Getting exposure right?

[TheStupidForeigner]

Wow, thanks for the advice guys. Really will take it into consideration, starting by learning how to better use my histogram. I can't believe I didn't notice how washed out it actually looked, although it may be partly because of some monitor issues I've been having (but now solved).

I will say though this is more about the contrast of the image than the exposure. I guess I have more problems to solve than I realized. But I also feel I often make mistakes on judging the exposure.

For example on the first low-key image, I tried to correctly expose the bright side of the face, I think I did a fair job on it this time. Although in the past I've REALLY under exposed low-key photos, to the point even light room couldn't even help much It's also not made easier by the fact that my camera doesn't have spot metering :/ How could I use the histogram for that? It would be nice if there was a software with an exposure bar which could be targeted on select area of a photo. I feel like histograms more tell me how much light and dark there is in an image, not how light or dark it is, or a certain part of it.

 

[fjrabon]

IMHO this is the best book on exposure you'll ever find. Covers the very technical aspects of it, but also the artistic aspects. Michael Freeman is easily the best living author on photography. A great teacher, a great photographic philosopher and also a great photographer. His "The Photographer's..." series is also super highly recommended.

 

[TheStupidForeigner]

Just edited an image specifically using the histogram and the advice people suggested here. Definitely feel good about the contrast, but still not so sure about the exposure... Something just feels different from the photos taken by the pros but I can't put my finger on what :/

 

[gsgary]

Just edited an image specifically using the histogram and the advice people suggested here. Definitely feel good about the contrast, but still not so sure about the exposure... Something just feels different from the photos taken by the pros but I can't put my finger on what :/

Exposure should be obtained in camera and not relied on to be put right in post

 

[Designer]

Something just feels different from the photos taken by the pros but I can't put my finger on what

I think a pro would have added some fill light, either by flash or a reflector. Doing so would allow you to decrease the overexposure on the background.

 

[fjrabon]

Something just feels different from the photos taken by the pros but I can't put my finger on what

I think a pro would have added some fill light, either by flash or a reflector. Doing so would allow you to decrease the overexposure on the background.

Yep, what separates pros from amateurs is more often lighting than exposure. Lighting and framing is basically all pros worry about because exposure is already ingrained as an automatic habit.

 

[Ysarex]

Yep, a little more light on her face, but less on the background. I wouldn't call it an exposure issue. As previously noted by Designer and fjrabon it's about lighting balance.

Joe

 

[480sparky]

Even a low-powered on-camera pop-up flash to put a catchlight in the eyes and create some highlights in the darker areas would be a huge improvement.

 

[Braineack]

View attachment 95461

Tweaked is personal preference. So first by the rules and then go from there.

Back to your original post and your question. When you looked at this photo and decided to put it here with the question was it well exposed or not -- at that point how had you arrived at the photo and what did you do to evaluate it? I'm curious about your statement that you don't have a light meter. There's a meter in the camera. Is the original photo processed by the camera (camera JPEG) or did you process it and if so how?

Joe

I prefer the original. You turned the wall white, when it's not a pure white wall. She looks overexposed now and her skin went yellow and unnatural. There was nothing pure black in that shot and the "by the numbers" removed a lot of detail in her shirt and hair by arbitrarily adjusting the levels. All this image needs is a slight tweak in clarity/contrast/blacks and bringing out the shadow detail.

 

[Designer]

Here is my version done with minimal processing in Aperture3: