Exposure Composition/Backeting Exercise

[NebraskaNewGirl]

Over the weekend, I worked on proper exposure. I did some bracketing on a few shots, to help me see what the varying exposures. I feel that exposure is at times individual preference and what you are trying to express with what you are photographing. However, I would like to get some more input as to what correct exposure should look like so I can start to train my eyes.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

[Robin Usagani]

the ones on the right look the best.

 

[Dominantly]

I agree. Exposé to the right then bring it back with some contrast in post if you so desire.

 

[NebraskaNewGirl]

the ones on the right look the best.

Thanks. I just added #5. But I still think the one on the right looks better. All of those are +1 exposure comp. Should I have increase the ISO in the original shot to make that one properly exposed?

 

[Robin Usagani]

I dont think you understand it completely. +1 exposure compensation could result like the photo on the left as well. It is all depending on your metering mode and where you point it.

For example if you did this exactly the same on #5. Lets say instead of white fence you have dark brown fence. I bet you the result on the left bracket will be more like the one on the right, and the result on the right will even be brighter and your sky is white instead of blue. Make sense? Exposure compensation doesnt mean anything. You are still relying the camera to expose it.

 

[480sparky]

Thanks. I just added #5. But I still think the one on the right looks better. All of those are +1 exposure comp. Should I have increase the ISO in the original shot to make that one properly exposed?

No. You need to adjust your camera's meter setting. Increasing the ISO will simply tell you or the camera you/it can either stop the lens down more or increase the shutter speed.

 

[Big Mike]

The exposure that the camera/meter will give you, may or may not be accurate...but it may also be under or over exposed. The meter always wants to make your exposure middle grey (tone, not color). So if you're shooting something dark, the camera is designed to make it too bright....if you're shooting something bright, the camera is designed to make it too dark.

So when you are bracketing your shots like this...the one that is accurate, might be the over, the under or the middle one....or maybe none of them.

Check this out...
How to use a Grey Card ~ Mike Hodson Photography

 

[MTVision]

Over the weekend, I worked on proper exposure. I did some bracketing on a few shots, to help me see what the varying exposures. I feel that exposure is at times individual preference and what you are trying to express with what you are photographing. However, I would like to get some more input as to what correct exposure should look like so I can start to train my eyes.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Exposure in post is at times an individual preference. Getting exposure right in camera and then adjusting in post to get creative will always result in better image quality IMO. For example, if you are going for a dark image - Having good exposure in camera and lowering exposure in post will probably result in a much better quality photo with less noise.

 

[NebraskaNewGirl]

Oh right. Of course. Don't know what I was thinking. I'm using Evaluative Metering because I was told this is the best for starting out. Suggestions?

 

[Big Mike]

Oh right. Of course. Don't know what I was thinking. I'm using Evaluative Metering because I was told this is the best for starting out. Suggestions?

Evaluative metering can be good...but you have to realize that it's rather complex, and as such, we don't really know what it's doing. In simplified terms, it's looking at the whole frame, to determine what exposure value to recommend. Many photographers use it, but do switch to a different metering mode when they find that Evaluative is giving them problems.
Personally, I don't use it much at all because I would rather know exactly what my camera is metering off of.

 

[ph0enix]

My take:
1. Middle
2. Left
3 & 4. Right
5. Middle

I'm not considering ETTR here but assuming finished photos instead.
...but then again, what do I know?

 

[MReid]

Stick with Evaluative...learn to use your exposure compensation dial and histogram instead of bracketing.
Leave your blinkies on all the time so you can immediately see if important areas of the photo are blown out and if necessary adjust using your exposure compensation dial and shoot again.
This is much easier, you are in essence adjusting to what the camera has shown you is required. Really the end result is the same as shooting Manual. You shoot look at what you got and adjust..with manual you adjust shutter speed...with Evaluative you adjust the exposure compensation.
Difference is....for a new shooter Evaluative gives you a much better chance of being right the first shot, because you do not have to interpret and adjust for the (more often than not) incorrect meter reading the camera is giving you. With Evaluative the camera automatically makes that adjustment for you, most of the time it is very close. It will be wrong in less situations than Manual metering off the cameras meter will be wrong.

It may help if you think of ISO (sensitivity to light) as a curtain on a window (iso 200 the curtain is closed, iso 1600 the curtain is open.)
Pretend you are reading a book by a window, and there is a perfect light level you like to read at (your cameras meter).

(the following assumes f-stop is not being changed)
With the midday sun bright outside...
At iso 200 the curtain is closed an there is still plenty of light coming through onto your book cause lot of light is available. if you opened the curtain (iso 1600) there would be way to much light to read by (overexposed).

Now switch to evening, much darker out, same window reading the same book.
With the curtain open (iso 1600) you are getting just the right amount of light to read your book because less light is available.
Now if you shut the curtain (iso 200) the book is unreadable because it is to dark in the room (underexposed).

When there is a lot of light available it does not take long to get a lot of light on your subject so you can use a fast shutter speed ISO 200 = short depth of field.
When there is not much light available it takes much longer to get sufficient light on your subject so you need a slower shutter speed ISO 1600 = very deep depth of field.