Exercise: Measuring exposure - Part 2.

For part two, take five or six different photos but for each one make five exposures around the best exposure. The first should be one stop darker, the second half a stop, the third average, the fourth half a stop lighter and the fifth one stop lighter.

-1.0

-0.5

Average.

+0.5

+1.0

I personally prefer the average and half a stop darker examples as they retain detail the best.

 

-1.0

-0.5

Average.

+0.5

+1.0

I think the half a stop lighter and the average exposure work best here as much lighter and the red looks washed out and much darker and the photo appears quite gloomy. Having said that, i feel that there may be a place for the image which is half a stop darker as this scene is not really supposed to look bright and cheery.

-1.0

-0.5

Average.

+0.5

+1.0

I actually think that all of these photographs have potential to work. I think that I was expecting the central exposure to possibly be a little darker than it actually is, with the leaves looking a deeper green.

-1.0

-0.5

Average

+0.5

+1.0

Here I feel that the average exposure is actually darker than I was expecting. I think that the examples that do not work are those that are both one stop lighter and darker, as they are either too washed out or too gloomy.

-1.0

-0.5

Average.

+0.5

+1.0

It would seem that my thoughts on the average exposure have remained quite consistent so far in that I feel that it has always worked quite well. I have generally preferred the slightly under exposed examples, but with the apples in the bowl I actually prefer the lighter exposures.

-1.0

-0.5

Average.

+0.5

+1.0

Again I think that the average is a bit darker than expected for me. The exposure I prefer would have to be +0.5 which it how I probably expected the average to look. The under exposed, darker examples are for me a bit too dark.

I found this exercise with comparing the variations in exposure interesting as it proved that even with so much technology, the camera is not always right and the photographer themselves may need to make adjustments to improve shots.