Some questions about metering and focusing

[ovjamaica]

but if you spot meter the trunk of a tree you will blow out the sky.... if meter the sky you will underexpose the tree.... if you use matrix the camera will meter the sky and the tree to give you the most balance exposure possible...

I don't see how shooting manual makes a difference... I shoot manual with matrix metering all the time..... except with matrix I can meter the whole scene instead of metering a part of the scene...

Well, I'm fairly new at all of this photography stuff as well, but I'm quite experienced at videography. I always "metered" or adjusted my exposure to the subject. If that blew out the sky then either so be it or I needed to use a polarizer or something else that would adjust my exposure in a way that brought things into a more acceptable overall exposure. With the dynamic range of most digital cameras these days it's too limited to always get everything in perfect exposure without some further thought about what equipment you might need to do it.

I read that same book too and he points out very good things, but I was confused on "where to meter" as well. I think it comes down to what others have said. Decide what is most important and also just practice, practice, practice. Just my two cents, from a noob.

 

[Judge Sharpe]

Gee how complicated can you make something? There is a "correct " exposure for all of the elements of a picture. Taking a reading off of one is going to over/under expose other elements. An average sometimes works but often messes everything up. Here is where your manual exposure comes in to its own. The way I would do the picture above- meter the house, meter the sky, meter the tree,
Now the tree needs a little more exposure to bring out details and lighten the picture up a little. The house is about right, but will not lose anything by being a little brighter. sky will be a little blown. I would compare the difference the tree and the house and open up a stop or a stop and a half for the shadow on the tree. Print the highlights a little darker, dodge the tree to keep shadow detail. and bracket 1-2 stops on either side of your projected exposure. Film and pixels are cheap.
Does anyone still use a gray card and zones to figure out exposure any more?
JS