JimBart Loc: Western Michigan

Need a little help… seems like I’ve forgotten something Tell me if I’m correct and if not please set me straight
Attempting to get the detail of the subject against the background
1. Light (white, creme etc) subject against a dark background equal a negative ex comp
2. Light subject against light background equal a zero or plus exp comp
3. Dark subject against dark background equals plus exp comp
4. Dark subject against lighter or bright background equals a zero or minus exp comp
5. Subject in front of a bright or dark no curtained window equals a negative exp comp.
Thanks for setting me straight

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Exposure compensation should ordinarily be based on your primary subject, not the background. You also have to consider what metering mode you are using.

When backgrounds are different from the subject, they will likely confuse matrix metering. Center weighted or spot metering may provide more accurate results without requiring EC at all.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

I don't think you can make a hard and fast rule for exposure compensation.
Too many variables inc how smart your camera is regarding available exposure modes, how smart you are at setting your camera up for various scenarios etc.
My advice would be too shoot RAW as it will give you more flexibility in pp if you make a mistake in exposure, than if you were only saving jpegs.

User ID

All true.

If you use spot, you must either engage AE lock or work in full manual (no auto ISO !)

User ID

Some cameras have an EC dial. Others have a "+/-" button that brings up an EC screen.

The dial is a waste of top deck real estate but fortunately the button can be reassigned to do something useful.

Never use an EC dial or button. Theres always a much better appoach. And if you never use EC you dont hafta memorize that protocol that youll always keep forgetting about foreground-background-subject-darken-lighten-yadayah ! Its like that rhyme about which months have only 30 days. It just doesnt fly. Do the most obvious thing and just meter the subject. And if theres enough time, bracket widely. Theres always more than one "best" exposure ! The EC would deliver only one guessimated shot.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

What determines the need for EC is preponderance. When the camera is using matrix or evaluative metering, if there's a preponderance of dark in the frame then the camera will tend to brighten the exposure. If you also have small, bright highlights that you don't want blown you have to use negative EC to save the highlights. That may mean going against your natural instinct to brighten a dark exposure. And it will almost certainly mean having to brighten the shadows in PP. A small amount of shadow lifting isn't normally a problem but a lot of it can be tricky and difficult to get looking just right. It can also reveal a lot of noise and it can result in skewed colours.

If there's a preponderance of brightness in the frame but there are small, dark areas where you want to be able to reveal details, in theory you can use positive EC to keep the dark areas from being "crushed" as far as detail is concerned. However, doing that leaves you wide open to the possibility of blown highlights. If the rest of the frame is only moderately bright then you may be OK using moderate amounts of positive EC. Alternatively you may not care about blown highlights. In either case, knowing the facts makes you able to make enlightened choices.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

??

If you know what you're doing you can dial in an EC setting and then forget about it. Trying to use the camera's meter scale requires that we give some of our limited attention to it, and that is an ongoing thing because every movement of the camera and every change within the scene has the potential to change the meter scale readout. I can think of things that are far more deserving of our attention.

Using spot or centre weighted metering means that every movement of the camera can significantly change the exposure, and it also requires that we target the subject accurately. Not too hard with a stationary subject but difficult or perhaps impossible with a moving target.

User ID

Imaginary problems are very popular with some Hogsters. Exposure is dirt simple.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

True. The problems start when we allow ourselves to be concerned about the quality of the outcome.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

User ID wrote: "Imaginary problems are very popular with some Hogsters. Exposure is dirt simple."

Yes, exposure is simple IF using digital photography. I rarely use matrix or multi-pattern metering, I use spot and center weighted more often. I learned with them when matrix was non existent and I know their behaviour.
Base your exposure on your subject. Matrix compensates the exposure, nobody knows by how much. Spot metering is more reliable for the knowledgeable photographer who knows how to use it. Dark backgrounds, if you want them black require -2 EC. if using center weighted metering. I do not know if matrix will require further compensation, I said I do not use it often. A bright subject against a dark background is a piece of cake if using spot metering. Meter the important bright subject and compensate the exposure and you are done.

It is important to understand that no matter the subject, an exposure meter always will render it as a gray tonality, it was designed to do that. Black and white are not a middle tonality and compensation is necessary, more exposure for bright objects and less for dark ones.
Meter from a gray card, non reflective, and no matter the subject tonality, the exposure, as a rule, will be OK if the metering was done in the same light falling on the subject. An incident meter reading will keep you in the ballpark, no compensations will be necessary.

There is a difference between light gray and bright gray, between slightly dark and dark and that difference is usually one stop of light between them, like opening one stop for light gray and two for bright gray.
Exposure is not that difficult.

BebuLamar

I never use the exposure compensation either but to many the exposure compensation control is the only mean to control exposure. Even when they shoot in manual (but have auto ISO on) the apeture and shutter speed don't control exposure.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

True in general.

I just spot meter on the subject and adjust from there if necessary.

agillot

The only thing i can tell you , is that on manual exposure or other , you have to over expose white , and under expose black , because the camera is trying to make light gray . So in this case snow will look light gray not white , and so black will not be pure black ..

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

Do you have a mirrorless camera? If you do, you can see exactly what you are getting through the viewfinder as you change the EC.

srg