Taking pictures of the sky with Point and Shoot.

I don't know it its the 'right' way to do it, but I shoot it dark and brighten it on the computer.

Hi Travis,

You're running into the camera's dynamic range limit. Our eyes have vastly greater ability to make out bright and shadow detail simultaneously than even the best digicams, so we're stuck with their pesky limits.

In any single exposure you have a choice: expose for the bright areas, expose for the shadows, expose somewhere in the middle.

But, using a process called HDR (high dynamic range) you can take a set of three exposures of a single scene and combine them in post processing software (like Photoshop) to get the image you're envisioning. It's best take the shots using a tripod so the pictures are framed identically and combine more easily. If you use a tripod you can also force the camera to stay at the lowest ISO setting, which should provide the greatest dynamic range and keeps noise low.

Happy experimenting!

Rick

Hey Travis,

I am not sure if three composite pictures or HDR is even in your tool box, but I suppose that would be ideal or even shooting RAW if the camera has the capacity to do so, which I doubt. RAW files have a broader dynamic range and while you cannot rescue blown out highlights, you can certainly pull a ton of information out of the shadows if you underexpose as Jeff suggests.

People are also often quite surprised by how much information they can pull from a jpeg.

Another quick suggestion if you have a program like Adobe Photoshop then bring the information out with a 'curves adjustment' not the 'levels' as some suggest. You retain more information with curves and keep a smoother transition from the shadows to high lights by using the curves tool.

Hope that helps.

With digital, it is almost always better to underexpose to save the highlights and then pull information from the shadows…

…the opposite of what you might have done with film, but that is for another post ;)

The standard technique for this is to use a graduated neutral density filter. This is a piece of clear plastic that changes tone from dark at the top through clear at the bottom. With this held in front of the camera lens, the sky will be darkened to better match the foreground.

Big cameras can use a filter holder to position this, but small cameras make it difficult. Some small camera owners simply hold the ND filter in front of the camera and shoot it.

–B.G.–

Hey all, thanks for the feedback. I figured most of it was the limitations of point and shoot cameras, but its good to know I have some options to overcome my camera's inherent shortcomings.

Dynamic range is pretty much a limitation of all cameras. As suggested, you need either a graduated neutral density filter (a hardware solution and hopefully it graduates the way you need) or use HDR (a software solution). Both can give good or bad results depending upon how well you use it.

Your camera isn't supported yet, but keep checking http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK for some great firmware hacks for many Powershots, including scripts to do HDR shots automatically.