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Beginner metering
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Phil V
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The way I use the meter (other methods are available):
It doesn't matter what mode you use, you need to understand what you're measuring. The meter sees an average of 18% reflectance. If you point it at a black wall it sees mid grey, if you point it at a white wall it sees mid grey.
So you need to either, set the meter on mid grey, or use exp compensation to make your subject correctly exposed. So use 1 - 2 stops + compensation when measuring the sky, or use a spot meter on your bird and try to adjust comp to suit. To me that's a harder one, but some people do choose that method.
It doesn't matter what mode you use, you need to understand what you're measuring. The meter sees an average of 18% reflectance. If you point it at a black wall it sees mid grey, if you point it at a white wall it sees mid grey.
So you need to either, set the meter on mid grey, or use exp compensation to make your subject correctly exposed. So use 1 - 2 stops + compensation when measuring the sky, or use a spot meter on your bird and try to adjust comp to suit. To me that's a harder one, but some people do choose that method.
Jayst84
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I'd just set it for the ambient light, stick the camera in manual and forget about it. Then you don't need to worry about exactly where in the frame the bird is, whether there is a cloud, blue sky, or a tree in part of the frame, etc.
GreenNinja67
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Point camera at a point so the bright sky isn't in the viewfinder and see what the meter measures (in average metering mode)
Then set this manually on the camera.
So long as the conditions don't change then you should be good to go for the Buzzards.
Good luck and make sure to show us all the results.
Then set this manually on the camera.
So long as the conditions don't change then you should be good to go for the Buzzards.
Good luck and make sure to show us all the results.
Swanseajack
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Looking at your profile page you shoot Nikon. My main interest is bird photography and for me it's usually spot metering and focus and I dial in anything up to + 2.0 EC for the birds. An example below of a Red Kite using a D750.
Red Kite over House this morning. by Swansea Jack, on Flickr
Red Kite over House this morning. by Swansea Jack, on Flickr
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motso
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Once in a while you come across a thread that really helps - and this is such a thread for me!
Presumably as the OP asked about Buzzards these methods only work with a bright background (sky), any tips for metering for birds with noisy backgrounds/on branches etc? Perhaps Centre weighted with less exposure comp?
Swanseajack - Kite looks amazing - I have some circling over my garden too so will try your method! If I can get an image like that you might be my new best friend!
Tom.
Presumably as the OP asked about Buzzards these methods only work with a bright background (sky), any tips for metering for birds with noisy backgrounds/on branches etc? Perhaps Centre weighted with less exposure comp?
Swanseajack - Kite looks amazing - I have some circling over my garden too so will try your method! If I can get an image like that you might be my new best friend!
Tom.
Swanseajack
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Thanks Tom.
For perched photos on my current camera, D810, I'm finding I use spot metering most of the time and sometimes center weighted. My exposure comp is then set to +0.3. I shoot manual, so I can change most of my settings with the camera at my eye.
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Tom, it doesn't matter what is in the background but how bright it is compared to the subject. I'd guess the amount of light reflected from foliage and branches would be more or less the same as reflected from the bird, so none or very little compensation would be needed. The problem comes when the there is a big difference in the amount of light reflected by the subject and by the background.
My understanding (and others will, I hope, correct me if I am wrong) is that the camera meter 'assumes' anything that it is pointed at will reflect 18% of the light.
When photographing a relatively small dark subject against a very light background there is much more than 18% of the light reflected so the meter sets the exposure to reduce that light to the 18% it 'expects'. This gives, in the case of birds in flight, a nicely exposed sky and a silhouette of a the bird. To counter this +ve exposure compensation can be used.
Dave
My understanding (and others will, I hope, correct me if I am wrong) is that the camera meter 'assumes' anything that it is pointed at will reflect 18% of the light.
When photographing a relatively small dark subject against a very light background there is much more than 18% of the light reflected so the meter sets the exposure to reduce that light to the 18% it 'expects'. This gives, in the case of birds in flight, a nicely exposed sky and a silhouette of a the bird. To counter this +ve exposure compensation can be used.
Dave
Phil V
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It's a shame you took that as the answer.
What will happen with your next metering problem? An owl in thick greenery, will you take the recipe as spot with -2 stops?
And the next?
Why not just try to understand what the meter is trying to tell you from its peculiar point of view. Once you have that, you answer all the metering questions.
Got to love the interwebs
