barney

03.04.2012
TAOP

PART FOUR: THE NATURE OF LIGHT.
Project: The intensity of light.
Exercise: Measuring exposure.

Part 1.

I used spot metering throughout. I was using it in a way that would give false readings so as to make life difficult.

While I was taking the first set exposure shots for Part 2 I noticed a yacht moored up off shore. What I wanted from this shot was a near silhouette against the brightly illuminated sea. Using what I had learnt from the seven exposures of the sea scape exercise I had just completed I took a reading and then over exposed by 2/3rds of a stop. f14 @ 1/320sec.

The following piece of mindless graffito was inside a shelter. I took a reading off the white area and then opened up by 2/3rds of a stop. This was to compensate for the camera's software dropping the white to grey. f4.5 @ 1/125sec.I did a double bracket but this was the best result. It still looks to be in a shaded area but the surface looks white.

The only illumination to my garden shed is a small window and the open door and I was filling the door. If I trusted the camera’s metering the result would not reflect the dark gloom of the place as it would attempt to lighten it to the average daylight reading. I took a reading off the back wall and then closed down one full stop. The result is the one I wanted. f4.5 @ 1/15sec.

After taking a series of pictures of The Winkle at Hastings I noticed the representation of a dab on the reverse side. Using what I had learnt from the series I took two shots, one at, and another one third brighter than the meter reading. The truer image was at 1/3 brighter. f5.6 @ 1/125sec. The camera’s meter had tried to compensate for the strong reflections and had recommended a shutter speed of 1/160sec.

A visit to Walmer Castle provided this image which is of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s garden looking back towards the castle. I took exposure readings from the castle, the water and the grass. All were different. I tried the Castle reading but the result turned out to be too light as the camera opened up the exposure to compensate.. f4.5 @ 1/125sec. I closed down by one stop and got a good result. f4.4 @ 1/250sec. The grass reading would have given the same correct result.

The last of this set is of lobster pots at Deal. As they are so dark I knew that the given exposure would be wrong and would give me an washed out image. I took one shot as the camera suggested, f5.6 @ 1/80sec, and then one more at f5.6 @ 200sec. The second one was still not dark enough so I took a third at 5.6 @ 1/250sec. This was the correct exposure to retain the deep blacks that were the pots.

This series has been about the black cat in the coal hole and the white bridal dress against the white wall; problems where the camera's meter will try and average out exposure to the standard 18% grey card. In these extreme conditions it is only by degrees of correction that a satisfactory exposure can be made. Opening up for the bridal shot and closing for the coal hole. Counter intuitive but sense if one thinks about it.

Part 2.

I carried out this part as directed but at 1/3rd stop increments as that what my E3 employs. This gave seven images for each subject.

I images of white flowers against a dark background, white flowers against a bright sky, the sun's reflection on a smooth sea, a group of dinghies and finally The Winkle at Hastings.

I reproduce the best of each set and how much under or over it is from the camera's suggestion.