Six methods of photography and photometry

In photography creation, the exposure situation is complex and changeable, and the color tone, brightness, atmosphere, quality and color purity of the subject are ever-changing, which is closely related to how to choose accurate exposure. Here, I will explain to you six methods of photography photometry, hoping to help you.

① Average metering. At the shooting point, the central key average metering function in the built-in metering device is used to directly meter the object, which obtains the average readings of various brightness within the measured scene. This method is beneficial to ensure that the whole film is properly exposed and the density of the whole film is neither thin nor thick. If the light and dark distribution of the subject is relatively uniform and the contrast is not great, it is easy to get good results with this average photometry method.

② Take care of the important shadow method. Using this photometric method, the hue of the important shadow parts of the most important object image in the picture can be accurately controlled, so that the hue and gradation of these parts are appropriate. When the shadow part of the picture occupies a very important part, such as the shadow part of the mountain, the backlit indoor scenery and the backlit portrait, this method should be used to determine the exposure. The specific method is: use a reflective exposure meter or the camera's metering system to measure the important shadow parts of the subject respectively, but do not expose according to the readings directly indicated by the exposure meter, but reduce the exposure by 1, 2 or 3 levels compared with the readings indicated by the exposure meter, so that the measured parts are displayed as dark shadows. In this case, the exposure should be reduced compared with the readings provided by the exposure meter. Black and white and color negative, the exposure is less than 3 levels lower than that indicated by the exposure meter, and the level can still be recorded; The exposure of color reversal film should be controlled within Grade 2.

(3) Consider the bright shadow method. This method does not focus on the tone of the dark part of the subject, but from the need to enhance or weaken the contrast of the scene, let the main scene light focus on why the tone should be reproduced, for example, shooting a close-up portrait with light or front light, or shooting a snow scene. This method will be used if you intend to reproduce the bright part of the face or the place covered by heavy snow as a middle tone or a brighter and brighter tone. Specifically, the reflective exposure meter or the photometric system of the camera is aimed at the bright part of the subject alone. After obtaining the photometric reading, the exposure is not according to the reading, but the l-2 level exposure is increased. When shooting high-profile scenes such as snow scenes, it is also necessary to increase the exposure in addition to the measured reading.

(4) Master the brightness quota method. This method is to measure the brightness of the bright and dark parts of the subject respectively, and then determine the appropriate exposure according to the width of the film. If you measure the bright side of the subject, you should use F 16 for exposure, while if you measure the dark side, you should use F4 for exposure, so that you can compromise with F8 in exposure. In this way, the bright surface exposure is more than 2 levels, and the dark surface exposure is less than 2 levels, so that rich layers can be recorded. According to the tolerance of black and white and color negative, as long as the exposure is not more than level 3 and the dark light is not less than level 4, the negative film is still layered. Generally speaking, if the negative film is developed normally, the brightness of black-and-white and color negative film is above level 3, and the brightness of dark part is below level 3, it can be layered. The range of tones that can be recorded by the color reversal film does not exceed 1:50.

⑤ Grey board method. This method does not directly measure the brightness of the subject with an exposure meter, but measures the surface with intermediate reflectivity, and carries out exposure according to the measured reading. In this way, the surface with standard brightness (middle gray surface) in the shooting scene is reproduced as middle gray tone in the photo, and the darker or brighter surface will get darker or brighter tone than the middle gray. The most standard medium gray surface is the photographic test gray board, with a reflectivity of 18%. Put such a gray board in the position of the object to be photographed, and make it receive light evenly, then aim it with a reflective exposure meter for measurement, and expose it according to the measured reading, so that the object to be photographed can be exposed correctly. This photometric method is consistent with the result of brightness exposure meter. Because it can correctly reproduce the tone depth of light and dark parts in the shooting scene, it is especially suitable for shooting color reversal films.

If there is no gray board with reflectivity of 18%, the photographer can use an exposure meter instead of the gray board to measure the back of the hand, because their reflectivity is close. According to the brightness exposure of the back of the hand, it can also well reflect the light-dark relationship of each part of the subject.

⑥ Measure alternative target method. When the subject is far away from the camera and the local brightness near the subject cannot be measured, the method of measuring the substitute target can be adopted, that is, selecting a substitute target with brightness equivalent to that of the distant subject from nearby and directly measuring its reflected brightness instead of measuring the distant subject. For example, measure the nearby snow, not the equally bright snow on the distant mountain peak; Measure the trunk or leaves of a nearby tree, not the tree across the river. However, when using this photometry method, it should be noted that the light receiving conditions of the substitute target and the actual object must be consistent, and the background cannot affect its reading, so as to get accurate results.