Metering

[mpphoto12]

I am aware of most of the different metering except a few. Im not sure of what they all do. I know alot of what they do but i want to know when and how to use them. some help? I am ashamed i do not know this when i am as talented as i am. Could someone explain how to spot meter and how to actually physical do it. where do you focus etc? I see photogs focusing on the ground or something then back at the subject to meter the exposure how does this weird thing work ? thanks? i

[DavidEccleston]

Spot metering will determine the exposure based on a very small circle around your focus point. This is good when you're focusing on a face. It's not so good when you focus on a white spot on a mostly black dog, as it will think the scene is brighter than it is. It's also not good when focusing on a black detail of a more bright scene, as it think the scene is darker than expected.


Other metering modes use a larger amount of the scene. This is great when there is no single specific element to expose correctly. It will attempt to properly expose the entire scene. If you used this mode, and metered on a person while there is a really strong backlight, you may end up with a darksilhouette, as the meter will be attempting to properly expose the bright background.You can attempt to compensate for that by metering on the ground, locking that exposure, then taking the photo. If the person covered the entire metering area, it would expose the person correctly. Because you don't want to meter the bright backlight, you could switch to spot metering to reduce the area the meter is looking at. Hopefully the person will cover the entire spot, giving them correct exposure. If you're still having trouble getting the auto exposure to be correct, you can use the exposure compensation or the fully manual mode to override the camera's choice.

[clemmb]

I see photogs focusing on the ground or something then back at the subject to meter the exposure how does this weird thing work ? thanks? i
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Not focusing but metering. I think thats what you ment. I have used this myself. I use my camera in manual exposure mode most of the time. If there is string backlight I'll spot meter a nutral color that has the same light falling on it as the persons face for example. In auto mode exposure compensation is used to compensate for a folled light meter. In other words you are folling the meter in the oposite dorection that it is already fooled by. Using the technique you asked about, nothing is fooled. Confusing I know.


Mark

[mpphoto12]

thank you i always shoot in manual. i never shoot in any other as i should learn to shoot in aperture priority it shutter priority. I just have trouble exposing a subject that is dark with a strong back light. How do you expose the subject without the background being so overexposed and distracting? thanks

[clemmb]

How do you expose the subject without the background being so overexposed and distracting? thanks
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It depends on the situation. If the background is going to be washed out and not distracting I may use this technique. If the background is going to be distracting then I expose for the background and fill in subject with strobe.


This is not a technique I use a lot. Just one of the tools I can use depending on situation.


Mark

[Alan]

Not focusing but metering.
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Not necessarily. I focus near the ground when I'm doing a hyperfocal distance focus shot. I'll often point the camera near the ground or near something that makes it look like I'm shooting the ground.


It could be that, as well.