Get Your FREE copy of Top 10 Tips for All Beginning Photographers...plus Lightroom Develop Presets & Wedding Photography Checklist!

Details
Category: Photography
PLEASE SHARE
Watch Expose for the Highlights, Print for the Shadows - Photography Quick Tip #8 on YouTube

You should be setting your camera's exposure with the highlights in mind. Be careful not to overexpose important parts of the image by using the histogram. Exposing this way will give you the maximum amount of data to create better & more colorful images.

Next step is editing your photo.  Its easy to adjust your shadows in Lightroom to have a full tonal range.  Check out the video!

You should also check out my video Why You Need Perfect Exposure in Digital Photography that shows you what the effect of underexposure can do to an image.

2016 Update! Learn how your meter works with PHOTOCADEMY Lesson #3, Metering modes http://cazillo.com/articles/photocademy/466-master-guide-to-dslr-metering-modes.html and lesson #4 how to use your DSLR's Meter http://cazillo.com/articles/photocademy/467-dont-be-duped-by-your-dslrs-meter.html

Expose for the Highlights, Print for the Shadows - Photography Quick Tip #8

You are not allowed to post comments.

Comments  

 
0 # David 2012-01-24 21:07
I disagree. I go with Dom on this one and I think that it's easier to bump up the exposure than to fix overexposed areas in post-production . In my opinion, there is more editing potential in an underexxposed image than an overexposed image. Just my 2 cents. Nothing against your videos, Greg. They're great as a whole!
Report to administrator
 
 
0 # Gregory Cazillo 2012-01-25 10:10
When you underexpose your images by 1 stop you lose 1/2 of the data that could have potentially been in the image. When underexposing & then fixing it in post you also add more noise to the image, lowering the quality again. The camera manufacturers know what they are doing, proper exposure to the right results in a much better image vs post processing to fix mistakes.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 # Greg Sims 2012-01-24 22:44
Just wanted to let you know I really like the quick tip of the day. What you said about not caring about the lights in the room is important to the new folks.

keep up the good work and thanks for saying you would buy a D300 before the D7000 that saved me allot of headaches and I love my D300, don't use my D200 that much now.
Greg
Report to administrator
 
 
0 # Olaf Kleemeyer 2012-01-25 13:29
Thanks for another useful tip, Greg. I´m sure, I´m somewhat dull in this case, but I don´t understand this motto "expose for the light, print for the shadows" actually. My train of thought is: If I expose for the lights (or even for the highlights), doesn´t my lens and camera "think", a higher shutter speed is required than necessary? Example: If I would expose for your right side of you face (in the video), wouldn´t the rest of the scenerie would be exposed to dark due to the high shutterspeed that keeps me from overexposing your face? I know, you are right with you tip, but I still don´t know how to realize it in my photography work.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 # Jonas 2012-01-31 07:03
why i can't play the video?
Report to administrator
 
256 Eagleview Blvd PMB 104
Exton, PA 19341