Home  Donate  New  Search  Gallery  Reviews  How-To  Books  Links  Workshops  About  Contact

All About Exposure
© 2006-2012 KenRockwell.com

Please help KenRockwell..com

My biggest source of support is when you use any of these links when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thank you! Ken.

 

July 2012   Better Pictures   Nikon   Canon    Fuji    LEICA   All Reviews

Modern Exposure

Digital Exposure

The Nikon Matrix Meter

Perfect Exposure with Large Format Cameras.

 

INTRODUCTION

Adorama pays top dollar for your used gear.

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

I use these stores. I can't vouch for ads below.

Exposure is the easiest thing to master, yet causes the most confusion.

Exposure is simple. Just add or subtract until it looks right.

You need to experiment to know how much to add or subtract in different conditions. A fear of experimentation is what stalls most beginners. Just like sighting in a new sniper rifle, you always make tests first so that you nail your target with your first and only shot every time.

Once you make a few tests in different conditions you'll always know how to get perfect exposure every time. Try every possible condition in advance and you'll be prepared for everything.

 

EXPOSURE MODES AND METERING

Want to know a professional secret? I always shoot in Matrix metering and Program automatic! I only revert to manual exposure in rare cases where I really need to lock down an exposure in changing light.

I never use center weighted or spot metering!

When I need to make something lighter or darker I use the exposure compensation control with my camera in automatic. Every camera has a compensation control or buries it in a menu.

 

HOW-TO: DIGITAL

1.) Make a shot.

2.) Look at it on your LCD.

3.) Adjust Exposure Compensation until it looks perfect.

This seems silly, but you'd be amazed how many beginners are afraid to take control and spin that compensation dial. Usually only one or two thirds is all you need, but in some cases like interior photos with open windows you might need to use a few stops. Don't be timid, just adjust it until it looks correct.

Many compact cameras and some DSLRs may always be a little off. In these cases just leave the compensation set where it works well. My Canon A70 point-and-shoot is always left at -2/3, since as it ships that model tends to overexpose.

With experience you'll recognize the few kinds of scenes which require compensation and you'll be smart enough to adjust the compensation before making the first shot. Thankfully many cameras today, especially the matrix meters on Nikons, are usually correct more and more often. That's a reason I love my Nikons; they are very hard to fool and don't require much twiddling, which saves time and lets me make more great images.

 

HOW-TO: FILM

Same as digital above.

The only catch is that you have to get film processed between steps 1 (shooting) and 2 (evaluating). You then apply any correction on your next shoot.

With film it takes more experience to learn what works where, since you always have to have done your homework in advance.

The only things that fool modern meters are light subjects in subdued light, or completely black subjects with no background. In sunlight or with a background there's no problem, but in less light the camera just can't tell that your subject is white. With my F100 I knew to add +1/3 or +2/3 for light subjects under clouds. You learn that by experience

Professionals used to use Polaroid film to gauge their exposure. Today I just use a digital camera! You of course need to make tests the first time to correlate your film results to the digital camera. I explain that here.

 

WHAT YOU CAN'T FIX

You can fix exposure. Exposure can't fix bad lighting.

If there is too much range between light and dark then no exposure will look correct.

If the shadows are too dark use fill flash, reflectors or wait for the light to change to lighten the dark sections.

To darken the highlights we use scrims, or dark screens, placed between the light source and the subject. Scrims don't affect the shadows.

 

THE ZONE SYSTEM

Knowing the zone system is helpful, but not mandatory, as you learn all this. See my page on the Zone System.

 

LIGHT METERS

I use what's built into my camera. It's better than an external meter because it looks through my lens and filters. The only people who tell you that external meters are better are the people trying to sell you light meters.

For cameras lacking a built-in meter I use a digital camera and look at what exposure it used. See my page on how to use a digital camera as a light meter.

Today I only use my handheld meters for their calculator dials to convert the readings from the digital camera's ISO to the reading I need for my film's ISO. I use the hand-held meters reading only as a sanity check.

See also my page on light meters.

 

FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Have fun! Just shoot a lot and know that it's normal to need compensation. Be bold and just make your images as you want them. Never think that the meter is responsible for a correct exposure. It's your responsibility to know your meter and interpret its readings as needed.

 

Help me help you         top

I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.

The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.

If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.

If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!

If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.

As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. Thank you!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Mr. & Mrs. Ken Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.

 

Home  Donate  New  Search  Gallery  Reviews  How-To  Books  Links  Workshops  About  Contact