level plugin following by a second invert plugin set the same at the first one it seems to work better when you correct the inverted image. It could of course be so blown out that you have lost all detail but it's worth a try!!

Your plugin chain should be (left to right) invert - levels - invert

Anything is worth a try and that's what I have used when I have had a bad backlit scene with the sky perfectly exposed and the subjects in deep shadow so it might work the other way around too??

Dave Farrants · September 30th, 2014, 01:03 AM

Difficult to see from attached image but my take would be to address this in production not post. It looks to be lit with just 2 lights, my suggestion would be to use 2 lights for the GS, bring the subject away from the background and light it separately, expose for the subject and then balance lighting / exposure for the GS.

Art Willig · October 1st, 2014, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Art

Take a look at the footage in Vegas with scopes on at look at your white levels ..They are probably way over the top as you say so try pulling the white levels down with the levels plugin.

I don't really know why this also works but if you put the invert plugin into the chain first and push the slider all the way so the image is totally inverted (the whites will be black) and then put the level plugin following by a second invert plugin set the same at the first one it seems to work better when you correct the inverted image. It could of course be so blown out that you have lost all detail but it's worth a try!!

Your plugin chain should be (left to right) invert - levels - invert

Anything is worth a try and that's what I have used when I have had a bad backlit scene with the sky perfectly exposed and the subjects in deep shadow so it might work the other way around too??

Hey...The lights are starting to come back...different frame but it's getting better.

Chris Harding · October 1st, 2014, 05:25 AM

Awesome Art!

I suppose that a reshoot is not an option. As they say "treat the cause not the symptom" so if you can reshoot and expose and light correctly it would help a lot ...if not that is way better than the original!!

If you need any of us to try alternative methods post a full HD screen grab so we can play with it (1920x1080 still) When I was stuck I did that quite a few guys helped me and posted their result and how they achieved it!!

Glad you are getting it a lot better!

Chris

Art Willig · October 2nd, 2014, 01:59 PM

Ok
Here's an HD still with green screen in the hopes someone can bring out still more of the robot's lights in Vegas Pro.
Thanks

Mike Kujbida · October 2nd, 2014, 04:08 PM

Art, here's the details on the "trick" that Chris referred to.
I tried it and here's my attempt at it as well as a screen shot of the FX chain. FYI, I set Gamma to 2.0 on the Levels FX.

Put 3 filters, a "Invert" (at 100%), "Color Corrector", "Invert" (at 100%).
Then lift up the gamma of the color corrector in the middle.
This darkens highlights first, in the logarithmic fashion, more like a "iris closing" way.
You can also put a color corrector secondary to select reds and lower the gamma a bit. (This suggestion was meant for the image being discussed on the thread below).
Dark or bright may also have to add or remove a bit of saturation on the color corrector filter.

Help with Over Exposure!

September 29th, 2014, 10:43 PM	#1
Art Willig Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 104	highlights blown out I've been shooting green screen with white balance set. However, now I've noticed the front of the character's costume has been whited out from a strong reflection. The flashing lights are now completely gone. I was wondering if any gurus knew how to somewhat correct this blowout. Pic attached below. Running Vegas Pro 10c Thanks for a clue Attached Images __________________ "Shoot first and ask questions later"

September 30th, 2014, 12:10 AM	#2
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Re: highlights blown out Wouldn't regard myself as a Guru, but I'm certainly needing to see exactly what your BEFORE and AFTER is about. Grazie

September 30th, 2014, 12:11 AM	#3
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: highlights blown out Hi Art Take a look at the footage in Vegas with scopes on at look at your white levels ..They are probably way over the top as you say so try pulling the white levels down with the levels plugin. I don't really know why this also works but if you put the invert plugin into the chain first and push the slider all the way so the image is totally inverted (the whites will be black) and then put the level plugin following by a second invert plugin set the same at the first one it seems to work better when you correct the inverted image. It could of course be so blown out that you have lost all detail but it's worth a try!! Your plugin chain should be (left to right) invert - levels - invert Anything is worth a try and that's what I have used when I have had a bad backlit scene with the sky perfectly exposed and the subjects in deep shadow so it might work the other way around too??

September 30th, 2014, 01:03 AM	#4
Dave Farrants Major Player Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Gloucs, UK Posts: 214	Re: highlights blown out Difficult to see from attached image but my take would be to address this in production not post. It looks to be lit with just 2 lights, my suggestion would be to use 2 lights for the GS, bring the subject away from the background and light it separately, expose for the subject and then balance lighting / exposure for the GS. __________________ https://www.foxvideo.co.uk

October 1st, 2014, 05:25 AM	#6
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: highlights blown out Awesome Art! I suppose that a reshoot is not an option. As they say "treat the cause not the symptom" so if you can reshoot and expose and light correctly it would help a lot ...if not that is way better than the original!! If you need any of us to try alternative methods post a full HD screen grab so we can play with it (1920x1080 still) When I was stuck I did that quite a few guys helped me and posted their result and how they achieved it!! Glad you are getting it a lot better! Chris

October 2nd, 2014, 01:59 PM	#7
Art Willig Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 104	Re: highlights blown out Ok Here's an HD still with green screen in the hopes someone can bring out still more of the robot's lights in Vegas Pro. Thanks Attached Thumbnails __________________ "Shoot first and ask questions later"

October 2nd, 2014, 04:08 PM	#8
Mike Kujbida Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windsor, ON Canada Posts: 2,770	Re: highlights blown out Art, here's the details on the "trick" that Chris referred to. I tried it and here's my attempt at it as well as a screen shot of the FX chain. FYI, I set Gamma to 2.0 on the Levels FX. Put 3 filters, a "Invert" (at 100%), "Color Corrector", "Invert" (at 100%). Then lift up the gamma of the color corrector in the middle. This darkens highlights first, in the logarithmic fashion, more like a "iris closing" way. You can also put a color corrector secondary to select reds and lower the gamma a bit. (This suggestion was meant for the image being discussed on the thread below). Dark or bright may also have to add or remove a bit of saturation on the color corrector filter. Help with Over Exposure! Attached Thumbnails