Underexposing photos with Raw

[Derrel]

Guess I was thinking cropping would work but didn't realize the 10D was only a 6mp camera. Depending on his size requirements of the final image, cropping may still be a decent way to go if he uses the sigma... How far could he be from the action in a gym?

Di-zactly! Use the 50/1.4, get a decent shutter speed, and crop-in. It's a time-tested way to get closer-up views with a normal lens.

 

[xsouthpawed]

Depending on his size requirements of the final image, cropping may still be a decent way to go if he uses the sigma...

My sigma's a macro lens.. I don't know if this is with all macro lens, but the focus ring is HUGE. It's very smooth, but kind has a lot of resistance to it... making it hard to manual focus action. (Autofocus on my body hasn't worked for 2 months now)

but yes. I'm trying very hard to get that 7D that I want so badly x]

Oh, and I just plain suck at manual focusing with the 50mm. At f/1.4, usually everything seems in focus to me >.> And when I look at my shots on the computer it's all blurred.

 

[Gaerek]

That's a good technique. You can bring out an underexposed image far better than an overexposed image. Trust me, I've played w/ it a bunch. If you can, get the shot just right but when in doubt, underexpose it a bit

Are you talking about underexposing the meter or the histogram? My camera is usually between -1/3 and -2/3 EV, simply because experience has shown that this gives me the best exposure in general, but I will always check my histo at least after the first shot to see where I'm at, if the situation allows me. This typically (not always!) keeps my histogram near the right, but not clipping.

If you are talking about underexposing the histogram, what you are saying is simply not true. Blowing out a highlight is one thing, but as long as you're not blowing your highlights, you will get a far better image, with less noise, and higher dynamic range, and better color quality by exposing to the right.

Blowing highlights is pretty much the #1 deadly sin of digital photography, but #2 on that list is underexposing the histo.

When in doubt, don't underexpose. When in doubt, check your histo and adjust accordingly.

 

[xsouthpawed]

Heh. I was trying to use "epose to the right" today.. but ended up over exposing a lot of my photos. =\

Though my camera is usually set to the negative range for EV too.

 

[Gaerek]

Heh. I was trying to use "epose to the right" today.. but ended up over exposing a lot of my photos. =\

Though my camera is usually set to the negative range for EV too.

It's good to overexpose, just not to clip highlights. Make sure to check your histogram as you're shooting.

 

[Steve01]

So, I shoot raw. ..........
So my question is, is my "technique" of underexposing photos bad? Why or why not?

Thanks

If you're exposing for the highlights, that is, as bright as possible without highlight clipping, you not underexposing.
You're making a proper exposure 99% of the time.