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jilliibabii
Mrs. O'Connor
Member since 6/10 12821 total posts
Name:
Jillian
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"Bracketing" a Photo
Okay, so I'm doing my HW for my photography class and I needed a little clarification. (I left my notes at home!  )
Anyway, we're supposed to be taking a photo in an uneven lighting situation. My subject is flowers in front of a bright window. Now I've angled my lens down to take a light meter reading and taken the photo at my desired exposure.
She wants us to bracket the photo by taking a picture one stop brighter and one stop darker than the desired exposure photo. Do I take the photo based on angling my lens down again and adjusting my aperture/shutter speed until I'm 1 stop brighter/darker or do I just change let's say the shutter speed from 1/60 to 1/80 and disregard the light meter entirely? Does this make sense to anyone? I hope so. lol!
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Posted 3/25/11 11:32 AM  |
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Nifheim
allo
Member since 1/09 5476 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Take a meter reading as is (entire shot) then go one stop above and one stop under.
BUT how I do it and always have done it is take a entire reading - click, take a reading for the brights - click, take a reading for the darks - click.This is how you did when you shot film.
It really depends on what the teacher wants to prove. To make the image the best you do what I do, to make it better then just a random single shot you do the first way.
Where are you talking classes?
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| Posted 3/25/11 11:40 AM |
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jilliibabii
Mrs. O'Connor
Member since 6/10 12821 total posts
Name:
Jillian
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Posted by Nifheim
Take a meter reading as is (entire shot) then go one stop above and one stop under.
BUT how I do it and always have done it is take a entire reading - click, take a reading for the brights - click, take a reading for the darks - click.This is how you did when you shot film.
It really depends on what the teacher wants to prove. To make the image the best you do what I do, to make it better then just a random single shot you do the first way.
Where are you talking classes?
That's what I *thought* and that's what I did but I wanted to make sure. I also just tried it by changing the shutter speed one up and one down and there was little to no difference. So that just shows I did it right the first time.
Our HW last week just had us point at an object or person in front of a bright window, adjusting the light meter to 0, and then snapping the pic. The result was obviously that the person was underexposed and the window was just right. Now we're practicing different techniques like pointing the camera lens down to take a light reading or by changing the metering mode.
I'm taking classes at PhotoManhattan. DH got me the Canon Rebel for Christmas except I didn't know how to use it other than on Auto. So I'm taking Photography I. It's 9 2-hour sessions and they have classes that meet at all different times and days, some meet once a week, some twice. I really like our teacher, too. It was $329 for the 9 week course. Tomorrow will be my third class. Click me!
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| Posted 3/25/11 11:53 AM |
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Nifheim
allo
Member since 1/09 5476 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Awesome!
Yea some professors are wacky but in the end correct exposure for that particular image is what is important. Yea you can meter just in the area of the brightness so you get those dark shadows then the natural light filtering in slowly into the photo. I get annoyed when I have critiques saying you should of balanced more for the shadows but I like the darkness going into light for certain things - it emphasizes the subject so your not distracted by the background. Sometimes even with the F1.4 blur background you can be detracted because of the color or pattern so that is when the spot metering can be handy.
Anyway I can talk photo all day IoI
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| Posted 3/25/11 12:00 PM |
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MrsFishstick
LIF Adult
Member since 5/10 935 total posts
Name:
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
What the PP said was correct, a lot of times you can find anwsers just by googling, or youtube. Even FLICKR if you have an account has some great forums.
I would like to say  good for you for wanting to learn more than auto!!
I know someone who is in "business" and shot in auto for the longest time and I wanted to strangle her. Fortunately, she woke up one day and decided to want to learn more but oye
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| Posted 3/25/11 12:03 PM |
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jilliibabii
Mrs. O'Connor
Member since 6/10 12821 total posts
Name:
Jillian
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Posted by MrsFishstick
What the PP said was correct, a lot of times you can find anwsers just by googling, or youtube. Even FLICKR if you have an account has some great forums.
I would like to say good for you for wanting to learn more than auto!!
I know someone who is in "business" and shot in auto for the longest time and I wanted to strangle her. Fortunately, she woke up one day and decided to want to learn more but oye
Y'know this is the second time I've heard that!!! And it annoys me!! Some photographers out there who I thought were great photographers just really have great cameras! But I love it- it's so interesting!
Of course I always take up really, really random hobbies.
2 years ago, salsa classes!
Last year, cake decorating!
This year, photography!
Years before that was horseback riding and Irish step dancing.
I'm a jack of all trades, master of none! 
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| Posted 3/25/11 12:20 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Learning about light, shadow and how your camera settings affect the outcome is really the hardest (and most important) thing to master in photography.
Think of bracketing like an insurance plan. If you take the same photo but with different f-stops, shutter speeds, with or without flash, different whitebalance... it will give you a better assurance that you'll like ONE of them when you're done. 
It may not have looked different to you but one stop really isn't much. Not only would you see differences in shadows but also your depth of field (how sharp the subject is in comparison with background objects).
About the pro photographers shooting on auto - if there's one thing I've learned in the years I've been photographing, it's that just because someone is paid for what they do, doesn't mean they're *good*! But oftentimes, clients don't know what to look for or they try to make up for it in Photoshop. 
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| Posted 3/25/11 12:32 PM |
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Nifheim
allo
Member since 1/09 5476 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
yep greenfreak you are so right! its the one reason I don't like using the term pro, yes i may have the title photographer at my job but i am not at a level that i feel deserves that term. it is also the reason why its hard for me to sell myself because i am honest about my capabilities but what i charge reflects that.
I have seen WAY to many photoshopped b/s photographs in my lifetime (my boss is the number one at doing this) i use very limited amounts and I know I am going to have to up my usage because that is what people think is good photography. High filter passes, over saturation, gaussian blur filters instead of changing the f-stop all of this can be seen to someone who actually shoots like it was still the age of film. I mean the style is cool and I do it for certain shots but i just always liked what you see is what you get and just do a little tweaking just like you would in the dark room.
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| Posted 3/25/11 1:07 PM |
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MrsFishstick
LIF Adult
Member since 5/10 935 total posts
Name:
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Posted by Nifheim
yep greenfreak you are so right! its the one reason I don't like using the term pro, yes i may have the title photographer at my job but i am not at a level that i feel deserves that term. it is also the reason why its hard for me to sell myself because i am honest about my capabilities but what i charge reflects that.
I have seen WAY to many photoshopped b/s photographs in my lifetime (my boss is the number one at doing this) i use very limited amounts and I know I am going to have to up my usage because that is what people think is good photography. High filter passes, over saturation, gaussian blur filters instead of changing the f-stop all of this can be seen to someone who actually shoots like it was still the age of film. I mean the style is cool and I do it for certain shots but i just always liked what you see is what you get and just do a little tweaking just like you would in the dark room.
OMG! We were just having this discussion and I had to do everything in my power to not revoke her camera privledges "I learned how to blur the background of my pictures in photoshop like you do!" um, no honey, no...what I do is use my camera properly and know about aperture and bokeh, what you do is b/s...but I held my tongue. I mean more power to her that she can make a living doing it, and call me jealous because I wish I had half the clients she does 
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| Posted 3/25/11 2:17 PM |
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Nifheim
allo
Member since 1/09 5476 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
hell yea - i have no clients and i pretty much work for free but i have no confidence with handling people outside of documentary style. its the main reason i am trying to go back to school to learn studio and trying to work a second job to learn how to handle people as a freelancer and not someone sent to a news conference or news related shoot.
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| Posted 3/25/11 2:23 PM |
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jilliibabii
Mrs. O'Connor
Member since 6/10 12821 total posts
Name:
Jillian
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Boy I can't wait til I know what all this means.  I'm such a newb.
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| Posted 3/25/11 4:29 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
It's funny you say that, because I'm just learning now about all the PS techniques. All I ever really used was Levels or Curves and Unsharp Mask. But to keep myself marketable to what people want, I'm bending to the photoshopped demand. A little. I'm trying not to overdo the Gaussian Blur, textured layers, sparkled bokeh... I keep items that are my "original" largely unedited style, then mid-range with a "dreamy" feel, then only a few heavily textured shots.
I look at it as a phase. One I hope fizzles out soon, when people go back to appreciating natural photography.
I know just what you mean about not calling myself a "pro". You'll never hear me brag, and I am humble about compliments. There are millions of people out there better than me. And millions that think that a digital SLR and Photoshop means they can call themselves a pro photographer.
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| Posted 3/27/11 5:14 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Posted by jilliibabii
Boy I can't wait til I know what all this means. I'm such a newb.
I'm sorry for getting so into it and throwing all these terms out there! I don't want to derail your class but if you have questions, I'll try my best to answer. 
By the way... have you ever heard of "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson? It's a great book with photograph samples on each explanation.
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| Posted 3/27/11 5:16 PM |
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jilliibabii
Mrs. O'Connor
Member since 6/10 12821 total posts
Name:
Jillian
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Posted by greenfreak
Posted by jilliibabii
Boy I can't wait til I know what all this means. I'm such a newb.
I'm sorry for getting so into it and throwing all these terms out there! I don't want to derail your class but if you have questions, I'll try my best to answer.
By the way... have you ever heard of "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson? It's a great book with photograph samples on each explanation.
Not at all!! I don't mind- you all were VERY helpful!
My teacher actually mentioned this last class- I'll have to check it out!
This week we learned about different composure techniques and how to balance your photos and still make them interesting.
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| Posted 3/28/11 9:40 AM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
The rule of thirds? I went from centering everything, to the rule of thirds, and now I just do what I like. There's definitely a "flow" to how people see and react to photographs. It's so interesting!
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| Posted 3/28/11 11:56 AM |
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jilliibabii
Mrs. O'Connor
Member since 6/10 12821 total posts
Name:
Jillian
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Re: "Bracketing" a Photo
Posted by greenfreak
The rule of thirds? I went from centering everything, to the rule of thirds, and now I just do what I like. There's definitely a "flow" to how people see and react to photographs. It's so interesting!
YES! Among a thousand other things. 
It was funny because after class I went home and went through my wedding photos and TTD pics and picked out all the different techniques they used.
ETA: This week's HW is choosing a room in our house and taking 5 photos of different elements of the room. Then we choose one subject and photograph it in 4 different ways that make the photos have a different feel to them. I've been playing around in my kitchen.
Message edited 3/28/2011 12:17:54 PM.
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| Posted 3/28/11 12:16 PM |
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