1. Photo 101 – Session 2
Karen Smale
April 2015

2. Review of Session 1 Elements of a camera Types of cameras
Did you find/read your manual?
Do you have multiple focusing modes and/or manual controls?
Exposure
Aperture
Shutter speed
ISO

3. Exposure Review Combo of aperture, shutter speed & ISO
f/29, 1/2s, ISO 500
f/8, 1/8s,
ISO 500
f/4.5, 1/20s, ISO 500
f/8, 1/20s, ISO 1600

4. Session 2 Metering modes Exposure Compensation White Balance Gadgets
How does your camera know how to make the “proper” exposure and how can you help it to make the right decision
Exposure Compensation
How to override what your camera thinks is “proper”
White Balance
How to fix the color on those indoor photos
Gadgets

5. In-camera Exposure Metering
Almost all cameras have a built-in meter that will adjust ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed automatically to yield a “proper exposure.”
Some cameras allow you to control how the camera determines “proper exposure.”
Sometimes the camera’s idea of “proper exposure” does not match yours.

6. Metering: How does it work?
Camera uses Through-The-Lens (TTL) meter to evaluate the light in the scene
Camera “wants” the scene to be mostly mid-tones
Histogram

7. Metering Modes Multi-zone (evaluative, matrix) Center-weight (partial)
Evaluates whole scene (60% center, 40% other)
Great for evenly lit scenes, fine most of time
Center-weight (partial)
Gives preference to exposure of central (~10%) area
Great for scenes with well-lit center, unimportant dark areas around edges, e.g., portraits
Spot
Gives preference to small (~2-3%) area
Gives precise control over exposure of one important area
If the metering spot you want to use isn’t in the center of your frame, use AEL (Exposure Lock) button – press to hold the exposure while you recompose

8. Pop Quiz!! What metering mode?
Choose:
Multi-zone/
Matrix/
Evaluative
Center-
Weighted
Spot

9. Sometimes it doesn’t work
Remember: Camera “wants” the scene to be mostly mid-tones
Camera will adjust to compensate for overly-bright or overly-dark scenes
Dark image
Bright image

10. Exposure compensation
Overrides your automatic metering
Increase/decrease exposure, usually in 0.3-stop increments
No exposure compensation
+2EV exposure compensation
No exposure compensation would make this look like daytime
-1EV gives the dark mood we want (photo by Joel Gambino)

11. Limits of Exposure
Dynamic Range refers to the extremes of light and dark that a camera can render.
Clipping or Blown refer to pixels that are overexposed beyond the limit of the sensor
Shadows refer to pixels that are underexposed beyond the limit of the sensor
Camera review can be set to show shadows or highlight.
And check your histogram!

12. Color balance / white balance (WB)
Color Temperature
Adjust for incandescent and fluorescent lighting
The camera has several presets including Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten.
Beware mixed light sources with different color temperatures (i.e.: shooting indoors with fluorescent lighting next to a window to daylight)

13. White balance correction
Camera set to fluorescent
Uncorrected

14. Gadgets Lens hood Spare batteries Spare memory cards
Camera Bag
Tripod/Monopod
Lens cleaner
Lens caps
UV filter
Lens hood
Polarizer / ND filter
Shutter release
Remote control
External flash
Reflectors/ diffusers
Color checker
Drone

15. Homework Find your manual and check out your
Metering modes
Exposure compensation
White balance
… and how to change them!
Photograph a scene using different metering modes
Try it again with one metering mode but different exposure compensations
Try different WB settings