{"id":24450,"date":"2020-09-08T10:39:11","date_gmt":"2020-09-08T19:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/?p=24450"},"modified":"2020-09-08T10:39:11","modified_gmt":"2020-09-08T19:39:11","slug":"the-most-important-exposure-decisions-you-need-to-make","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/the-most-important-exposure-decisions-you-need-to-make\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Important Exposure Decisions You Need to Make"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_15022\"  width=\"480\" height=\"270\"  data-origwidth=\"480\" data-origheight=\"270\"  data-relstop=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TTkijRR6pR4?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;rel=0&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>In my two most recent video lessons <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/danbaileyphoto\">on my YouTube Channel<\/a>, I\u2019ve talked about <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FSxxQ4RwCYk\">how to ensure proper exposure when using mirrorless cameras<\/a>, and also <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/fX0FE6Os3dE\">how you can use aperture, shutter speed, ISO and the histogram<\/a> to gain even more control in your process of trying to get the best exposure.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In my latest lesson, I talk about about the most important decisions you\u2019ll need to make into order for all of this to fall into place and get the best exposure for your scene. If settings like aperture, shutter speed and ISO are the ingredients, think of these decisions as your master recipe for getting a good shot. As good as modern cameras are, it\u2019s these decisions that ultimately determine how your photos will look.<\/p>\n<p>For as much information and detail that modern sensors can record, <strong>digital images still can\u2019t match the tonal range that your eyes and brain can recognize out in the world<\/strong>. No camera can render accurate detail in both the extreme highlights and the darkest shadows at the same time. If there&#8217;s one thing you remember from this lesson, it should be that.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, you can do this with HDR photography and by blending multiple exposures, but it doesn\u2019t look quite real and our brains know that. That\u2019s why a lot of HDR imagery has such a unique look.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Due to the way that camera sensors record light, it&#8217;s technically better to overexpose your images. However, that doesn\u2019t take into account what looks aesthetically better to us as viewers. We actually prefer it the other way around. We\u2019re drawn much more to darker, more saturated colors over less saturated highlights.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So how do we get around these limitations and contradictions<\/strong> and shoot imagery that is both appealing to your viewers and that preserves enough visual information without blowing out with too much white?<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the answer:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24308 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/SEPT18POS-01188-e1589923820331.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>Expose for the most important bright subject matter<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>This is where your own creative decision making process enters the equation. Knowing that the camera won\u2019t be able to record everything you see, you need to evaluate your scene and prioritize your subject matter in terms of overall importance and go by this all important guideline.<\/p>\n<p>If there\u2019s one exposure rule that you permanently burn into your mind and remember for the rest of your photography life, it should be this:<\/p>\n<h4><i>Your BRIGHTEST SUBJECT MATTER and your MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT MATTER must be IN THE SAME LIGHT, or else you\u2019ll have too much contrast.<\/i><\/h4>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you\u2019re shooting a scene that contains both bright, colorful skies and dark shadows. And let&#8217;s assume that your subject is moving in and out of the shadows. Maybe there\u2019s some important subject matter in the darker areas of the frame that, ideally, you\u2019d like to preserve.<\/p>\n<p>In this kind of situation, if you were to\u00a0expose for the highlights, your shadows will drop to black and any subject matter in those areas will completely indiscernible. However, If you expose for the shadows, your nice, rich blue sky will end up as a washed out field of white, which as I pointed out above, won\u2019t look very good.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24452 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MBK-CA-01212-e1599591340494.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24451 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/MBK-CA-01212-2-e1599591328689.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>So&#8230;<\/h2>\n<p>In order to shoot the scene in such a way that lets you create the most dynamic, exciting image, <strong>you need to establish the hierarchy of subject matter in terms of visual\/creative importance and do one of these four things:<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Wait for different light<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Wait until the shadows pass, or come back and shoot the scene during another time of day perhaps at sunset, or when the sun has shifted enough to illuminate your shadowed areas.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24453 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/TVL-US-OR2015-0740-e1599592963877.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"466\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24454\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/TVL-US-OR2015-1013-e1599592976911.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"466\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Wait for your subject to come out of the shadows<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>If your subject is moving, maybe you just need to wait a few seconds or minutes for them to pass through the shadows and come back into the sunlight. When they do, you\u2019ll be able to capture the subject in the same light as the sky and preserve details in both.<\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24456\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/HIK-AK-02374-e1599593075143.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"700\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24455\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/HIK-AK-02281A-e1599593058963.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"466\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3><b>3. Recompose and exclude the highlights<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Instead of trying to show both, recompose your scene and exclude as much of the highlight detail as possible. This way you won\u2019t have to worry about it washing out. Simply remove it from the equation. This could involve changing vantage points or zooming in with your lens. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-24457 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/TRN-AK-SLD-01033-e1599593154723.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"466\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24458\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/TRN-AK-SLD-01034-e1599593164572.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"468\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. Let your shadows drop to black<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Instead of trying to look into the shadows, let them drop to black. If there\u2019s no way you can get your subject out of the shadows, then take a different approach and shoot the scene as a silhouette. This will preserve your bright sky, (this works very well with a dramatic sunset) and it will create a suggestion of your subject.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>With many scenes, you don\u2019t actually need to show every single detail in the subject to tell the story. Sometimes the less you show, the more powerful your image will be. Silhouettes can make for very powerful compositions.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18294\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/TAURUS-07230A.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/TAURUS-07230A.jpg 700w, https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/TAURUS-07230A-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/TAURUS-07230A-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17528\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/RCL-221-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/RCL-221-2.jpg 700w, https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/RCL-221-2-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/RCL-221-2-600x397.jpg 600w, https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/RCL-221-2-454x300.jpg 454w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24179\" src=\"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/SCOTLAND17-01227-e1584991989767.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"466\" \/><\/p>\n<p>These four rules will allow you to better deal with high levels of contrast in your scene. Learn them. Remember then. Pull them out of your hat whenever you&#8217;re shooting in challenging light, and you&#8217;ll find that they&#8217;ll let you solve difficult contrast issues in a multitude of photography situations.<\/p>\n<p>In the next post, I&#8217;ll bring it all together, and show you\u00a0how to combine these decisions with your other exposure ingredients, so that you can effectively nail the look you want for your scene.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In my two most recent video lessons on my YouTube Channel, I\u2019ve talked about how to ensure proper exposure when using mirrorless cameras, and also how you can use aperture, shutter speed, ISO and the histogram to gain even more control in your process of trying to get the best exposure.\u00a0 In my latest lesson, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[176],"tags":[524,402,89,149,93],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24450"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24450"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24462,"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24450\/revisions\/24462"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}