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Category: New Answers

Photography Question 

Stacy Wasmuth 		 

I'm really struggling here...help!


 
 
I need some help with lighting. I borrowed a backdrop system from a friend, used a white paper backdrop, and set it up in the lightest spot in my house - a corner with 3 windows. I am trying to find a reliable morning spot to use only natural light to photograph children. But - all of my images come out "murky" and dark. The histograms are way over to the left, and I have to do major PS to get them acceptable. My parameters are set at zero, and I use jpeg, but I don't know if those things matter with light quantity/quality. I don't think that my camera (Rebel XT) can adjust to overexpose, except in exposure bracketing. Is there anything I can do, short of buying lights or a new house with more light?? Thanks so much. I'll try to attach an example.


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July 19, 2005

 

Henry Tai 		  You need a good amount of natural light, tripod and look over your setting on the camera.
I would go manaul (you set the shutter and aperature)not auto settings..Up your ISO to 200 or 400..and let me know how that went :)


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July 21, 2005

 

Swapnali Mathkar 		  Hi,

As you are using white backdrop, and you are in lightest position. means your backdrop is reflecting more bright now. Now your camera meter will take this reading of reflected white light, and it will think that the scene is overexposed. So to adjust to it, camera will increase the shuutter speed or f number depdning on your setting. But the result image will actaually seen as underexposed image. To avoid this,

1]. add exposure compensation to +1/2 to +1 stop. So this will increase the light falling on sesor. and image will not be underexposed. If your subejct is big 1/2 stop should be sufficient, if subject is very small you may need to increase to 1 or even more. U can use any mode of camera like Av, Tv, P

Or
2] Take a reading of the subject only without background. and note the shutter speed and f , and use this value while shooting with background. You will need to use manual mode of camera here

Please ask me if you still have any problems or questions


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July 21, 2005

 

Stacy Wasmuth 		  Thanks for responding! When I posted the photos for my question, it started a new thread, so I did get some additional answers there too, but I haven't tried all of the suggestions and am open to more!!
Based on the other suggestions, I think my problem is that my highlight to shadow ratio is more than my camera can handle, so I need additional "fill" light for the shadows. I'm wanting to get a reflector (read great things about the touch of warmth kind - any opinions?) and/or a speedlite (420EX) to bounce a flash from. I hope one of those will fix my issues.
Henry - thanks for your ideas. I try to not use a tripod, since I'm photographing toddlers and babies, which are sooo difficult to keep in one area anyway. I end up chasing them! I haven't tried Av yet (I mostly like P mode because it's smarter than me at this point); and I typically use 200 (or 400 when light is low). I need to work on my manual settings - practice, practice!
Swapnali - thanks for all of your tips! If I used spot metering on the shadows of the face or on the eyes, would the white background still fool my meter? I don't think my dig Rebel has exposure compensation (just flash compensation and exposure bracketing). I was bummed when I realized this. If I want a subject only reading, won't I have to take the reading in the actual spot, and then put the background back? I don't know if I'm understanding correctly, but I do thank you for your input!!


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July 22, 2005

 

Henry Tai 		  Spot metering..hmmm..in this case, try using a gray card..18pct gray card..have the card so it is at the subject area facung the camera..meter the card and use that setting..please let me know how that works..personally, I like to meter light falling on the subject rather than reflecting off the subject..a dark subject reflects less light than a light subject..this can surely fool the spot meter..


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July 22, 2005

 

Kerry L. Walker 		  Stacy, switch to manual mode. Get up close to your subject, meter off their skin and set your exposure. Then back up and compose your picture. The white background will be overexposed, which will make the white actually white rather than gray (which your meter thinks it is). You won't need to take down the background. Just get in close to meter.


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July 22, 2005

 

Swapnali Mathkar 		  Hi,

What kerry is saying is right.
But instead on switching first to manual mode. do the following.
1. Keep a P or Av mode. go close to your suject and eleminate the white background. see what reading ur meter camera shows ie F num and shutter speed. note it on many be paper.
2. Go to ur shooting position. switch to manual mode. select the noted reading in the camera.
3. shoot as normal,
U will get good skin colours and white will be white and not gray. / But there is chance that white is little over exposed (washed out). In this case use a reflector to give fill light. Dont need to buy high priced relfector. Use white cardboard sheets, plain white cloth, or the big aluminium folis. U can try and see how to keep them etc.

Yes about exposure compensation I think ur camera must have it. Its not a feature which shows in a menu.

I think you must be knowing how to key in F num and shutter spped in manual mode . (if not pls find it in manual)

When u use a Av, or P mode. U can see there is some reading which camera has set it. Now there is one button in ur camera which modifies F number in manual mode, try to change F number when u r in P mode. This will show u can the meter bar which indicates the exposure moves to right or left, showing 1/2 or 1 stop over or underexposure. This means, even ur camera is in P mode, u have changed F number. This is called exposure compensation :-)

Now if ur camera is in Av mode, means F number is fixed initially by u and camera changes the shutter speed depending on light. U know the button which changes shutter speed in manual button. Move / click that button or dial to change the reading of shutter sppead. This will again change the meter bar and will show the image under or over exposed by 1/2 or 1 or 2 stops depending on ur selected shutter speed. This is again exposure compensation.
In Av mode u can not modify Fnum for exp comp. because if u modify camera will again calculate the shutter speed, for correct exposure, means at 0 position in meter bar.

In my last post I told u to do this.
means suppose in P mode u got a reading as 250 Sec at F 11, now move either F number selection dial/ button or shutter spped selection dial / button and make the shutter speed as 125 . the F num is already at 11. Now ur camera will show 1/2 stop overexposure, by moving a center marker of meter bar at right side instead of zero. U can set for each 1/2 or 1/3 stop and check how ur image is. and then use the best reading for next images.

I hope this helps u..
Pls dont invest in high priced equipment if u really dont know why u want them or before checking other possibilities of avoiding current problem.



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July 24, 2005

 

Stacy Wasmuth 		  Thank you guys so much! Swapnali, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to give such a detailed explanation!!
I spoke with a friend who has the same camera as me, and I found out how to do exp. comp. - duh! :) He suggested that I meter for the entire scene instead of spot metering, but I'm guessing from what you said, the meter will still be fooled by the background doing that too. I'll definitely try to meter in close (spot is okay?? or should I still do evaluative??), and use those settings in manual mode. Is it better to meter from the shadow side of the face or from the lit side in this case? I got a foam board and a silver reflector (the car kind) for a few dollars, and am ready to try again! Thanks again for all of your help!


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July 24, 2005

 
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