Lake City, MN & Dodge County Fair
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
We started the day going for a walk along Lake Pepin in Lake City, MN. I took these photos just working on some exposure and editing techniques I have been learning about through instructions on YouTube. Specifically, focusing on exposing for the highlights and then bringing up the shadows in post. This allows for more dynamic range and less blown-out highlights. I’m fairly pleased with the results so far; something to keep working on.
Most modern digital cameras have incredible ability to preserve detail in the shadows, but quickly blow out the highlights, which cannot be recovered as easily in post. Thus, by exposing for the highlights and crushing the shadows in the RAW image, in post, I can preserve more of the highlight details and simply raise up the shadows. This image is an incredible testimony to that process. Had I exposed for the statues in the foreground, the bright blue sky in the background would have been completely washed-out. Instead, I exposed for the bright sky and then brought up the shadows on the statues in the foreground and it really works rather amazingly!!
A completely random photo to work more on this exposure technique.
More of the same here, just working on technique.
Same here; but I’m pleased with how well this approach preserved the detail in the sky and clouds. Generally, exposing just for the subject (sailboat) would have resulted in a nearly white sky.
Later that afternoon, it was off to the Dodge County Fair in Kasson, MN.
This cow had quite a fancy paint job!
This cow was being groomed for showing. The handler was using a very fine clipper to trim the hair over her udder. These engorged vessels are very impressive. From a surgical standpoint, vessels like that give one pause!!
All these beautiful ladies were being prepared for showing.
Cow spots have so much more to them than you would otherwise appreciate from a distance.
