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Exposing correctly for backlit subjects?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:11 am
by 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
Image
PP
Image

Cam
Image
PP
Image


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

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

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:29 am
by 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.

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:38 am
by 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)

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:44 am
by 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 :)

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:51 am
by 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.

Hi

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:04 pm
by yeocsa
Change your White Balance to Daylight +2 or Cloudy. This will bring the colours out - otherwise dull colours.