Let say am shooting in Midday when the sun is at its peak. I know we all (most of the time) underexpose the background and fill the subject will some strobes coming in from the side, in that way we highlight the subject and so on............ right. But I need a way to make the sky's more bluer than the blue I get from my exposures.

Can you guys recommend some shooting/software tips for me pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Like an Ed Pingol looking blue, if u know what am talking about, he really knows how to have that sky working ............................

Try a polarizing filter. Or The Boutwell's "Big Blue" action.

Hope this helps!

A

You can also burn the sky in PS. Don't burn with the highlights option though.

I also use "big blue" from the Boutwell's Totally Rad Actions. It works wonders!

Thanks my people.......................................... luv u guys

be sure you're using Evaluative metering.
Center-weighted will blow out or wash out the blue sky.
Evaluative takes more of the entire frame into account when exposing, instead just just trying to expose the main subject in the center.

I like Boutwells big blue, but I also have another method...

1. Select the sky using the magic selector tool
2. Feather 15 or so pixels
3. select a realistic sky blue color from the color palette
4. click the gradient tool and reduce to 30-45% opacity
5. choose the drop down gradient that has your blue color with the transparent background
6. Make sure the "Linear Gradient" box is selected. (I think it's the first one)
7. position your mouse at the top of the image and draw a line straight down toward the bottom of where your sky should end.
8. Voila... More blue sky
9. You'll notice the blue fades down towards the horizon as it does in real life.
10. Repeat as necessary...

Hope this helps!

P.S. I'm NOT a great photoshopper... Just one method that works for me! Good Luck!

Ok my lovely ladies.........................
could you guys post some eg. for me please.............................................

Examples of what? Attach one of your imags you need blue and I'll show you this one.

no problemo...............

I had a hard time working on that image, because it was so small,(I think I saved it wrong) but this is what I got by increasing the dark contrast and burning the sky with midtones.

I had a hard time because the image was pretty small, but here is the gradient method I typed out above...

I lost your clouds, so it wasn't the best method for this picture... I forget some parts of the country have clouds! It works best for clear skies!

One thing to keep into consideration is where the sun is in the sky. Shoot tward the OPPISITE direction of where the sun is, because the sun itself will wash out the sky. Here is one that the only action I ran was radiant people by kevin kobota.

This is how I get blue blue skies as well... I've found that trying to burn the sky almost always results in "fake," photoshopped looking images. :/

This is true. It's much better to do it right, out of the camera.

while on the topic of camera and exposure........................... High Speed Sync maybe the best bet for those skies isn't it?

By the way guys I think your retouching was really good.............

I would really consider a polarizing filter. It's funny, when I was shooting film I used a polarizer pretty much EVERY time I was outside, and I have gotten away from it. But with a circular polarizer, shoot at 90 degrees to the sun for your bluest skies. And actually polarizers are great for lots of things, taking reflections of surfaces of water for more richeness there, accentuating foliage in trees....


wow, I need to get a polarizer to fit my new lens......

oh, and another pp way to help is husing kkubotas smokeless burn. I use it on my outdoor formals all the time. Just be VERY careful with the paint brush to make sure you don't leave halos around your subjects.

If you get a polarizing filter, make sure it's circular. A linear filter could possibly interfere with a camera's autofocus and/or metering.

Instead of buying a different size filter for every lens, you can buy one for the largest diameter thread mount and use step-down rings to fit the smaller lenses (though, this may or may not cause vignetting on ultra-wide angle lenses).

Or, if you don't mind investing the money and are interested in other types of filters (ie: ND, ND grad., filters for BW film, etc... ), the LEE filter system is by far the most versatile and probably the highest quality of it's type. They're compatible with nearly every size and type of lens and lens mount (except monster telephotos). And you'll only need one filter that will work with every lens you own.

Hope this helps . . .