understanding exposure...questions

If you want a dark subject and a brightish background, what you'd probably have to do is meter off of the background, then recompose the shot to fit the subject in the way you wanted it in there and take the shot.

If you meter the background, you will not get a bright background as the camera will try to make it a middle grey. Certainly your subject will be darker.

Well, your last question requires a definition of proper. In regards to the metering, the camera will set 'proper' exposure by assuming its looking at an 18% grey card. Strictly speaking, its not possible to get that type of proper exsposure for both a darker subject and a lighter background. If the background is twice as bright as the subject, it will be so, no matter what you meter off of. If you meter off of the background, the subject will be twice as dark but the background will be 'properly' exposed. If you meter off the subject, it will be 'properly' exposed, but the background will be twice as bright.

Of course it is possible to get a correct exposure but not naturally.
If you meter a bright background you are correct that a subject in the foreground will be underexposed. However use of flash will expose your subject correctly this way so you have a balanced subject and background.

Now, that being said, bryan peterson talks about a 'creatively correct' exposure, where you need to choose what type of shot you want, and meter off of the correct thing accordingly. If you want the subject sillohouetted, then you would meter off the background in this case, but if you wanted to see the subject clearly, you might need to meter off of it directly.

There is a lot of play between how you do this metering exactly, and that is where one of the arts of photography lie. You need to understand what the camera is doing exactly, what you want, and how to get the camera to do what you want. The sections of his book where it talks about 7 different 'proper' exposures, but only one of them being 'creatively correct' for what you want, are talking about this.

by the way, i really hope i am using the same language (proper, and creatively correct) the way he is. I think i am, and I hope its clear from my description, but just as a disclaimer, he may be using slightly different termonology.


See my previous post for your last question:)
 
At least with my camera, that will only focus. I have to use the exposure lock button or set a custom function to tie exposure lock to the half-pressed shutter button.

Standard default is half press to lock exposure and focus. The focus lock button is in addition top this.

I actually separate the focus from exposure by using the * button to focus and y exposure locks on a half press of the shutter button.
 
so focus on subject, lock exposure then meter off something else? makes no sense to me!

Let me explain.

In manual mode there is no such thing as exposure lock becuase the user sets exposure manually.

In a semi auto mode however the camera will make decisions based on the luminance of the scene.

Lets say you want to meter off the sky. You point at the sky and press your exposure lock button.

Recompose the shot, focus and take the image.
 
Okay, I take your point! But for a lot of your nitpicking, what I was trying to get across, was the difference between what a photographer means when he says 'correct exposure' and what the camera means when it reads a '0' for the meter, perhaps I did not do this successfully. I was also trying to use the examples and language from Bryan petersons book, because that is what the OP was about.

Anyway, I figured if someone wants to go to a website they can search the internet. If they wanted to engage in a conversation they post on a forum.

I honestly thank you for your clarifications on my points, I do not disagree with any of them, I apologize if i created any confusion.
 
When you lock exposure you're locking the exposure settings of what the meter is getting a reading off of.

If you get a meter reading off the main subject and then lock the exposure you're telling the camera to use those exposure settings (shutter speed, aperture) so you can recompose the shot (and not worry that the meter is setting different exposure settings after you recomposed).

See this article.

WHY ARE YOU MISSING ISO! (sorry for shouting)

ISO, Shutter Speed & Aperture ALL EQUALLY make your exposure. Do not forget that it is VERY important.
 
Okay, I take your point! But for a lot of your nitpicking, what I was trying to get across, was the difference between what a photographer means when he says 'correct exposure' and what the camera means when it reads a '0' for the meter, perhaps I did not do this successfully. I was also trying to use the examples and language from Bryan petersons book, because that is what the OP was about.

Anyway, I figured if someone wants to go to a website they can search the internet. If they wanted to engage in a conversation they post on a forum.

I honestly thank you for your clarifications on my points, I do not disagree with any of them, I apologize if i created any confusion.

I'm not always 100% correct either :)
It's imporant to try and get it right thugh otherwise it causes confusion (as I see someone was).

Thanks for taking the critique the right way I mean no offense,

Regards
Jim
 
none taken. Especially if puyjapin has gleaned some insight regarding all these conversations

I've probably added to the confusion :)

Metering is a difficult subject but once understood, your photography will got to a new level
 
WHY ARE YOU MISSING ISO! (sorry for shouting)

ISO, Shutter Speed & Aperture ALL EQUALLY make your exposure. Do not forget that it is VERY important.
I know that ISO is part of the Exposure Triangle...I didn't include it in my previous post because I was trying to explain what Exposure Lock does, not what exposure is. From what I understand, when you lock the exposure the shutter speed and aperture settings are locked so you can recompose or whatever. I assumed the ISO would have already been set before hand.
 
im none the wiser my friends!!! i feel completely like info overload but thanks for all your input, as you said if i were to be actually shown it would click immediately i expect, thankfully im joining a local photo club, so guys this time next week i will know everything!!!!!! lol, thanks again
 
I know that ISO is part of the Exposure Triangle...I didn't include it in my previous post because I was trying to explain what Exposure Lock does, not what exposure is. From what I understand, when you lock the exposure the shutter speed and aperture settings are locked so you can recompose or whatever. I assumed the ISO would have already been set before hand.

Haha I said I'm not always right. am so sorry - you are correct that EL does set the SS and Ap. - NOT ISO..!!! DOH!!!
 
im none the wiser my friends!!! i feel completely like info overload but thanks for all your input, as you said if i were to be actually shown it would click immediately i expect, thankfully im joining a local photo club, so guys this time next week i will know everything!!!!!! lol, thanks again


Rob
Read the book, practice with a few shots and look at the results. Read the book again and try to understand why you got the results you did. (post images and ask us here)

Exposure is a VERY complex subject. You are trying to anticipate what the camera will do and adjust to what YOU want to do.

If I'm working, I use a lightmeter to give me an incident exposure.

Your camera meter bases it's values on the light reflected back from the scene. This scene may be very bright (causing the camera to under expose) or may be very dark (causing the camera to over expose)

A light meter will provide an incident reading. That is a reading of the light that falls onto your subject. Much more accurate.

Try shooting a snow scene in Aperture Priority. The snow will look grey because the camera is trying to make the scene equal a iddle grey. In order to get white snow you need to add to the exposure in some way - that may be a slower shutter speed, a higher ISO or a larger aperture. To get snow white, you may need to add 1 or 2 stops of exposure compensation. In manual you dial your exposure till the meter reads +1 or +2 or somewhere in between.

The opposite will be true of a scene with say a black wall.... the camera will over expose as it tries to brighten the scene to a middle grey.

This was all said earlier in a more convoluted way and much of this is in Bryan's book.

Try the theory out yourself. Start with the basics and it WILL fall into place.

THe trick is to know what your camera will do and why and then you can sort that when you dial in your exposure settings to compensate.

Many scenes trick the camera.
 

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