Exposing correctly for backlit subjects?

[pippin88]

Just had a play out in the rain, shooting some Kookaburras with my Sigma 105.

However, they are all underexposed a fair way.

After a few spots I switched to using spot metering on the white chests of the critters, which has netted better, but still not quite there exposure.
I was using Aperture priority mode and I'm not quite sure how to fully control spot metering in in AP.

These Cam shots are some of the better exposed. Most of the shots I can bring the exposure up well enough in PP:
Cam

PP


Cam

PP



This one was probably the best exposed 'out of the box':


So how do I get these exposures right? Guess a +EV?

[KerryPierce]

Here you have 2 issues, IMO. Strong backlighting and subject in deep shadows, where flash isn't likely to help much.

I'd use spot metering and a +.3 to +.7EV setting to start and up the EV as necessary.

[pippin88]

That's what I thought.

A +EV will probably also aid in noise suppression at a boosted ISO (as underexposed images have greater noise)

[MHD]

hehe, my cure... Try again at a better time of day...

get blue skies and use a pol

Some photos are just hard to get

[gstark]

Shoot in raw, spot metering - on the tree trunks - and forget the background. The contrast range is way out of what you are able to capture, so it's going to be blown; get over it.

Set your wb to shaded sunlight too; it looks like you've not quite nailed that in these images, and that's not helping matters. Don't forget you can micro-adjust the wb too.

[yeocsa]

Change your White Balance to Daylight +2 or Cloudy. This will bring the colours out - otherwise dull colours.