How did this happen?
Mar 16, 2016 10:48:37 #
Cordell Okie
Loc: Edmond, OK
We are on Sanibel Island in Florida, it is the middle of the day, lots of sun. Have a Nikon D810 with 200-500 lens shooting in aperture priority, Iso 125. The first picture is shot at 1/1250 sec. and the 2nd at 1/1600 sec. Question is how did the background become so dark? There were actually 4 pictures taken that came out this way. The rest of my pictures had a normal background. The only editing done was to crop.
Mar 16, 2016 10:54:16 #
WoodnMetalGuy
Loc: MN
With those bright objects on a dark background it looks like the camera is doing a good job of not blowing out the highlights.
Probably just a little different composition with a few more white birds caused the camera to make a different exposure decision.
Probably just a little different composition with a few more white birds caused the camera to make a different exposure decision.
Mar 16, 2016 11:00:37 #
Sun glare off the water caused the camera to underexpose. You need to feed in a stop to a stop and a half of positive exposure compensation.
Mar 16, 2016 11:00:52 #
Woodmetalguy's explanation makes sense.
And Wow, did it make for great pictures! You couldn't ask for a better shot!
And Wow, did it make for great pictures! You couldn't ask for a better shot!
Mar 16, 2016 11:03:23 #
The answer is that the camera decided to expose for the white birds. What type of exposure metering you have in your camera? That will explain your images.
Mar 16, 2016 11:08:19 #
Spot meter on the white birds most likely.
Or you have an EV correction dialed in. I don't think it resets when you turn the camera off. I know bracketing doesn't. But if two in sequence likely not bracketing.
Or you have an EV correction dialed in. I don't think it resets when you turn the camera off. I know bracketing doesn't. But if two in sequence likely not bracketing.
Mar 16, 2016 11:08:25 #
What a happy accident!
I would say that the lighting in these images is excellent.
I agree with Changan about the camera exposing for the white feathers.
Now if you can get the bills of the other birds to show up these shots will be excellent.
I would say that the lighting in these images is excellent.
I agree with Changan about the camera exposing for the white feathers.
Now if you can get the bills of the other birds to show up these shots will be excellent.
Mar 16, 2016 11:12:12 #
Mar 16, 2016 11:14:14 #
Cordell Okie wrote:
We are on Sanibel Island in Florida, it is the middle of the day, lots of sun. Have a Nikon D810 with 200-500 lens shooting in aperture priority, Iso 125. The first picture is shot at 1/1250 sec. and the 2nd at 1/1600 sec. Question is how did the background become so dark? There were actually 4 pictures taken that came out this way. The rest of my pictures had a normal background. The only editing done was to crop.
It's a crap shoot without letting us know your metering mode, what you metered, etc. Anyone venturing a guess with this information is doing just that, a guess.
--Bob
Mar 16, 2016 11:26:38 #
A nice example of exposing for the areas of white in the photo. No mystery, you either had a spot meter on the white birds, or exposure compensation inadvertently applied in camera. When I photograph white birds I always try to underexpose because it is so easy to blow out the whites.
Mar 16, 2016 11:28:30 #
Cordell Okie
Loc: Edmond, OK
I was using group area focus and I focused on the large bird toward center.
Mar 16, 2016 11:31:31 #
Cordell Okie wrote:
I was using group area focus and I focused on the large bird toward center.
What were you using for metering, spot? center weighted?, etc.
--Bob
Mar 16, 2016 11:36:10 #
Mar 16, 2016 11:37:47 #
Cordell Okie wrote:
I was using center weighted.
OK, if you were metering on the largest appearing bird, that being white, would cause your meter to want to place that white in a lower zone, Zone V - give or take a bit. That would cause the overall image to be slightly underexposed.
--Bob
Mar 16, 2016 11:44:20 #
BTW, CO, when you post, here's a suggestion. Please, click the (store original) box next to where you browse for your image. That will post a link to the original image you saved. That will also include the exif data, provided you don't delete that data during processing.
Having that exif data is valuable when troubleshooting images.
Thx,
Bob
Having that exif data is valuable when troubleshooting images.
Thx,
Bob
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.