Rod Clabaugh Loc: Red Bluff, Northern California

Being somewhat new to photography I have a question. When it comes to taking photos how can you tell if a picture is under or overexposed? Isn’t a little subjective? I find the task of photo editing daunting because I’m not sure if I should change a picture or not. It really handcuffs me sometimes because I don’t want to ruin a photo.

Over or under? I think it looks fine.

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Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

Yes, it's subjective to a degree. It's like that "porn thing" -- you know it when you see it.

BIG BUT, there are some basic criteria that most folks agree about. I, and most folks, would identify the photo you posted as overexposed because the diffuse highlights in the subject are blown. The lightest areas of the cat's fur are solid white without detail -- cat fur has lots of detail and we expect to see it.

You as the artist have the option to claim that's what you intended and you want it that way. But there's always that "porn thing" -- not everyone's going to buy.


Joe

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

There are artists and technicians. An artist simply looks to see if the photo looks like what the mind's eye saw. The technician will try to measure everything to determine perfection. It is exposed properly if you like the look.

Bob Mevis Loc: Plymouth, Indiana

Try your histogram, and practice a or. It will come to you.

Kozan Loc: Trenton Tennessee

Rod, I think it is slightly over-exposed. But just slightly. And over or under exposure really depends on how you feel about the image. In general, you never want to blow out important details. Some parts of the image can be blown out (no detail), and some part can be so black there is no detail. As long as they are not important parts of the image.

The reason I say it is a little over exposed because I think you more detail in the fur in the middle of the cat. As shown on my monitor, a little area has no detail. So I would have darkened the image a little, maybe half a stop or even a full stop.

But again, may I suggest that you go into your editing software and view the image with different exposure values. Start with it dark and then gradually lighten it up until you feel it is perfect. If the image imparts the feeling you want it to, then it is the perfect exposure for that image.

There is no absolutes here. Some responses from folks on UHH will tell you Expose To The Right on the Histogram. and that's fine for grabbing all the detail from the whites. On some photos, you will need to go into your editing software and reduce the exposure for you to get that FEELING that it is correct.

I used to think a good picture had good detail in the dark areas, good middle gray, and good light areas. That is not the case. You could have an image that is LOW KEY where most all of the image was dark, with a small amount of middle gray tones. So, in that case, Exposure To The Right (ETTR) would not provide the proper image.

Take your image of the cat and play with it in Photoshop or whatever editing software you have and see if darkening would provide a better mood to the image.

This may be a lot more response than you wanted, but again the bottom line is that You like the exposure you got. Don't worry about what other people think. If you think it's the proper exposure, that's all that matters.

And yes, it's a fine image as is, but I think it could be improved...

Stan

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Over (highlights are blown out to pure, detail-less white).

Really, the dynamic range of a JPEG cannot contain the dynamic range of this scene. One solution is to record raw files and process them on your computer in software. You can recover lots of detail from the raw file that the camera menu settings wouldn’t allow.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Overexposed. Note that there is no detail in the white fur of the cat’s chin where there should be. Also the depth of field is very narrow or the camera is front focusing. The cats’ fur in the foreground is more or less in focus (it isn’t tack sharp), while the right side whiskers, which are maybe 6” away are blurred.

Recommendation(s): (a) look at the histogram to help insure that the highlights are not more than a stop beyond the right side side of the histogram as a max. If you want to give yourself a bit of safety margin against blowing the highlights, stop at the right edge - you can go a stop or so beyond that as you gain experience. (B) download a depth of field calculator and plug your intended exposure into it and use it to pick your f stop to insure that you have adequate depth of field so that everything you want is in focus. Note that if you choose to shoot wide open with a limited depth of field, you need to make sure that your camera’s autofocus is spot on, we can discuss that in further detail if you like.

Hope this helps...

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

From an aesthetic standpoint, you, the photographer, are the final judge of how light or dark your image should be. For a close-up of this cat, you have a great pose and closeness. A few adjustments to your exposure and focus will improve the result.

From a technical standpoint, you can see in the 1:1 details, the technical aspects of the image to consider:

1. Over-exposed whites, lacking detail, both visually and when looking at the histogram. On your camera, if you set the display for the histogram and activate the highlight warnings, you'll see 'blinking' warnings of over exposure. Use those warnings to adjust your exposure parameters. See your camera manual for details.

2. For focus, for people or animals, seek the sharpest focus on the nearest eye to the camera. This can be done using a single AF point directly on the subject's eye. Again, consult your camera manual for how to select an individual AF point and how to move the AF point within the frame.

If you click into the details of the image along the bottom edge, you can see the best focus is the fur at the bottom of the frame. Imagine this image if that sharp focus was on the eye and all the hair on the face with all distinct strands of fur as appears on the leg exiting the frame at the bottom. This cat seems willing to cooperate as you refine your technique.

You'll want 'white whites', so you only need to adjust the exposure slightly so the highlight warnings just stop blinking. The EXIF data is missing from the attachment, so you'll have to look at the image on your end and decide if a faster shutter or lower ISO (or both) is the parameter to adjust to just slightly lower the exposure on the whites of the fur.

(Download)

bleirer

There are ways to protect your highlights from being blown out, depending on your camera. If you have highlight warnings turn them on. Shooting raw gives even more latitude. I found I have 2/3 of a stop past the start of the blinkies if I shoot raw, but I usually avoid them if I can. Watch the histogram, if it is climbing up the right wall there are blown highlights somewhere. If it is a small specular highlight you won't care, but if it is any important area you will. Use your evaluative/matrix metering mode, and use the exposure compensation, if you are not shooting manual mode, to the - side if you get blown areas. Modern cameras have a lot of room below the middle for shadow details as long as you don't go too low, but the best bet for less noise is to keep your ISO reasonably low if possible and keep your brightest area just below the blinkie stage and just off of the right wall of the histogram.

Rod Clabaugh Loc: Red Bluff, Northern California

How do I send an attachment including the exif info?

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

Turn on highlight warnings in your camera

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

I would say it is overexposed.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Exposure is subjective. What is too dark for one person is just right to another.
I like to think on exposure the same way as I do cooking. I cook to taste, in other words, I cook and add ingredients until it tastes right TO ME.
I treat exposure the same way.
On your cat image, to me, it is too light, I would take it into photoshop and work with it. But, that's my take. Yours will be different.

Leitz Loc: Solms

If it looks OK to you, why would you care what anyone else thinks??

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

It was either your device or your software that scrubbed the exif. Take a look at export settings.

IMO there are 3 or 4 truly excellent responses on the first page of replies - the comments that speak to both technical and artistic choices, in particular.

If you are feeling "handcuffed," it sounds like you are more concerned with the judgment of others. Early in your development (pun intended) this can be a good thing, just like learning the "rules" of composition. Take in all the constructive feedback, advice and learning, and then - assuming you don't have a client to please - do what suits you!

We were just discussing "blocked up blacks" (under-exposure) in another topic. That is an area that bugs some folks and not others. I personally tend to shoot and process for more dramatic light, though there are exceptions.

Best wishes on your journey!