How to reduce over exposure on photos?

[steve62388]

I'm wanting to reduce over exposure in my photos but only in some areas. I understand that some of the big name apps can do this but they're not in my price range. Is there perhaps a little cheap app that can be used for this and installed as an add-on into macOS Photos?

 

[oblomow]

I'm wanting to reduce over exposure in my photos but only in some areas. I understand that some of the big name apps can do this but they're not in my price range. Is there perhaps a little cheap app that can be used for this and installed as an add-on into macOS Photos?

Pixelmator is cheap and can be used as add-on to Photos.

 

[MCAsan]

You stop over exposure, blowing out the details in the whiter/brighter areas, by using proper metering and watching the histogram of the photo. Once you blow out areas of an image....the sensor can not record any details. So there is nothing to recover. That is the same glossy under exposing and having our black in the image....no detail to boost.

There are tons of photo editing apps that will let you cut or boast the exposure ranges in between gross under exposure and blowing out the highlights. Remember that there is relatively little penalty in dropping the exposure in a post processing tool. But if you increase the exposure very much, you are amplifying both the signal and noise (grainy look) of the image.

 

[mofunk]

Practice. Practice getting the right exposure on your camera. In my head, while shooting, I think of several settings. First I start with my Shutter speed. If the subject is moving or not will determine where I START my SHUTTER speed. Then from there I move accordingly. Next I move to my Aperture. Outside I start around f/11. Inside I start around f/4 and move according to what my meter says. After that I take a few shots and either change the Aperture or Shutter. Quick look at my Histogram in camera then reshoot.

 

[ChrisA]

I'm wanting to reduce over exposure in my photos but only in some areas. I understand that some of the big name apps can do this but they're not in my price range. Is there perhaps a little cheap app that can be used for this and installed as an add-on into macOS Photos?

Shooting digital is like shooting slide film. It is harder to shoot then negatives because if you over expose you can't correct it later. So if in doubt reduce exposure in the camera by 1/2 EV or so. Shooting RAW provides a safety net too, but only a small one for over exposure. Look at the histogram after every shot and it to many pixels are "blown" re-shoot the shot.

That said there is low priced software: Look at "gimp" it is free open source and does as much or more then high end image editing software. Some will argue it's the best one. The price can not be beat
https://www.gimp.org

 

[HBOC]

the sensors now a days are fantastic, especially the sony ones. Just expose for the highlights, and you will be just fine. Seriously.

 

[jimglot]

Luminar very powerful software $69.00
https://macphun.com/luminar

 

[Padaung]

I've just started using this. It is very good.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/photo/