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Exposure Masterclass

Exposure may not sound exciting, perhaps not even interesting, but this Masterclass throws light onto a wide range of aspects of exposure that is both interesting and opens up so many exciting opportunities.

As every photographer knows a photograph is created by recording just the right amount of light. Today our digital cameras have inbuilt meters that assist us to get this right, and in over half of situations can produce adequate results if we just rely on them. In the other half of the situations we want to photograph, we have a need to move beyond what the camera can do automatically. If you have attended a Camera Images Hands on a Nikon day then you will already have been shown how to manage many of these situations. However as so many other topics are covered within this day you don’t get to look at this in great detail. Others perhaps as over time become familiar with some of the methods that assist you in getting exposure correct.

Exposure is of course one of the major building blocks in photography, and is the second most important area that many will realise its worth looking at in greater detail, the first usually being focus and sharpness. 

The Exposure Masterclass is a day totally concentrating on all aspects of improving your ability to handle all the challenges of getting exposure right.  It starts by going over the basics of exposure, including setting and using both camera and software curves, before moving on to look at the methods of metering available from your camera, and also where either a handheld metre might be used or you might use your cameras meters in conjunction with grey targets and other items to get more challenging exposures.

The EV system and exposure aid explored, you will also look at simple manual exposure systems, using a special laminated chart tool we have developed to allow exposures to be worked out for many difficult situations and combinations coped with and also looking at a simplified zone system, using the cameras spot metre, which will allow you to never loose highlights again.

You consider where fill flash with help, where a reflector may prove beneficial and when a role a diffuser can play.

You will also look at where you can take and refine with curves and other aids and where bracketing exposures is the best option and how bracketing is best used. Deciding what range to bracket over and the order to run these in.

For those situations where the range is greater than the camera can handle we look at a variety of techniques including using graduated filters, D-lighting, combining images in camera and in software and where each technique will work best.

Lighting in daylight, night, artificial lights and challenging situations are all considered. You also look at the effect of noise that can be created and how to minimise this.

Tricks and tips, allow you to remember the main points and to very quickly decide what to do in each situation.

You of course often need to make compromises in photography, you have depth of field, subject movement and many other factors to consider, in addition to exposure, and having more control over the exposure options often allows other opportunities in other areas to be explored.

Masterclasses are not theoretical only, but also have a practical element is putting into practice some of the skills, as well as looking at examples of where each could be applied.  You also get the chance to bring along some of your own images if you like and look at how the exposure in these situations might have been handled differently.

By attending this course you will not be able to get every exposure correct first time, just the majority of them and to be able to understand both why others are not right and how to overcome these challenges.  Blown skies, snow caped mountains and other lost details or dull results should be a thing of the past.

When many first think of exposure, particularly in relation to 1 to 1 individual tuition, where so much can be achieved in a day, they wonder how looking at exposure could take a day, but after considering it further and the ground covered are amazed that so much ground can be covered and so much knowledge acquired in such a short time.  Although like all Camera Images training and Photography Skills Masterclasses, you can select your own day lengths, most have chosen the standard 7 hour day, that also includes lunch. Usually this will run from 9:30am to 4:30pm but you can move the timing to suit you.

To book go to either Masterclass go to the Camera Images website and book course PS-MC-EXP, or just ‘masterclass on exposure’ if you wish. Cost is 7 training vouchers.

Also consider: Camera Images Shorts,  3 hours - Exposure Control and Graduated Filters.

See Also our Exposure Section for more articles and projects relating to Exposure.