Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

Use manual mode, spot or center-weighted metering, zero in on your subject to set your exposure. If you use Auto, use Exposure Lock to set. Or, as noted above, get mirrorless...What you see, is what you get!

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

This is a good approach, BUT the meter will try to make the subject equal to something like 12 to 18% depending on the way the factory set it AND depending on if shooting raw or JPG or other non-raw.

So a lighter than middle gray subject or a darker one will require adjustment.

OK, now for the easy way: if the dynamic range is well within the sensor's ability then shoot raw, fix it in post.

srt101fan

Ain't that the truth....

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

I don't know if this is only for mirrorless but my display in the viewfinder shows exposure on a scale with what it thinks is perfect at zero in the center of the scale. Easy, then, to adjust.

Also, with most digitals in my experience, if you have it set to lock exposure and focus with a half-press then you can pick a spot (spot meter of course) that will give the desired exposure as you are seeing it.

srt101fan

Nothing wrong with using exposure compensation. Don't make it sound like their is.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

That's why I said "...and adjust from there if necessary.".

BebuLamar

That's a way of doing thing. I just say that's the most popular mean of controlling exposure today. Nothing wrong about it of course. Just that I never used it, it's more time consuming for me than simply switching to full manual.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Let me propose a different approach that gives you complete control over the exposure and makes max use of the camera’s automation (which is always faster than you can adjust in changing light conditions) - manual shutter and aperture with auto ISO AND EC (assuming your camera supports the combination).

First a couple of suppositions. SS is critical - in general, a blurry subject (even with AI PP) is useless. Aperture is critical - insufficient DOF (again, even with AI PP) is useless, and too much DOF ruins subject isolation. With modern cameras, ISO is NOT critical. Most newer FF bodies are quite usable at ISO 12,800 and crop at 6,400, and modern AI PP can often remove the noise. So let the camera do what it does better than you in a fast moving, light changing situation - adjust the ISO, which is NOT critical. Now for EC. What EC does is change the metering sensitivity.

So you pick a shutter speed that freezes the subject (if that’s your intention). Pick an aperture that provides the required DOF, let the camera pick the ISO, and if the image is too dark or light, just adjust the EC. If you’re composing landscapes or still subjects, then you may choose to spot meter, set everything manually and shoot as many frames as necessary to get the required result. But IF light is changing, the subject is moving or the scene is evolving rapidly, auto ISO + EC is a great combination.

Steve Perry, a well known wildlife photographer, made exactly this case for auto ISO + EC a few years ago on UHH after Canon first intriduced auto ISO + EC on their 5D4, and his results back up his opinion.

srt101fan

Another vote for M + Auto ISO + EC .....

R.G. Loc: Scotland

In that situation EC allows you to regain control over the exposure if you think that the camera is going to make an inappropriate choice for exposure level. In this mode the factors which determine the need for EC are the same as they've always been so there's no need for new skills or a new understanding.

As you say, M+AutoISO+EC allows you to make full use of the assistance that the camera is capable of providing. If you don't see a need for EC, let Auto ISO decide the exposure - which it will do dynamically, and that in turn allows you to concentrate on more important things. Getting shutter speed and DOF right are more important than using the lowest possible ISO, so SS and aperture are the variables that are most important to control. When all is said and done, the content of the image is what matters most, so that is what you want to be free to concentrate on.

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

[this]

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I started doing that for wildlife, now use it most of the time.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

1 yes
2 yes
3 opposite - camera will overexpose
4 yes
5 yes

it is more important how bright or dark. If the overall content isn't average brightness, the camera will try to make it average.
It also depends on the subject. As an example, if in #5 you want outside properly exposed, you might need to expose minus, but if the interior is the subject, plus.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

That’s why I didn’t give yes or no answers. None of this is cut and dried. Whether the background is dark and the subject light or vice versa it really depends on the balance between light and dark.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

What it really depends on is photographer's vision. I seek dramatic lighting quite often, especially very dark (shadowed) backgrounds with subjects in sunlight. Under-exposing is essential; and shooting in raw makes life much easier

Spiders love rosebuds too by Linda Shorey, on Flickr

Wild Morning Glory by Linda Shorey, on Flickr

Foggy and frigid autumn dawn by Linda Shorey, on Flickr