Blown Highlights - OK or not?

I just had a mini-rant about this in another thread. Some of my favourite images have blown highlights in them, I think they can add to the impact of images in the right circumstances. However I've noticed that a lot of photographers seem to loathe almost any hint of them.

The following is one of my own which I personally like, but for the purposes of this poll it's deliberately a fairly extreme case in terms of blown highlights, i.e. it's going about as far as I'd push it and still like the image myself. Also I'm aware that the blown highlights occur in an important area of the main subject, which is a big no-no for many people.

Anyway, I'm interested in how many boarders agree or disagree, so if you have an opinion please vote and feel free to discuss!

I see nothing wrong in blown highlights. If the image works it works and it doesn't matter if there's anything technically wrong with it

Couple of examples from 2009

In this particular case Mark i think the answer is no, the dark side has enough detail in it to allow the viewer to fill in the gaps. In my tree photo I find it distracting. In Smeggys shots I think the 1st one is distractingly blown, the 2nd is not, it adds to the atmosphere. So perhaps what I am saying is it all depends on the individual image.

Davex.

I really don't like blown highlights but it normally isn't an issue with the K10D as it exposes quite conservatively (a nice way of saying underexposes). I'd rather it did that and me having to push the image slightly after. If the contrast is high then it becomes a problem very quickly.

Smeggy, is that 1st shot from a K10D? It looks like the soft of clipping that happens with a K10D.

I have shots where the clipping doesn't matter or where I have clipped it on purpose to get really bright whites. Otherwise clipping has ruined a few shots as well

Another 'No' from me. It's far from ideal, but sometimes you have to compromise - blown highlights or unacceptably dark shadow areas... the shot's interesting enough to overlook technical imperfection, IMO.

I like both of these shots, the second in particular is outstanding.

I've noticed you often get really nice warm tones in your colour shots, Smeggy, often in contrast with a kind of stark bleakness. I'm thinking particularly of some of your RAF Upwood shots as well as the two above. I'm not sure that expresses what I mean very well but I can't think of a better way to put it. Do you do anything in particular in PP to get that look?

One of the 'No' votes is mine. Unless I'm missing something I had to vote to be able to view the results, even though I posted the poll. Seems like an odd 'feature'.

Does the shot work despite the blown highlights ? An emphatic Yes. Would it be better without blown highlights ? Another emphatic Yes.

Can I mention one of my pet peeves? Some people are so phobic about burnt highlights that they go overboard with overexposed shots in PP, pushing the recovery slider so far over to the right that anything white in the photo goes a solid grey.

White clouds are not inappropriate - that's actually how they tend to look!

I'd have to double check ( senility ), but I think I only had my K20D back then .... hang on ... yes K20D

I try to be very careful with the LR slider, it also dulls down the whole pic

Thanks Mark

It's not something I do in particular. It might be just a difference in our monitors.

I have to agree, I found my K10D underexposed - which was good. My K5 exposure seems spot-on so I get occasional blown highlights

Vic.

My K20D underexposed a well as my K10D

So I have to ask Smeggy, what have you done about it (if anything) on your K5's? I'm checking settings here

Vic.