ALO & HTP - Where can I get educated?

[PajamaGuy]

I know, I know - I'm an idiot and not worthy because I do shoot JPG.  There, I said it!  So anyhow, in June on a Saturday at noon, under a cloudless sky, could ALO or HTP help me extend the dynamic range so that the shadowed face of the base runner isn't so dark without blowing out his white pants?

Does anyone have a good source for information on how to use these two adjustments?

Thanks!

[TTMartin]

Canon's Digital Learning Center is a good place to start.

Auto Lighting Optimizer

Canon Quick Tips: Highlight Tone Priority

Of course a Google search will provide more information than you would ever want to know.

Do you have a specific question on how either one works?

[PajamaGuy]

Thanks TT, I guess I'll have to experiment. Looks like ALO can be applied in DPP without having it turned on in-camera.

[TTMartin]

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@PajamaGuy wrote:
Thanks TT, I guess I'll have to experiment. Looks like ALO can be applied in DPP without having it turned on in-camera.

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If you are shooting JPG you would need to turn it on in camera. 

[ebiggs1]

DSLR sensors can capture a wide range of brightness values (EV), as with everything there is a limit. If you have a scene that has a wider DR than the camera can capture, you have a problem.

A  DSLR has an exposure compensation feature. It enables you to shift the histogram left or right along the scale to ensure that either the highlights or the shadows aren't clipped, but you can't increase or decrease the DR itself.

Canon’s Auto Lighting Optimizer brightens up shadow areas for a boost in the recorded dynamic range.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) can actually increase the cameras (effective) DR. Instead of trying to put all the dynamic range of a scene into one exposure, HDR uses several identical images to be recorded at different exposure value levels.

The shot below is impossible normally.  But using HDR it is quite doable.

[ebiggs1]

"... could ALO or HTP help me extend the dynamic range so that the shadowed face of the base runner isn't so dark without blowing out his white pants?"

To answer that specific question, my opinion is, no, it will not.  You can't increase DR, you can only shift it.  I know you said you shoot jpg which is your choice but if you shot in RAW, I would expose for the bright white pants.  Then see if I could recover any detail in the shadowed face.  It is usually best to expose for the highlights or the brightest ares of a scene.

[PajamaGuy]

Thanks - If I could convince the moving ball, bat, and batter to hold still for three-tenths of a second, I surely would shoot HDR.

I'll shoot some RAW and see what happens!

[ebiggs1]

Yes, HDR would be a trick with a running baseball player! 

Do you have a post editor?  Which one?  Can you send me a sample of a photo you are concerned with?

[PajamaGuy]

Thanks - I don't have any single pic.  For this outdoor sports season I've upgraded to 7D2, 70-200 f/2.8 IS II, and I just ordered a 1.4x III extender.  I use PSP X8 with the Perfectly Clear v2 plugin.  You can see some of my stuff at GrampyPhoto.SmugMug.com.

I know about the EV sliding the histogram, but figured ALO and HTP were put there for a reason in addition to the EV adjustment. So I'm trying to learn/understand what they'll do and when to use them.  And, correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like most in-camera stuff happens "after" the image hits the sensor, therefore the attraction of shooting RAW and being able to selectively apply what the camera would have applied to produce the JPG. And if it all happens in-camera after the image hits the sensor, all of those "things" could be replicated in post.  (which is why I disagree with Mr. Martin that ALO must be "turned on" to be able to apply/adjust it in DPP)

So if I can get the camera to apply the same "tweaks" that I'd apply to a RAW, I can publish the JPGs for the soccer moms a bit sooner.  (although I may change my mind...)

I can mask the faces within the football helmets and bring them up ok, but if there was an in-camera function which did the same - why not use it? 

All that to say that before the outdoor season starts, I'd like to learn as much as I can to produce better images. 

[TTMartin]

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@PajamaGuy wrote:

And, correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like most in-camera stuff happens "after" the image hits the sensor, therefore the attraction of shooting RAW and being able to selectively apply what the camera would have applied to produce the JPG. And if it all happens in-camera after the image hits the sensor, all of those "things" could be replicated in post.  (which is why I disagree with Mr. Martin that ALO must be "turned on" to be able to apply/adjust it in DPP)

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That is correct if you are shooting RAW it doesn't matter if ALO is on or off.

Since you had previously stated you were a JPG shooter. What I said was if you are shooting JPG it does matter if ALO is on or off.