Metering
making aperture & shutter speed work together
to get a well exposed photo
Film Exposure
ap
e
r
u
t
r
e
shut
ter s
Exposure
ISO (film sensitivity)
400 ISO film
p eed
f/2
most light
1
2
f/2.8
f/4
8
15
f/5.6
30
f/8
60
f/11
125
250
f/16
f/22
500
least light
1000
most light
(shallow DoF)
f/2
1
2
f/2.8
f/4
f/5.6
f/8
f/11
f/16
least light
(deep DoF)
f/22
most light
(blurred action)
8
find a
balance to
get a proper
exposure
15
30
60
125
250
500
1000
least light
(frozen action)
Think about a water faucet and a bucket. The faucet will act as the aperture and a timer for
the shutter speed. The bucket is a properly exposed photograph.
When you open the faucet all the way (f/2), water rushes out so you fill the bucket in a
very short time (1/1000 sec). This would let in a lot of light for a short time.
When you open the faucet just a little bit (f/16), water barely trickles out and takes
much more time (1/15 sec) to fill the same bucket.
It doesnt matter which combination you choose, the bucket is filled the same
amount, just like a photo can be exposed the same amount by various aperture and
shutter speed combinations while also controlling motion and depth of field.
/16
1/30
correctly exposed
/8
1/125
correctly exposed
wider aperture
less time
/16
1/125
1/30
underexposed
/8
/4
1/125
overexposed
Equivalent Exposures
/2.8 1/250
/16 1/8
Equivalent Exposures
125
f 2.8 f 4 f 5.6 f 8 f11 f 16 f 22
Point of Departure
Equivalent Exposures
equal light
1000 500 250 125 60
30
15
f 2.8 f 4 f 5.6 f 8 f11 f 16 f 22
Equivalent Exposures
1000 500 250 125 60
30
15
f 2.8 f 4 f 5.6 f 8 f11 f 16 f 22
250 125 60
bracketing:
shooting the same photo at different exposures
Equivalent Exposures
f 5.6 f 8 f 11
1000 500 250 125 60
30
15
f 2.8 f 4 f 5.6 f 8 f11 f 16 f 22
250 125 60
bracketing:
shooting the same photo at different exposures
How do I know what
settings to use?
Start at your Point of Departure
/8 & 125
Use your cameras light meter
LIGHT
(thats a light meteor)
4 Categories of LIGHT METERS:
1. Goldilocks
Goldilocks PRO
2. Aperture Priority
too much light (overexposed)
too little light (underexposed)
just right (well exposed)
too much/little... by THIS MUCH
YOU select aperture, then:
camera suggests a good shutter speed
3. Shutter Speed Priority
4. Multiple options/combination
YOU select shutter speed, then:
camera suggests a good aperture
the camera gives you a choice
(see above options)in how it
light meters
drawings or numbers in
here represent what you
actually would see in the
viewfinder
drawings or numbers out here represent what
settings you have chosen on the camera
1. Goldilocks
1. Goldilocks
1-A. Goldilocks PRO
1. Goldilocks
1-A. Goldilocks PRO
2. Aperture Priority
3. Shutter Speed Priority
GOLDILOCKS
Correctly exposed
GOLDILOCKS
Over exposed
GOLDILOCKS
Under exposed
GOLDILOCKS
Correctly exposed
GOLDILOCKS
Over exposed
GOLDILOCKS
Under exposed
GOLDILOCKS
not exposed
correctly
f/8
125
Correct exposure when needles are line up
GOLDILOCKS
f/4
60
properly exposed
Correct exposure when needles are line up
GOLDILOCKS
over exposed
f/8
+ 125
Correct exposure when needle is in the middle
GOLDILOCKS
f/4
60
properly exposed
Correct exposure when needle is in the middle
GOLDILOCKS
f/8
125
too much light
Correct exposure when green light is on
GOLDILOCKS
f/8
500
- too little light
Correct exposure when green light is on
GOLDILOCKS
f/8
250
correct exposure
X 1000 500 250 125
60
30
f 2 f 4 f 5.6 f 8 f11 f 16 f 22
Correct exposure when green light is on
GOLDILOCKS PRO
Correctly exposed
-2 1 0 1 2 +
GOLDILOCKS PRO
Over exposed
-2 1 0 1 2 +
GOLDILOCKS PRO
-2 1 0 1 2 +
Under exposed
GOLDILOCKS PRO
-2 1 0 1 2 +
Correct exposure when in middle
GOLDILOCKS PRO
One stop overexposed
8
60
-2 1 0 1 2 +
Correct exposure when in middle
GOLDILOCKS PRO
Two stops underexposed
16 125
-2 1 0 1 2 +
Correct exposure when in middle
GOLDILOCKS PRO
Properly exposed
8
125
-2 1 0 1 2 +
Correct exposure when in middle
Aperture Priority Metering
(you choose the f-stop it tells you the shutter speed)
Correctly exposed
Aperture Priority Metering
(you choose the f-stop it tells you the shutter speed)
Over exposed
Aperture Priority Metering
(you choose the f-stop it tells you the shutter speed)
Over exposed
Aperture Priority Metering
(you choose the f-stop it tells you the shutter speed)
Under exposed
Aperture Priority Metering
(you choose the f-stop it tells you the shutter speed)
Under exposed
Aperture Priority Metering
(you choose the f-stop it tells you the shutter speed)
M
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
Correct exposure when light stays lit
Aperture Priority Metering
(you choose the f-stop it tells you the shutter speed)
M
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
Correct exposure when light stays lit
Aperture Priority Metering
(you choose the f-stop it tells you the shutter speed)
M
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
properly
exposed
Correct exposure when light stays lit
Shutter Speed Priority Metering
(you choose the shutter speed it tells you the aperture)
M
22
16
11
8
5.6
4
2.8
1.4
Too much
light
Correct exposure when light stays lit
Shutter Speed Priority Metering
(you choose the shutter speed it tells you the aperture)
M
22
16
11
8
5.6
4
2.8
1.4
Correct exposure when light stays lit
Shutter Speed Priority Metering
(you choose the shutter speed it tells you the aperture)
M
22
16
11
8
5.6
4
2.8
1.4
Correct
Exposure
Not enough
light
Correct exposure when light stays lit
Shutter Speed Priority Metering
(you choose the shutter speed it tells you the aperture)
Correctly exposed
Shutter Speed Priority Metering
(you choose the shutter speed it tells you the aperture)
Over/Under exposed
What to consider when
you take a photo:
What is structure of my photo?
-use the principles of composition
What do I want to focus on?
-focus my lens
What should I light meter on?
-meter off my subject
Recompose, check focus, shoot
What is the structure of my composition?
Rule of Thirds
What do I want to focus on?
What should I Light Meter on?
Recompose, check focus, shoot
Recompose, check focus, shoot
What is the structure of my composition?
Using the Edges of the Frame
What do I want to focus on?
What do I want to focus on?
What do I want to focus on?
M
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
M
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
Recompose, check focus, shoot
M
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
Recompose, check focus, shoot
What is the structure of my composition?
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
Rule of Thirds
Line
Using the Edges of the Frame
What do I want to focus on?
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
What should I Light Meter on?
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
What should I Light Meter on?
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
Recompose, check focus, shoot
1000
500
250
125
60
30
15
8
4
2
1
Recompose, check focus, shoot
Your camera always measures
REFLECTED light
(light reflecting off a subject
and into the camera lens)
It cannot measure the light
ON something
Why is this correctly
exposed?
Why is this correctly
exposed?
Back light overpowers
the light meter
Why is this correctly
exposed?
Light meter for a
specific area of
your subject
Back light overpowers
the light meter
Light meter for a
specific area of
your subject
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
load film
set ISO to 400
What is the structure of my photo?
turn camera on
-use the principles of
find your subject matter
composition
consider the structure and principles
focus
What do I want to focus on?
light meter off subject
-focus my lens
recompose, focus, and shoot
advance film for next shot
What should I light meter on?
write down your settings
-meter off my subject
continue steps 4-10
turn off camera when done
DO NOT REWIND FILM
if there is any problem STOP and ask me
SHOOTING CHECKLIST:
Light Metering
#
shutter
speed
f/stop
Names of Group Members: _________________
Camera Model: ________________
Camera Name: ________________
Light Meter: _________________
Principles of Composition
Light Rule of Thirds Frame within a Frame
Line Using the Edges of the Frame Point of View
Pattern & Texture Filling the Frame & Cropping
Movement: move the subject, move the camera, freeze the action, blur the action
ideas:
description of photo
ideas:
#
f/stop
load film
set ISO to 400
What is the structure of my photo?
turn camera on
-use the principles of
find your subject matter
composition
consider the structure and principles
focus
What do I want to focus on?
light meter off subject
-focus my lens
recompose, focus, and shoot
advance film for next shot
What should I light meter on?
write down your settings
-meter off my subject
continue steps 4-10
turn off camera when done
DO NOT REWIND FILM
if there is any problem STOP and ask me
Names of Group Members: ________________
Camera Model: ________________
Camera Name: ________________
Light Meter: _________________
Principles of Composition
Light Rule of Thirds Frame within a Frame
Line Using the Edges of the Frame Point of View
Pattern & Texture Filling the Frame & Cropping
description of photo
Movement: move the subject, move the camera, freeze the action, blur the action
shutter
speed
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Light Metering
SHOOTING CHECKLIST:
Movement: move the subject, move the camera, freeze the action, blur the action
ideas:
#
shutter
speed
f/stop
description of photo
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
load film
set ISO to 400
turn camera on
find your subject matter
consider the structure and prin
focus
light meter off subject
recompose, focus, and shoot
advance film for next shot
write down your settings
continue steps 4-10
turn off camera when done
DO NOT REWIND FILM
if there is any problem STOP an
SHOOTING CHECKLIST:
Point of View: get low, look down, look through, turn sideways, get underneath, crop, zoom
ideas:
shutter
speed
f/stop
description of photo
Focus: focus on something close, focus on something far, have a great depth of field, have a shallow
depth of field, focus on the details of something, focus on the texture of something
ideas:
shutter
speed
f/stop
description of photo
Portrait: make a figure stand out in the environment, have them lost in it, zoom in on their face, take a
portrait not of their face, shoot from a low angle, look through something to them
ideas:
shutter
speed
f/stop
description of photo
Movement:
move the subject, move the camera, freeze the action
1/30
Depth of Field:
blur the foreground, blur the background,
have great depth of field, shallow d. of field
f 5.6
Point of View:
get low, look down, turn sideways,
get underneath, crop, zoom
Portrait:
make a figure stand out in the environment,
have them lost in it, zoom in on their face, take
a portrait not of their face.
