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Digital Exposure Mantra

Lesson 33 from: Mastering Your Digital Camera

Chris Weston

Digital Exposure Mantra

Lesson 33 from: Mastering Your Digital Camera

Chris Weston

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Lesson Info

33. Digital Exposure Mantra

Determining the exposure is part an exercise in determining what's the most important element in the image. When you can't properly expose every area of the image, this piece of advice still helps you capture a good image.
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Digital Exposure Mantra

What do I mean when I say exposed for the brightest part of the scene where detail is important? Well, imagine I'm photographing an elephant. There are several ways I can compose the image. For my first composition, I framed the scene to create a sense of place, the animal in its environment because of the bright day, the white tones in the tusker overexposing. Now I couldn't reduce the exposure to bring it within the camera's dynamic range, but this would result in an under exposed elephant. We've already seen why it is best to avoid under exposing in this composition, then the elephant is the brightest part of the scene where detail is important and so I exposed for the mid grey tones of the elephants skin. However, in the second image, I've changed the composition completely, this time by cropping tightly on the head. I'm emphasizing the tusk now is important to retain quality in detail in the tusk. So the tusk is the brightest part of the scene where detail is important. So I expos...

ed for the white tones of the tusk. Now which object or area of the scene is the important one is a subjective matter is up to you as the photographer in charge to make that decision, always remembering the mantra exposed for the brightest part of the scene where detail is important.

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Ratings and Reviews

mark jacobson
 

What a marvelous course! What a marvelous teacher! When I went to college, my father would always ask me about my professors, more than the courses themselves. He was passionate about learning and although too busy with earning an income to go beyond an undergrad degree, continued to read 50 books a year. I still remember how he'd get almost visibly excited when I'd tell him about some special professor who taught with such enthusiasm and, more than just passion, evident delight and joy in the subject. 'Ah they're the best, son. How wonderful you have such a teacher." Well, he passed away decades ago but if he were still around I'd get a kick out of telling him about Chris Weston, the 'Prof' of this course. He's one of the very special ones: a teacher who's loved and lived his vocation--his avocation--since he was a boy--and still is as excited about it now as he was then. The result: a course that seems to be more a labor of love--of pouring far more energy and thought into the details then one typically finds in these courses--than anything else. Bravo Chris! I'm already on to your next one.

user-6402bf
 

Chris is an amazing instructor who dissects theory giving amazing analogies that bring concepts to life. I have rarely been able to sit through most video course for more than a half-hour but watched this one from beginning to end. A good refresher course if you've been away from the camera for awhile or there are some concepts that still illude you. I highly recommend this course and look forward to watching his others. Thank you for the clarity and great explanations.

Sky Bergman
 

This was an amazing class. I have looked at a number of basic photography classes. This one was by far the best I have seen. Chris is an exceptional teacher. He breaks things down into digestible information and then inspires you to be creative. Thank you!

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