3.3. METER FOR EXPOSURE

Our eyes can see a greater dynamic range of light than our cameras are capable of recording. If your scene is high contrast, with dark shadows and bright highlights, your camera has difficulty capturing all the detail. You have probably experienced the result of this camera limitation if you've taken a photograph of someone positioned in front of a bright background. Although your eyes can see the detail in your subject's face, in the image, your subject is in the dark.

In addition, by positioning your subject in front of a bright background, the sharp contrast between the lights and darks in your image can confuse a camera's internal reflective light meter. When you press the shutter button, the reflective light meter analyzes the light in your scene, selects an aperture and shutter speed combination, and produces an exposure. Understanding how your camera's metering system works is necessary to control the light entering your camera. You do have options. Take out your camera manual and find the section on metering. Locate your metering mode button and learn about these three ways to control your image: