Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/01/15

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Subject: [Leica] Question about M8 exposure
From: hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (Geoff Hopkinson)
Date: Thu Jan 15 18:41:11 2009
References: <380-220091516047119@M2W019.mail2web.com> <7auabm$24pvgr@pd3mo1so-svcs.prod.shaw.ca>

Ted you should keep on shooting Raw and developing your photos exactly like
you are now. If you are happy with your current process and it works for you
then you don't need to change anything. Especially if you don't refer to
histograms or any other digital voodoo there but just adjust your photos
until they look right for you. A histogram is just a graph if you like that
shows you how much of your image is highlights, mid -tones etc. Lots of high
lines to the right means lots of highlights. A graph (histogram) chopped off
at one end means some tones have been lost.
Very basically, what Tina and others have said if that they don't mind
underexposing a little because they feel that will help them avoid blowing
highlights (chopping off at the right end of the histogram). Just think of
shooting your M8 the way you shot slide film before.
The voodoo part is when you keep as many of the highlights as you can right
up to the point where they are clipped you can use that raw information if
you want to get in there and make a lot of adjustments to the image later.
The trick is knowing when the highlights are chopped off completely. Much
depends on how you meter and what you are photographing, of course.
Doug's second shot is a textbook example of meticulous exposure for his
subject. The main subject is all lights  and it was vital that he retain all
of the detail in those. Note though that there are almost no tones in the
bottom 25% (the darks).
Where you brain starts to hurt is that a meter reading on the white animal
SHOULD THEORETICALLY render the white coat as middle grey so the exposure
should be increased. But Doug has decreased the exposure because he knows
his subject, his light, his meter and his sensor really really well and it
was imperative that none of the light coat be blown into pure white.  But
then the camera or software are shifting all the tones around so they make
sense for our vision. Then the software is making an automated exposure
adjustment out of THAT like your corner mini-lab making colour prints!
Doug and I had this discussion once before using a very high key image of
his previously (an egret). If you are willing to work at the original Raw
files you can get a LOT of information out of the highlights. 
At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is what works for YOU. I
think you should get Henning or someone around with a bunch of beers and
sushi and sit in front of your computer together if you want to understand
more.  


Cheers
Geoff
http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/
Pick up your camera and make the best photo you can.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Ted Grant
Sent: Friday, 16 January 2009 10:42
To: 'Leica Users Group'
Subject: RE: [Leica] Question about M8 exposure

Doug Herr answered and showed:

Subject: RE: [Leica] Question about M8 exposure

>> Not each time but where it makes the difference between this

http://wildlightphoto.com/temp/dash01.jpg

and this

http://wildlightphoto.com/mammals/artiodactyls/dash01.jpg

you bet I'll do it.<<

 

Hi Doug,

Beautiful example, thank you very much. OK now I understand why one would
make changes. So you shoot the first scene, look not at picture screen, but
at the history screen and????????????????

Then you "squggle something to the right side of the screen.  What?

 

This maybe off the wall impossible to explain in e-mail fashion, if so not
to worry, thanks.  Now you folks have me turned on to learn this I'll hang
tough with it and learn.

 

I can get one of the locals give me a show and tell. But now I visually
understand where and when one would make changes. But is it not an
adjustment you'd do only under certain situations where one requires better
detail in whites?

 

Other wise one leaves it alone?

Ted

 

 

 

Ted Grant wrote:

 

>>>> 

You can't be serious that each time you shoot, you turn on the mountain

screen, twiddle something to supposedly make image better, turn off screen

and return to shoot?..... Is it truly an absolute necessity?

<<<< 

 

Not each time but where it makes the difference between this

 

http://wildlightphoto.com/temp/dash01.jpg

 

and this

 

http://wildlightphoto.com/mammals/artiodactyls/dash01.jpg

 

you bet I'll do it.

 

Doug Herr

Birdman of Sacramento

http://www.wildlightphoto.com

 

 

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Replies: Reply from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Question about M8 exposure)
In reply to: Message from wildlightphoto at earthlink.net (wildlightphoto@earthlink.net) ([Leica] Question about M8 exposure)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Question about M8 exposure)