Unedited SOOC version - those blue eyes get me everytime.
In one of my first and favorite lessons in B & W photography it was explained that if we wanted our whites to turn out really white and our blacks to turn out really black, we should overexpose and underexpose respectively—around 1/2 to 1 full stop.
The built-in reflective light meter in most SLR cameras is designed to give a correct reading based on a middle gray (think gray card). For example when metering something like a white wedding dress, the meter takes a reading of the white in the dress and tells you the correct exposure for a neutral middle gray. In this case, since we don’t want the dress to turn out gray we would overexpose to get a crisp white.
This was my answer to a recent annoyance of mine. Often when I would view my photos on a monitor—straight out of camera (SOOC), many would appear slightly underexposed. I realized what I learned above in film could apply in digital too. As I put these principles into practice my pictures turned out punchier and exposed more in the way I had envisioned them (See the above photo of Mr. Happy Feet for an example).
In this case I compensated for what my camera told me was a “correct” exposure.
- ‘Cause cameras are pretty darn smart but lots of time they need our help.
Happy Shooting!
I recently read this article “Exposing or Shooting to the Right” which explains this concept very well.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice photography and that is one handsome little subject.
That’s why you strive for proper exposure, not correct exposure. Good post and expansion.
Oh, and the ridiculously cute portrait helps, too.
Bryan Villarin´s last blog ..Vintage art by Melissa at LMU