Photography 101: How to Get Perfect Exposures in One Shot

Getting The Perfect Exposure The First Time Around

Within Photography 101 we cover several scenarios and do several examples of Spot Metering, such as spot metering on a model’s skin to get the perfect skin tone in one try. That’s always a good use, but you can use spot metering to get the proper exposure for anything; skin, the sky, an article of clothing, or even a particular part of a scene where there’s beautiful light.

How To Get Perfect Exposures in One Shot Video

With the spot meter on your camera and the internal light meter, it’ll help you to get that perfect exposure on the first try, every single time, regardless of what you’re shooting. Just remember that when using the spot meter, use only Manual Mode, and do not use assisted or automated modes because it’s going to create all sorts of strange and undesirable exposures, depending on where the spot meter is. When using assisted or automated modes, we recommend sticking to center weighted average, or an averaging ‘type’ of metering mode.

Spot Metering Precision

Spot metering is beautiful because it only reads the tiny 3 to 5 percent of the screen and gives you that specific reading,  so it’s great for taking a reading of absolutely anything, from the sky, down to minute details. This can be particularly useful when you want to add light to a scene or just expose a scene however creatively you would like.

For example, what if you wanted to light a scene with flash, but don’t want the sky to be blown out? You would point to the sky and place the point on the desired area, and the camera would meter it and tell you what settings you would need to use in order for the sky to be perfectly exposed.

Note: Once you have spot metering selected, you’ll want to adjust your settings until the light meter is balanced in the middle to achieve the exposure being metered for.

Shooting Session Example

For the examples given in the video, we want to meter for Whitney, our model’s, skin.  If you’re taking a portrait, it’s often a good idea to meter right under the eye of your subject, and keep in mind that should your subject have fairer skin as Whitney does, it’s advantageous to go one stop over exposed of what the meter reading is.

*The lighter the skin of your subject, the camera tends to meter the exposure a little darker. If you have a subject with darker skin, don’t be surprised if it’s going to be a little bit under exposed when you meter.

Conclusion

Spot metering is a highly useful and critical tool you have at your disposal, that will allow you to easily achieve the perfect exposure you desire, the first time around. Using it will facilitate your creativity in almost any shooting scenario and with any subject, allowing your artistic vision to translate into your images, and on to the viewer.

CHAPTER 1: BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY CONCEPTS

• 1.1 – Photography 101 Trailer
• 1.2 – The Workshop Format
• 1.3 – The Camera is Simply a Tool
• 1.4 – How Does a Camera Work
• 1.5 – How to Adjust Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO
• 1.6 – Exposure Triangle
• 1.7 – Exercise: Practice Adjusting Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO
• 1.8 – What is a Stop of Light
• 1.9 – Reading Exposure via the Histogram
• 1.10 – Blown Highlights or Clipped Details
• 1.11 – 6 Tips to Understanding White Balance and Color Temperature
• 1.12 – Assignment: Histogram and Highlight Alert Practice
• 1.13 – Assignment: Mixed Lighting
• 1.14 – Quiz on Chapter 1: Basic Photography Concepts

CHAPTER 2: UNDERSTANDING EXPOSURE

• 2.1 – No Such Thing as the Correct Exposure
• 2.2 – How to Measure or Meter Light
• 2.3 – 8 Key Points to Understanding ISO and Image Quality
• 2.4 – Exercise | Understanding ISO
• 2.5 – Understanding the 3 Primary Metering Modes
• 2.6 – How to Get Perfect Exposures in One Shot
• 2.7 – Assignment: Portrait Using Spot Metering
• 2.8 – Equivalent Exposure but Different Images
• 2.9 – Compensating for Light and Dark Scenes
• 2.10 – Quiz on Chapter 2: Understanding Exposure

CHAPTER 3: FROM AUTO MODES TO MANUAL

• 3.1 – Starting with Automated Modes
• 3.2 – Auto Mode and Flash-Off Mode
• 3.3 – Exercise: From Auto Modes to Manual
• 3.4 – Portrait Mode on a Fashion Shoot
• 3.5 – Assignment: Outdoor Back-lit Portrait
• 3.6 – Landscape Mode on the Beach
• 3.7 – Assignment: Long Exposure
• 3.8 – Sports or Action Mode/a>
• 3.9 – Assignment | Sports or Action Shot
• 3.10 – Macro Mode with Food Photography
• 3.11 – Assignment | Food Photography
• 3.12 – Creative Effects Mode – Floral Photography
• 3.13 – Exercise | Creative Auto Modes
• 3.14 – In-Camera Processing
• 3.15 – Exercise | Pictures Styles and Picture Control
• 3.16 – A Glimpse Into Raw Processing
• 3.17 – Quiz on Chapter 3: From Auto Modes to Manual

CHAPTER 4: SHARP IMAGES AND FOCUSING TECHNIQUES

• 4.1 – AI Servo with Action Shots
• 4.2 – 15 Tips for When You’re Having Trouble Focusing Your Camera/a>
• 4.3 – 3 Primary Types of Autofocus
• 4.4 – Single Shot with Portrait Session
• 4.5 – Assignment: One Shot Focusing Mode for a Sharp Portrait
• 4.5 – Landscape Mode on the Beach
• 4.6 – Single Shot with Action Shots
• 4.7 – Assignment | Focus Recomposing and AF Selection
• 4.8 – Focus Recomposing vs AF Point Selection
• 4.9 – Assignment | Focus Recomposing and AF Selection
• 4.10 – Shutter Speed and the Reciprocal Rule
• 4.11 – How to Hold a Camera and Panning Tutorial
• 3.13 – Exercise | Creative Auto Modes
• 4.12 – Assignment | Panning
• 4.13- Quiz on Chapter 4: Sharp Images and Focusing Techniques

Chapter 5: COMPOSITION, ARTISTRY, AND CREATING GREAT IMAGES

• 5.1 – How to Find the Right Light Direction
• 5.2 What Makes a Great Photograph
• 5.3 How to Capture Candid Moments
• 5.4. Assignment | Candid Moments
• 5.5 Assignment | Flattering Cast Natual Light
• 5.6 Basic Compositional Theories
• 5.7 Assignment | Symmetry
• 5.8. Assignment | Leading Lines
• 5.9 Assignment | Rules of Thirds
• 5.10 Assignment | Triangles and Geometry
• 5.11– Assignment | Negative Space
• 5.12 – The Power of Cropping
• 5.13 Color Schemes
• 5.14 Assignment | Color Schemes
• 5.15 Diving into the Narrative
• 5.16 Assignment | The Narrative
• 5.17 If It’s not Working With, It’s Probably Working Against
• 5.18 Quiz on Chapter 5: Composition Artistry and Creating Great Images

Chapter 6: LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOUR CAMERA

• 6.1 10 Tips on Buying Gear
• 6.2 More About Your Camera and Lenses
• 6.3 Understanding Megapixels
• 6.4 Crop vs. Full Frame Cameras
• 6.5 Crop vs. Full Frame Cameras Demonstration
• 6.6 Prime vs. Zoom Lens
• 6.7 How the Lens Affects Composition
• 6.8 Exercise | Lens Compression
• 6.9 RAW vs. JPEG | The Ultimate Visual Guide
• 6.10 5 Tips on Memory Cards
• 6.11 Quiz on Chapter 6: Learning More About Your Camera

Chapter 7: BONUS

• 7.1 Posing and Action Shots with Female Model
• 7.2 Posing and Lighting with Female Model/a>
• 7.3 Posing and Lighting Couple Portraits

Total Course Run Time: 6H 30M 21S