How does this happen?

[TheCheeseLady]

Hi, I can't remember which camera I used to take this photo. It was either an old Olympus camera or my Nikon DSLR, but I noticed that the fence and shed in the background just like..disappear into a white haze. I was just wondering how this happens.

 

[MLeeK]

It's overexposed in the background. It's pretty basic-overexposed and blown out = nothing there.

 

[Derrel]

Horrible backlighting scenarios can cause this. It's fairly common actually. The dog is in open shade...the background is in full sunlight...you can see the transition line in the yard...

 

[TheCheeseLady]

I was unaware that you could overexpose just the background of the picture. I actually like it in that photo. Is there a way to purposely get that overexposed background look in photos?

 

[cgipson1]

sure.. one way would be put your subject in the shade.. with a normal sunny background... expose for the subject.... just like Derrel pointed out in his post above!

 

[GeorgieGirl]

You need to spot meter for the subject.

 

[Edsport]

If you expose for the dark things, the bright things will likely be overexposed. By the way, you took the photo with your Nikon...

Camera: Nikon D60
Lens: 60 mm
(Max aperture f/4.1)
Exposure: Auto exposure, Not Defined, 1/320 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200
Flash: none
Date: March 5, 2009

 

[GeorgieGirl]

2009???

 

[TheCheeseLady]

Thanks! I was pretty sure it was the Nikon. I just didn't bother to look at the info. Either way, I was confident I just had it on the auto setting. Otherwise, I would have had an idea of what I did. And yup, it's an old pic. My dog has a few more gray hairs now.