Lesson 2 Homework/Part 1 -- Metering and Exposure

My first task on the homework assignment was to:

1. Shoot three images of one subject using aperture priority using the matrix (or evaluative) meter, then the Center Weight meter, then the Partial (or spot) meter.

Now, I THINK these photos are supposed to basically look the same due to the camera (and in the last photo, the camera and me) making the necessary adjustments in each meter setting to help that to be the case. If that's not the case -- I'm screwing something up. :-D I did slightly change the aperture in each photo, but then the camera changed the shutter speed to achieve proper exposure. In the last photo I had to adjust exposure compensation.

Since the camera is in Aperture Priority mode, I set the aperture and it chooses the shutter speed based on the ISO and the lighting of the scene - I think. ;-)

a) Matrix (evaluative) meter
Taken in:

Aperture Priority/Evaluative Meter/Aperture 5.6/Shutter speed 1/40/ISO 100/Kit Lens

Since the Aperture was set at 5.6 this (remember this all me trying to figure things out so I cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information :-D ) it gave me a depth of field somewhat in the lower part of mid-range.

The evaluative meter uses the light information coming from the entire scene and averages it for the final exposure setting -- think of the entire scene as a grid -- each space providing light/darkness information.

In other words it just averages out all the light information to figure out the best possible exposure.

b) Center Weight Meter


Taken in:

Aperture Priority/Center Weight Meter/Aperture 11/Shutter Speed 1/15/ISO 100/Kit Lens

The center weight meter focuses on approximately 70 percent of the scene in the central part of the viewfinder to determine exposure.

c) Partial (spot) meter:

Taken in:

Aperture Priority/Partial (Spot) Meter/Aperture 5.0/Shutter Speed 1/40/Exposure Compensation +2/ISO 100

The spot meter measures a tighter area in the center of the viewfinder. I adjusted the exposure compensation on this photo to add light to the photo as it initially came out dark. I believe this is due to the spot meter focusing mainly on the whiteness of the magnolia blossom and adjusting exposure automatically to 18% gray tone. Apparently, all cameras are designed to render a scene as an 18% mid-tone. Since the camera metered on the whiteness of the blossom solely in spot meter mode, it automatically would want to change the white to 18% gray. So, I adjusted the exposure compensation. Exposure compensation is a camera setting that biases the meter reading toward a lighter or darker result (ala, my instructor's handy handouts he's providing -- :-) ) It seemed to work.


Now HOW EXCITING was all of that??!! I know y'all are glazing over and just looking at the flower and saying, "Purty flower" in a dreamy voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_baARWvmPd4

Jiminy Crickets -- wine time!!

I took photos for the other part of my assignment also, but my head is about to explode. Will add #2 and #3 part of assignment tomorrow.

I need to read this. I'm not even sure if I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Odie, odie, odie.

http://www.usa.canon.com/content/Rebel_lessons/lesson_17.swf