Week 6 DLS exercises: MORE metering madness!

Alright, ladies & gentlemen. This week you are going to play with your windows. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a series of 3 images.

During the day when it's still light outside, with your camera in Av, spot metering on, focus in manual or auto (during this exercise your camera will let you know how touchy your auto focus is, I'm sure) you need to set something about the size of a basketball in front of your BIGGEST window. You can hang a pillow, use a person's head, set up a book, have a person hold an actual basketball in the middle of the window - whatever suits your fancy. You need to be able to stand 8 or so feet away from your subject.

The first picture is a silhouette, straight up. You may or may not need to meter for it, depending how light it is outside. The second picture, I want you to meter so that your subject is exposed so you are able to see detail without your subject being over-exposed, and the light outside your window should be completely whiting out any trace of a background. The third picture, I want you to properly expose your subject so we can see detail with the background whited out, but using your AE+/-. If you want to really hone this, try using different sized objects - really small objects that block a very small area vs. large objects that block most of the backlighting will create different challenges.

Make mental notes. Which method do you find easier? Can you see how one method will work better than the other depending on different circumstances? Can you see how the method you prefer might not work in some situations? These are the types of things that when you are shooting in real-life situations with real-life people you will need to become aware of. Proficiency switching between these two methods of metering and/or metering compensation is a necessity of you cannot or do not wish to use fill lighting from reflectors, strobes, or other sources.

Don't forget to send me a link when you've blogged so I know to go check it out!!! Happy shooting, everyone!!!