Assignment 4- Metering

[Doc]

Very nice examples, have a K!  Good Job!

[aemon_2010]

Thanks for the K

[Dikaiosune]

hypothetically

I have a Canon 500D.

Is it possible to meter certain parts without moving the camera?
For example, I'm shooting a landscape.  I meter the sky, click.  I need to then meter the ground, click.  Both metering processes involve moving the camera to get an accurate spot meter.  This makes re-framing really difficult.

The purpose of doing this, is to combine the pictures in photoshop. 

I'll post my attempts soon enough.  I've been so busy at work that i haven't been able to get out much.  Wouldn't it be lazy, if I take every assignment from the comfort of my couch...  or at the very least overly lazy.
I need to get out there and take great pictures.  Nobody wants to see my hanging laundry... ... ... (or do you? 0.o?)

[Doc]

Hypothetically, I'm not sure I want to see your laundry. 

I think you're assuming that all three shots have to be "in register" and that the purpose is to combine them in PS. 
They don't, and it's not. 
They're three individual shots. 

Look at the instructions again.  Use your meter off the middle, dark, and light parts, use your AE lock to lock the exposure for each, then roughly recompose so the shot is about "centered" again.  Don't worry, they don't have to line up and you aren't going to combine them.

Any questions, just ask.

[Dikaiosune]

it has been a while and i really miss this page.  I really miss having the time getting up and taking pictures.
so here goes...

while i was thinking about this assignment, I had trouble composing the picture.  So i must admit, it is very snap shoty.  I'll do better next time.

I have a question though.  In stead of metering, why don't we use the Exposure compensation? EV+/-?



Evaulative


On the sign


On the building.

I guess I choose this subject because of the stark contrast. And it inspired an unrelated question, "Does film have a greater dynamic range than digital sensors?"

[Doc]

These are nice and you did the metering just right.  The assignment was for a half light/half dark picture, but this one serves the pupose and you got the concept.  Have a K!  Nice Job.

"I have a question though.  Instead of metering, why don't we use the Exposure compensation? EV+/-?"

You most certainly could!  While EV will lighten and darken the overall exposure of a picture (I find it much easier and faster to do than copying the settings to Manual, and then manually adjusting the aperture or shutter to get the same result) the purpose of the assignment was to show you how what you meter on can change the exposure drastically and what happens when you use spot metering.  It can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what you want properly exposed.

[wilky22]

Experimenting with Metering by wilky22, on Flickr
Full Screen Metering.


Experimenting with Metering by wilky22, on Flickr
Bright Spot Metering.


Experimenting with Metering by wilky22, on Flickr
Dark Spot Metering.

Did I get the concept?

[Doc]

Yes and no.  Actually I think you did it and got the concept, but you got the picture labels reversed.

#1, full screen metering should make the sky (bright) and trees (dark) both a "medium" exposure (neither is "right").

#2 you labeled it "bright spot metering", but you lowered your view and (theoretically) spot metered off the trees (dark part).  They came out properly exposed, but the sky should be overexposed, which it is.

#3 you labeled this one "dark spot metering", but obivously you tilted the camera up and metered off the (bright) sky.  The sky came out correctly, and the trees came out darker.  (Actually, this looks like the "proper" exposure to me- did you have your EV set to 0?)

So I'm gonna give you a K, cause it's obivous that you "metered off of" two different areas of the picture, but got two completely different exposures.  The point is, as you found out, IF you use spot metering, watch where you meter- it can make a huge difference in your pictures!

[wilky22]

You are actually right. I did switch the labels, and I told myself not to do that. LOL

If the EV symbol on my camera is a +/- sign (I'm not too sure that is the symbol?). That was set at +1.3 for all three of the pictures.

Yay! Thanks for the Ks!! 

[Doc]

Thought so!  The EV setting of +1.3 means that you told the meter to overexposed it a stop and a third.  Set your EV to +/- 0 and you should get some properly exposed pictures.

[wilky22]

Cool! Thanks for the tip. 

[Jiro]

Here is the result of my study based on this assignment.

IMAGE 1: Nikon D70, Matrix Metering used. Exposure was f4 at 1/5 sec in manual mode, handheld, ISO 400.


matrix metering by jiro bau, on Flickr

IMAGE 2: Nikon D70, Spot Metering aimed at the ivory body of the sewing machine. Exposure was f4 at 1/15 sec in manual mode, handheld, ISO 400.


spot at ivory body by jiro bau, on Flickr

IMAGE 3: Nikon D70, Spot Metering aimed at the black hat. Exposure was f4 at 1.6 seconds in manual mode, handheld, ISO 400.


spot at black hat by jiro bau, on Flickr

[Doc]

Very good!  Have a K!  As you can see, what you meter on can make a big difference in the pictures... and that spot metering has it's uses, but you only need it in specific lighting situations.  You'll find matrix works the best 95% of the time.

[Royston]

Hi Doc my images for assignment #4
Control

Meter on door

Meter on wall

Meter on door/AE lock/ re frame

Meter on wall/AE lock/ re frame

[Doc]

Great Job, have a K!  Nice examples.  You're doing great!

[Royston]

Thanks for the K and support Doc

[oldCarlos]

Been waiting for the rain to stop so I could try this exercise.
We got a little bit of winter afternoon sunlight today, although the shaded area wasn't all that different tbh, but decided to give it a go.

Control




Metered off the shaded corner area to the right




Metered off the white pipe.

[Doc]

Great examples!  You did Good!  Have a K!

[oldCarlos]

Thanks Doc 

tbh, I was quite surpised how well the camera did with the control shot, although it wasn't an extreme example.

[Doc]

I've said it many times- trust the camera.  It's pretty smart.  It (and the experts who designed it) know how to take a good shot.  In my own experience I've found out that when I start messing with it... more often than not I mess up.