If you use the spot metering mode and place it on
the performer’s face, then the changes might not
be that severe and you will probably get some
pretty cool results, but if you shoot in manual
mode and use the spot metering mode to give you
an idea of where your exposure is, this will result
in more consistent images.
Here’s the process:- Set the camera to the initial settings: ISO
1600, 1/60 second, f/2.8, manual mode,
and spot metering. Check to see if the spot
metering reading is close to what the expo-
sure settings are. - Take a photograph and check the results. I
check the photo on the back of the camera
by making sure the highlight warning is on,
which causes any areas that are totally white
to blink. I don’t bother checking the back-
ground, but instead check the exposure on
the subject. - Adjust the ISO if you need to make the
image brighter. If the image is too dark, I
increase the ISO from 1600 to 3200 and try
again. If at 1/160 second, f/2.8, and ISO 3200
the image is still too dark, then I consider
switching to a prime lens that can open up
wider than f/2.8, and I also consider decreas-
ing the shutter speed as long as the subjects
are not moving fast. I never want the shutter
speed to be so slow that the subject is blurred. - Adjust the shutter speed to make it darker.
If the image is overexposed, then I increase
the shutter speed. - Check to make sure that the shutter speed is
freezing the action. I make sure to use the 100
percent preview on the camera back to check
the focus and to see if there is any motion blur
from using too slow of a shutter speed.
Photographing in manual mode gives you com-
plete control over your camera and works best
when photographing concerts and events.
To help you better understand why using manual
mode is your best option when shooting at a con-
cert, consider the basics of the other settings you
could use. When you photograph in aperture pri-
ority mode, the camera sets the shutter speed
based on the meter reading. When you shoot in
shutter speed priority mode, the camera sets the
aperture based on the meter reading. In full auto
or programmed auto mode, the camera sets both
the shutter speed and the aperture based on the
meter reading. What all these modes have in
common, other than that the camera changes the
setting, is that the camera uses the built-in light
meter to do it.
The light meter looks at the scene in front of the
camera and then works out the best settings to
achieve proper exposure. But what happens if the
lights are changing rapidly? For example, say you
are photographing a band and the lights behind
the performer suddenly get much brighter but the
lights striking the performer from the front don’t
change. If it were up to the camera, the sudden
influx of bright light would cause the meter to
read the scene as brighter and increase the shut-
ter speed (or use a smaller aperture depending on
the mode), causing the subject to be underex-
posed. The same thing happens if the lights in
the back suddenly become dark; the camera
thinks that it needs to use a slower shutter speed
or a smaller aperture, depending on the mode,
and overexposes the subject.
See Chapter 11 for more on fixing
the white balance and working with
RAW files.x-ref