Professional photographer's exposure skills in deciphering extreme conditions

In the face of extremely dark scene light, photographers usually choose the following countermeasures: improving camera sensitivity, using a tripod, and considering buying a large aperture fixed-focus lens; The order of professional humanistic photographers is: choose a large aperture fixed-focus lens, use a tripod, and finally improve the sensitivity of the camera.

Canon EOS 30D camera EF 16—35mm f/2. 8 lens f5. 6 1/25ISO 400 photo by Ning Xin

Although camera manufacturers will promote the "great improvement" of high-sensitivity imaging quality when each new model is launched, you should not trust them too much in extreme light. Different from the standard test in the laboratory, poor light is often accompanied by high contrast, and the deterioration of image quality is often much more serious than the test results obtained under normal light.

Extreme lighting conditions

At any time, tripod is the best tool for shooting in low light. However, no one can always keep the tripod at hand, and there are always some occasions that are not suitable or even forbidden to use. How to take usable photos under such "extreme" conditions?

First of all, wear a wide-angle or standard lens with the largest aperture at hand, and adjust the aperture to the maximum to increase the luminous flux and reduce the lower limit of the allowable speed of hand-held shooting; Then, try to find something that can support the camera or the body; Finally, it is necessary to increase the sensitivity to the lower speed limit at which you can be sure to keep it stable-especially in extreme light conditions. If you want to ensure the image quality, don't trust the high sensitivity of the camera too much.

Large aperture fixed focus lens

Equipment enthusiasts are likely to buy large aperture fixed-focus lenses out of their love for high-end equipment. For professional humanistic photographers, the powerful shape and light weight of the large aperture fixed-focus lens may be the reason for hesitation; It is necessary for photographers to keep a low profile when shooting humanistic subjects, and the shooting burden is also a factor that must be considered.

Nevertheless, humanistic photographers will choose a large aperture fixed focus in the focal length section that is most important to them. Under the same conditions, if f2 is used. 8 aperture can get the shutter speed of 1/4s, so use f 1. 4 The lens speed can reach 115s-more importantly, the large aperture lens can obtain much better optical quality than the zoom lens by reducing the aperture of1.

After a higher sensitivity setting must be used, the exposure must also be controlled more carefully.

Sometimes, although the field illumination is relatively low, the light quality is not bad-there are no obvious problems in light ratio, contrast and color tendency. At this time, as long as the exposure is carefully controlled, high-quality images can be taken.

Problems caused by high sensitivity

After the sensitivity is improved, the problem is not only rough image quality and noise; The higher the sensitivity, the smaller the exposure latitude. Usually, when shooting with ISO 100 sensitivity, it will be overexposed to 1. Level 5 and exposure less than level 2. When Photoshop unlocks RAW files, the exposure error within level 5 can be easily corrected; When using the sensitivity of ISO 1000, any exposure error exceeding 1 will inevitably bring irreparable losses to the later image level.

If the exposure is only based on the luminosity of the face, then the details of the whole environment, especially the highlights of the stage ground, will definitely be lost. Reduce 1 on the basis of face photometry when shooting. Using five-level exposure, the characters retain the distinguishable details and the overall effect of the scene is well reproduced.

TIPS measurement and measurement point

When there are people in the picture, the exposure value of the face of the person is definitely the first choice for photometric reference.

Different from simple portrait photography, we must always consider the environment and people who are almost in the same position when taking cultural pictures.

In high-sensitivity shooting, due to the small exposure latitude range, we often can't take the skin color of a person's face as "white powder" as the appropriate exposure standard as we are used to shooting portraits. In humanistic photography, it is much better to make the details and environment of the characters "just right" than to simply emphasize the skin color of the characters.

No matter how deep the technical foundation is, there is always some light that makes senior photographers feel "stretched". At this time, it is not only the shooting technique that is tested. ...

The lighting effect of the scene is very moving, much darker than it looks on the screen. In order to obtain a stable shutter speed, I set the aperture to the maximum and the sensitivity to ISO720. Although I basically expressed the feelings of the scene, the contrast between the noise in the dark and the difficulty in further adjustment at this time has exceeded my psychological endurance. It seems that the highest sensitivity of D200 that I can accept should be lower than ISO400.

On the JPG file shot at the same time, the outside of the door has become a "dead white" with no hierarchy at all, and the hierarchy that can be seen at present is completely "discovered" when solving the RAW file. Such a big contrast has tested the limit of Nikon D200.

Tip Know the limits of your digital camera.

In the case of very good lighting conditions, the difference in image quality between cheap entry-level SLR and expensive professional camera may be far less than the price difference between them. However, in extreme cases, this gap must not be underestimated.

Catch the spotlight-catch the fleeting moment.

Novices often wonder when they look at the works of mature photographers: Why am I not so lucky?

Opportunities are only reserved for those who are prepared. Of course, the ability to capture moments does not depend on luck, or even on speed and slowness.

Every photographer will have many failed attempts. Think about what ruined the shooting effect when he grabbed the camera in the face of the sudden flash: did he find that the camera was set in manual exposure mode or the aperture was placed on f22 when he pressed the shutter? Is the dim light or the glass in the foreground preventing the camera from focusing correctly? Is it because my hands are shaking with excitement and the picture is empty?

It is not difficult to look at every link of shooting technology alone, but it is not a matter of weeks or months to master every link in an instant.

Digital post-adjustment is a test of the camera's extreme ability. The greater the adjustment, the closer it is to the technical limit that digital cameras can provide. At this point, the gap between cameras of different grades is clearly revealed.

It is more important to know and test the limits of your camera than to add an unusual lens.

Many times, the images that flash in an instant may be far better than those that are carefully manipulated.

When I was in go on road trip, as it was getting dark, I used to constantly adjust the sensitivity of the camera and set the exposure compensation to-2/3 in advance-this setting is suitable for shooting people or things in most dark environments.

The only light source in the picture is flashing headlights, and my car didn't stop when shooting. I raised my camera and took this touching moment in 5 seconds.

The tip is ready.

Even if there is no specific shooting target, if the environment changes, you should always adjust your camera according to the surrounding lighting conditions so that you can raise your hand when necessary.

For example, if you enter the room from the outside, you should increase the sensitivity to a setting that matches the indoor lighting; In low light, the aperture should be opened to the maximum or reduced1; Set the camera to the exposure mode with aperture priority, and set the exposure compensation value according to the on-site lighting advance estimation. If it is in a complicated lighting environment, such as a shopping mall, the metering mode should be set to evaluation (matrix) metering; At this time, it is best to change a large aperture fixed-focus lens in advance-the fixed-focus lens not only has a larger aperture, but also has much better autofocus ability in low light than the zoom lens. Also remember that in dark or complex environments, manual focusing is often faster and more reliable than automatic focusing.