Exposure and Metering Question: Hi, Just want to ask about working in manual mode. When I take a meter reading lets say from the blue sky and get my reading, when I recompose the shot...

rjrbigdog Loc: New York

Hi,
Just want to ask about working in manual mode. When I take a meter reading lets say from the blue sky and get my reading, when I recompose the shot the reading changes. Do i have to manually dial in the reading I got from the sky?

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

rjrbigdog wrote:

Hi,
Just want to ask about working in manual mode. When I take a meter reading lets say from the blue sky and get my reading, when I recompose the shot the reading changes. Do i have to manually dial in the reading I got from the sky?

Yes. If you meter off the sky, don't change the setting.

dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

Marionsho wrote:

Yes. If you meter off the sky, don't change the setting.

So when you recompose, you ignore the new settings ?

jgitomer Loc: Skippack Pennsylvania

rjrbigdog wrote:

Hi,
Just want to ask about working in manual mode. When I take a meter reading lets say from the blue sky and get my reading, when I recompose the shot the reading changes. Do i have to manually dial in the reading I got from the sky?

If you want silhouettes manually dial in the reading for the sky. If you want detail for other than the blue sky and clouds go with the changed reading.

One thing you might try is hold your hand up so the sun is hitting your palm in the same direction as it is hitting your subject and then take a meter reading off of your palm.

Since YMMV I suggest that you do some test shots to see what you have to do/change to get the results you desire.

Jerry

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

dannac wrote:

So when you recompose, you ignore the new settings ?

Yes.

rjrbigdog Loc: New York

So, I meter the sky recompose the shot, then take the picture?
Even if the meter gives me a different reading after pointing at the sky?

rjrbigdog Loc: New York

YMMV?

amehta Loc: Boston

rjrbigdog wrote:

Hi,
Just want to ask about working in manual mode. When I take a meter reading lets say from the blue sky and get my reading, when I recompose the shot the reading changes. Do i have to manually dial in the reading I got from the sky?

It would seem to depend on what your subject and overall lighting is. The important thing, I think, is to know what the light is on your subject, whether that is an incident or reflective meter reading is up to you.

Allen Hirsch Loc: Oakland, CA

rjrbigdog wrote:

YMMV?

"Your mileage may vary".

You want to meter off the same light value as the subject you want exposed. So you shouldn't be using the sky to meter from unless that's the same exposure you want for your subject.

I usually start out metering off the grass for a more neutral, middle-of-the-road reading, then fine tune from there.

rjrbigdog Loc: New York

I understand that, thanks. So, If I meter off the grass and recompose do the settings on my light meter change? and if they do, should I dial in the meter reading I got off the grass? I use a nikon d800 and want to learn manual mode. If I was shooting in aperture or shutter priority I could use exposure compensation. Any help would be appreciated.

Allen Hirsch Loc: Oakland, CA

rjrbigdog wrote:

I understand that, thanks. So, If I meter off the grass and recompose do the settings on my light meter change? and if they do, should I dial in the meter reading I got off the grass? I use a nikon d800 and want to learn manual mode. If I was shooting in aperture or shutter priority I could use exposure compensation. Any help would be appreciated.

The answer is, it depends.

Do you want your subject exposed more than the grass, the same as the grass, or less than the grass? IOW, are they in less light, the same light, or more light than the meter reading you took of the grass?

One of the great things with digital is, you can take a shot, look immediately at the histogram on your LCD screen , and see if you need to change your shutter speed in manual to get the proper exposure. Just practice and play with your settings in manual and you'll get the hang of it.

Doing is probably better than trying to figure it out here on the forum, based on theories, or others' settings.

amehta Loc: Boston

rjrbigdog wrote:

I understand that, thanks. So, If I meter off the grass and recompose do the settings on my light meter change? and if they do, should I dial in the meter reading I got off the grass? I use a nikon d800 and want to learn manual mode. If I was shooting in aperture or shutter priority I could use exposure compensation. Any help would be appreciated.

Which metering mode are you using? It should be the spot meter. If you meter off the grass and then recompose and the exposure changes, then you should figure out why they are different.

amehta Loc: Boston

The situation where I am shooting outdoors and use manual mode is if the light on the subject will be fairly consistent, but the exposure for the background changes and the subject is moving. One recent situation was an outdoor volleyball tournament, where the background could be either the distant trees or the sky. I simply spot metered on a player's face and used that to set the exposure in manual mode. When I switched to shooting the team on the other side, I had to meter again because they were in the shade, but stayed with manual exposure mode.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

rjrbigdog wrote:

Hi,
Just want to ask about working in manual mode. When I take a meter reading lets say from the blue sky and get my reading, when I recompose the shot the reading changes. Do i have to manually dial in the reading I got from the sky?

Metering off the sky would give a correct setting for the sky, not necessarily your subject. It would be better if you meter off the main oblect, then use those steeings if you recompose. As above spot metering gives more accurate values. Again as above metering off your palm is a trick used to mimic an 18% grey card. If you have the time either will hive an accurate reading.

Capture48 Loc: Arizona

It sounds like you are shooting people outdoors in sunlight. In which case there is no perfect reading no matter where you meter. Meter off your subject, your skies may be blown out. Meter off your sky, your subject may be too dark unless you use fill flash. Meter off the grass, you may get most areas darker than you want.

So pick what area you want exposed correctly and meter for it, then adjust the rest in PP. Or bracket your shots. While the people may be moving, hopefully the sky and ground are not.