SLR photography exposure video tutorial

How to master the correct exposure in single-shot photography

First of all, the correct exposure should be the best exposure.

In the digital age, the way to get the correct exposure often depends on the camera's metering system, and now the metering system is very complete, which can be competent for almost all complex shooting scenes. Technically, the most primitive metering system will restore the brightness of the picture to 18% gray level, but due to the ever-changing shooting scene and the different emotions that photographers want to express, the technically correct exposure is often not the best exposure for a photo.

As photographers, we should seek exposure as the best performance of photos, rather than technically correct exposure. In the digital age, in order to get the best exposure, in addition to the photographer's conception of photos, other auxiliary functions of the camera should be reasonably used, such as the LCD screen on the back of the fuselage, the histogram of the correct exposure information displayed by the camera, and various metering modes, exposure compensation and even peripheral exposure.

Second, the correct exposure sequence.

In the process of taking a photo, photometry and correct exposure are as important as composition. In order to let the novice better understand this process, let's explain the exposure operation sequence of digital SLR camera shooting.

First, choose metering mode: metering mode can be roughly divided into spot metering, center focusing metering and evaluation metering. Photographers should choose the appropriate metering mode according to the characteristics of the subject.

Second, choose the sensitivity: the photographer should set the appropriate sensitivity according to the intensity of the ambient light, combining the shooting focal length and the safety shutter.

Third, set the white balance: confirm the white balance according to the light conditions, and usually choose the automatic white balance mode.

Fourthly, determine the exposure mode: choose from several exposure modes, such as aperture priority, shutter priority, program automatic exposure and manual exposure, among which aperture priority mode is the most commonly used.

Fifth, framing composition: complete framing composition according to the shooting intention.

Sixth, consider whether to use exposure compensation: if the photographer needs to fine-tune the exposure, he can use the exposure compensation function in this step; Seventh, press the shutter to finish shooting.

Third, the measurement mode: evaluation measurement

Evaluation photometry is the most commonly used photometry method, and different manufacturers give it different technical names. Nikon is called matrix photometry and Canon is called evaluation photometry. Its working principle is to get the light range by measuring the brightness of different areas of the mirror, and to determine the more accurate exposure value according to the massive photo exposure value analysis data of various manufacturers.

Evaluation photometry is not a simple "average photometry" that restores the picture to 18% gray level, but a photometry method that can cope with various complex situations, and its algorithm comprehensively considers various factors in most areas of the picture. Even so, it is not 100% accurate. When the photographer needs to shoot quickly or the brightness distribution in the picture is relatively uniform, it is recommended to use the evaluation metering function.

Fourth, the measurement mode: the central key average measurement

Compared with evaluation photometry, center-focused average photometry takes more account of the exposure accuracy of the subject in the center area of the picture. This metering mode can play a good role in close-up or semi-close-up portrait photography, because it takes more account of the people in the center of the picture and can often restore the skin color of the characters correctly.

The central focus average metering mode is ideal for shooting scenes with central composition. For example, the colored Buddha statue in this case is majestic and mysterious under the illumination of light, and most of the central area of the picture is the focus and basis of exposure. At this time, the central focus metering mode is just right.

In many shooting scenes in daily life, it is also recommended to use the central key average metering mode, such as taking a group photo of dozens of people. Because the person is located in the center of the picture, the center key average metering mode can often obtain the most accurate metering data.

In complex lighting conditions, partial metering and spot metering will be of great use. In the digital age, they are highly respected by experienced photographers because they are more dependent on technology and purer. When the illumination ratio of the scene in the picture is large, it becomes a difficult problem to measure the light according to which part. At this time, the photographer can partial metering or spot-measure the positions that need to be emphasized and restored correctly according to the shooting intention, so as to set the exposure value of the whole photo.

When using partial metering or spot metering, the metering area is often the visual center and the focus of the picture. In portrait photography, it is often a person's face, while in landscape photography, it is often a small scene that is favored by light. The partial metering or spot metering function enables the camera's metering system to calculate the exposure value only according to a set small area.