Exposure Bracketing - How over-exposed is enough?

[topendprops]

I am trying to figure out exactly what level of over-exposure is enough for the highest exposure. Should the image be mostly white here? Post examples if possible.

 

[Big Mike]

On the overexposure side, you should be looking at the shadows. When there is detail in the darkest shadow, that's enough.

 

[480sparky]

 

[SlickSalmon]

Look at the histogram. If the tail is clear of the left-hand edge, that's good enough. Like this:

Same for the underexposure, which would just be the opposite:

 

[Bynx]

I never have a problem knowing how overexposed to shoot. The problem is under exposing. Underexposed shots could always use a couple more than you can imagine. Bright lights, if underexposed enough will actually show the bulb and the bright light cast on the objects nearby will actually show detail.

 

[Rephargotohp]

I never have a problem knowing how overexposed to shoot. The problem is under exposing. Underexposed shots could always use a couple more than you can imagine. Bright lights, if underexposed enough will actually show the bulb and the bright light cast on the objects nearby will actually show detail.

The only problem with that, is that is not as the eye sees when you look at a bright light source ( we don't see the light bulb we don't see the ball of the sun (mid-day) and you end up with a totally black except fo a small light bulb exposure that the software has a hard time dealing with and you either get alignment problems or the "Blinkie Blackies" where you get a black center to your pointblight source

But if that is the way you like to do your exposures, That' fine everyone has their own methods

People go way overboard on each end