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Photography Question 

Kristina M. Covey
 

how to shoot with sun from behind


 
 
How can I shoot offshore fishing images of marlin jumping and such when positioning of the boat and sun and fish is not in my control? Exposure is often blown out by the sun and it has been difficult to get a good action closeup with my 300mm canon lens (w/image stabilizer) Also tried to shoot Los Arcos in Cabo, see attached shots - bracketed a million times to no avail....


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January 25, 2005

 

Michael H. Cothran
  In the situations which you describe, there is a lot of glare, and bright light - both of which will adversely affect your camera's metering to the underexposure side.
Here is the best way to shoot under these conditions where the lighting is somewhat stable, even though you may be shooting from one side of the boat to the next side:
Don't rely on your meter. Turn it off, or turn your camera to Manual, and then shoot according to the Sunny 16 rule. Personally, I find the Sunny 16 exposure to be somewhat dark, so I modify it to the Sunny 11 or Sunny 13.5 rule.
If it is a clear, sunny day on the ocean shoot at one of these settings with ISO 100 film or digital setting:

1/125 sec @ f13.5 (halfway between 11 and 16), or 1/250 halfway between f8-f11, or 1/500 sec halfway between f5.6-f8.
Michael H. Cothran


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January 27, 2005

 
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