Thanks for the very detailed explanation.
CHG_CANON wrote:
You can meter anyway you want, but Canon's evaluative metering is the easiest and the most receptive to the ideas above regarding EC and the relative + / - position of the meter vs the 0-mark.
To the idea of ETTR - Exposing to the Right and capturing in RAW, as long as you don't 'blow' the highlights, you can use a combination of your Highlights slider and your Whites slider in post to bring out the RAW details (lower highlights) and maintain the original whites of the bird (increased whites). This post includes a working example:
ETTR in Practice IIYou can meter anyway you want, but Canon's evaluat... (
show quote)
Thanks for the very detailed answer.
ricardo00 wrote:
Are you photographing birds sitting for you or are you trying to photograph birds in flight or doing something?
Both, in flight and doing something.
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
Rgandel wrote:
What is the best way to photograph white birds without blowing out the highlights?
I have used the following for years.
I take a manual reading off grass or a green tree that is lighting the subject the same way. (this will give you a gray card reading without the gray card) I then underexpose 2 to 3 stops, it is easier to bring back details by underexposing than by overexposing in post. But most of the time 2 to 3 stops works great.
This has been my method and it works for me. Others my have different methods.
billnikon wrote:
I have used the following for years.
I take a manual reading off grass or a green tree that is lighting the subject the same way. (this will give you a gray card reading without the gray card) I then underexpose 2 to 3 stops, it is easier to bring back details by underexposing than by overexposing in post. But most of the time 2 to 3 stops works great.
This has been my method and it works for me. Others my have different methods.
Looks to me like your method works just fine!
Nice looking birds.
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billnikon wrote:
I have used the following for years.
I take a manual reading off grass or a green tree that is lighting the subject the same way. (this will give you a gray card reading without the gray card) I then underexpose 2 to 3 stops, it is easier to bring back details by underexposing than by overexposing in post. But most of the time 2 to 3 stops works great.
This has been my method and it works for me. Others my have different methods.
Looks like you have that dialed in very well. Gives you good whites and shadow detail, nicely done.
I agree with what’s been already stated, but add that it’s not just about preventing highlights blowing out. Losing detail in those highlights is also important. You will lose the detail before you blow out the highlights and you want to avoid exposing all the way to the right for that reason. There is no ideal histogram for this as it depends on the brightness and contrast. So, expose to the right, but preserve detail in the highlights.
billnikon wrote:
I have used the following for years.
I take a manual reading off grass or a green tree that is lighting the subject the same way. (this will give you a gray card reading without the gray card) I then underexpose 2 to 3 stops, it is easier to bring back details by underexposing than by overexposing in post. But most of the time 2 to 3 stops works great.
This has been my method and it works for me. Others my have different methods.
Great images. Thanks for the suggestion.
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