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subject whenever you semi-
depress the shutter release
button. However, rather than
apply this setting (as it does in
Aperture Priority), it is down
to the photographer whether
to dial-in the recommended
setting or not. Although
Manual requires more input
from the photographer, it
gives you ultimate control.
Is low ISO the way to go?
When shooting fast action, like
sport, fl ight and wildlife, your
priority will often be a shutter
speed fast enough to freeze
action. In which case, Shutter
Priority is a better choice. This
does the inverse of Aperture
Priority – you select the shutter
speed, and the camera sets
the corresponding f/number.
Typically, when you want
speed, you will need to increase
ISO too. As a general rule,
it’s best to use your camera’s
lowest (highest-quality) native
ISO sensitivity – typically,
64, 100 or 200 – as higher
sensitivities produce more
noise, which obscures fi ne
detail. But don’t be scared
Highlights warning
Ensure your camera’s highlights alert is switched on – normally
accessed via the Playback Menu. Doing so will help you to avoid poor
exposure. This warning shows exactly which parts of the photograph
are overexposed by blinking (like a strobe light) when you replay your
images on the LCD monitor. ‘The blinkies’ will help you to assess
exposure, apply compensation and reshoot if necessary.Histogram
Check your histogram regularly (see page 18). Most cameras now
allow you to activate a live histogram, so you can assess exposure
before you even trigger the shutter. Alternatively, replay the image
and view the corresponding graph. It is normally desirable to avoid
spikes on the far left or right edge – these typically indicate poor
exposure and a loss of detail.Spot meter
Your camera’s multi-segment metering is normally reliable, but when
photographing high-contrast scenes or a dark subject against a light
background (or vice versa), your camera is more likely to be deceived.
For added precision, switch to spot metering. In this mode, your
camera will base its reading from a tiny area of the frame (typically
1-4%). The spot is typically linked to the AF point you select. The trick
is to position the spot over the correct area.Zebra patterns
Similar to highlights alert, some cameras have a zebra-pattern
function. With this feature, the camera overlays stripes on the image
to indicate any area that is likely to overexpose. It is most common for
videography, but on some models it is an option for stills too. Set the
Zebra setting to 100+ and then adjust exposure so the pattern does
not appear anywhere within the composition to ensure highlights
aren’t clipped.Bracket your exposures
One method to guarantee correct exposure is to bracket – a popular
technique among fi lm photographers. Basically, bracketing is the
process of taking several frames of the same scene using different
levels of exposure to ensure one correct result. Most cameras have
a dedicated Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) function where you can
set the number of frames and exposure increment and the camera
will than capture the sequence. AEB is useful when you wish to create
a high dynamic range (HDR) image or exposure blend.Top tips for achieving perfect exposures – with
a little helping hand from your camerato increase ISO to achieve a
faster speed – the high-ISO
noise performance of modern
cameras is excellent. I regularly
shoot at ISO 1600 and higher.
You can either increase ISO
manually or turn on Auto ISO
to enable the camera to adjust
the ISO relative to the light.
However, if you decide to use
Auto ISO sensitivity control,
I recommend you fi rst select a
maximum sensitivity to ensure
the ISO doesn’t rise too high
and aff ect image quality. For
example, if you are comfortable
with your camera’s ISO
performance up to, say, ISO
3200, you would enter this as
your maximum setting and the
camera wouldn’t exceed this
value while Auto ISO is active.Why use spot metering?
In most situations, I advise
selecting your camera’s most
sophisticated metering pattern
(often named Evaluative or
Matrix). This will do the
hard work for you. Using this
metering pattern, the camera
will take multiple light
readings from across theExposure top tips
Nikon D500, 80-400mm, 1/1000sec at f/5.6, ISO 640When shooting a subject
against a dark
background, switch to
spot metering and
Holywell Bay, Cornwall. meter from the subject
At sunrise and sunset
you may need to use
a graduated filter (or
exposure blend) to
balance the contrast
between bright skies
and a darker foreground
Nikon D810, 17-35mm,
5sec at f/16, ISO 64