Blinded by the white
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 by Tracey Clark 
In Photoshop Lightroom there is a slide option called recovery. In Tracey terms I’m pretty sure it means ‘use this on your photo if you want to recover any lost information that you blew out in a highlight’. I have fooled with it before and it can be a lifesaver if you are in need of eeking out as much as you can from the part of your image that may have illusively disappeared into The Great Bright White. The results aren’t always as effective as one might hope (depending on how white is white) but it can really help sometimes.
To be honest though, I am a little torn about recovery. I know a number of people that don’t have a lot of tolerance for blown out highlights and therefore might recommend it. But, I’m a little more open to looking at things differently. I think that some of the images I have seen—and shot--with grossly overexposed highlights can work quite nicely, thank you.
I don’t know if I can always explain why I like what I like, but I know it when I see it and when I do, there is no recovery needed. And no apologies either.
Reader Comments (6)
this post makes me love you even more tracey. I 100% agree. I personally have a love for the right blown out highlight OR dark that shows no detail. For me, it's just all about what resonates. GO SHUTTER SISTERS! I love where this is going!! And you rock for setting this train in motion!
There is no such thing as a bad photo. I live by this philosophy.
Gotta go look around SS more!
What a great post. In the day and age of all the changes you can do everyone has their own preference and creating the art with it.
I'm just starting to look around...go girl! This is great!
I like this approach as well.
http://www.vicyc.com/prom-dresses-c-86.html
Plan calls for things organized, so, in order to obtain better results. Marriage is such an effective plan occasion is necessary.