Black photo in manual when using Sunny 16.

[ShooterJ]

:lmao: Now here's a fun thread..

Still cracking up over the adjusted desk shot.

 

[unpopular]

I never liked Sunny 16. Not because it doesn't 'work', it does. But it's kind of a 'middle of the road' approach in high contrast situations where often choices need to be made about what goes and what stays. It's something that is taught to newbies, and doesn't really get the point of what exposure 'is' across - as we are seeing here, an extreme example of how Sunny 16 has completely derailed a novice.

Don't get me wrong though, it has it's place and I'll admit I am not a big fan of incident approaches to begin with.

 

[ShooterJ]

I never liked Sunny 16. Not because it doesn't 'work', it does. But it's kind of a 'middle of the road' approach in high contrast situations where often choices need to be made about what goes and what stays. It's something that is taught to newbies, and doesn't really get the point of what exposure 'is' across - as we are seeing here, an extreme example of how Sunny 16 has completely derailed a novice.

Don't get me wrong though, it has it's place and I'll admit I am not a big fan of incident approached to begin with.

We were taught Sunny 16 in class and I've played with it.. but I can't recall ever using it and not having to make some adjustments.

 

[Patrice]

The 'sunny 16' approach does not have to be limited to bright midday sun outside shots. It's meant to be a baseline exposure setting from which any variation in the light must be compensated for in the exposure settings. So if the sun is not at midday but a bit lower in the sky - increase by a stop. If the sun is behind clouds or your subject in the open shade - increase by 2 stops. Heavy cloud cover - 3 stops. Indoors on a bright day - 4 stops. Indoors in normal artificial room light - 5 stops.... etc.

If the light varies from the mid day bright sunshine baseline at which f/16 and 1/iso works then the exposure also has to be changed from the baseline settings. But the 'rule' still works as long as you understand what it means.

 

[ShooterJ]

But couldn't I just skip that as a guideline, meter and get to the exposure I need for the conditions I'm shooting in?

 

[Patrice]

But couldn't I just skip that as a guideline, meter and get to the exposure I need for the conditions I'm shooting in?

Of course you can. Your modern DSLR has a pretty decent reflective type meter right in it and is very useful, once you know what it does and how it does it. The image displayed on the back of the camera is not the best way to evaluate its results though. Learn to read the exposure RGB histogram display to get the most from your camera's meter.

 

[ShooterJ]

Love the meter and the histogram both.

 

[cgipson1]

But couldn't I just skip that as a guideline, meter and get to the exposure I need for the conditions I'm shooting in?

It is an old Kodak thing... designed for getting moderately accurate exposures WITHOUT a light meter.

Sunny 16 rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

the same for the Looney 11 rule

Looney 11 rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I find that the SUnny 16 rule seriously confuses people new to photography (OP as example) and meter use should be emphasized over these rules.

 

[unpopular]

The 'sunny 16' approach does not have to be limited to bright midday sun outside shots. It's meant to be a baseline exposure setting from which any variation in the light must be compensated for in the exposure settings. So if the sun is not at midday but a bit lower in the sky - increase by a stop. If the sun is behind clouds or your subject in the open shade - increase by 2 stops. Heavy cloud cover - 3 stops. Indoors on a bright day - 4 stops. Indoors in normal artificial room light - 5 stops.... etc.

Patrice, that I just cannot get behind. I know we've been over this, and iirc you've been taking photos since my mom was in middle school, so I'm not really in a position to question you, and of course it makes sense... But I just cannot imagine working like that! It just kind of throws how I think of exposure onto it's head.

 

[cgipson1]

The 'sunny 16' approach does not have to be limited to bright midday sun outside shots. It's meant to be a baseline exposure setting from which any variation in the light must be compensated for in the exposure settings. So if the sun is not at midday but a bit lower in the sky - increase by a stop. If the sun is behind clouds or your subject in the open shade - increase by 2 stops. Heavy cloud cover - 3 stops. Indoors on a bright day - 4 stops. Indoors in normal artificial room light - 5 stops.... etc.

Patrice, that I just cannot get behind. I know we've been over this, and iirc you've been taking photos since my mom was in middle school, so I'm not really in a position to question you, and of course it makes sense... But I just cannot imagine working like that! It just kind of throws how I think of exposure onto it's head.

Ever had to shoot with a body that did not have a light meter? Judging the light becomes second nature after a while.

 

[ShooterJ]

I mean, I understand Sunny 16 and I've even played with it for shots of the moon... but usually, once I'm at Sunny 16, unless the conditions happen to be spot on for it, I find myself adjusting .. so anymore I've just gotten to where I bypass that as part of my thought process. I have a light meter, I know how to view a histogram and I'm comfortable in manual... I can see where it would have been excellent in situations with film cameras and no light meter on hand (assuming the camera is old enough not to have one).. but I've found little use for Sunny 16 when shooting with a DSLR.

 

[cptkid]

F16 1/125 indoors?

Come on

Doesn't take much to realise that will be drastically underexposed.

 

[ShooterJ]

The 'sunny 16' approach does not have to be limited to bright midday sun outside shots. It's meant to be a baseline exposure setting from which any variation in the light must be compensated for in the exposure settings. So if the sun is not at midday but a bit lower in the sky - increase by a stop. If the sun is behind clouds or your subject in the open shade - increase by 2 stops. Heavy cloud cover - 3 stops. Indoors on a bright day - 4 stops. Indoors in normal artificial room light - 5 stops.... etc.

Patrice, that I just cannot get behind. I know we've been over this, and iirc you've been taking photos since my mom was in middle school, so I'm not really in a position to question you, and of course it makes sense... But I just cannot imagine working like that! It just kind of throws how I think of exposure onto it's head.

Ever had to shoot with a body that did not have a light meter? Judging the light becomes second nature after a while.

With that in mind, maybe it wouldn't hurt me to get a film camera with no light meter and challenge myself to get familiar with making those judgements.

 

[ShooterJ]

F16 1/125 indoors?

Come on

Doesn't take much to realise that will be drastically underexposed.

Not for someone who understands exposure .. I have a lot of friends who couldn't tell you what aperture values or shutter speeds are/mean though.

 

[Overread]

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson - get the book - read the book - learn the exposure - master the camera

That or generally any good photography book will present the subject to you. It might take a while to learn but its time well spent and will help you a lot.