expose for shadows, develop for highlights now inverted on digital?

[Carl Stone]

<p>IMO, a correct exposure doesn't clip highlight or shadow, within the limits of the film/camera. If a photographer chooses to overexpose, or to underexpose, that is a personal choice, but it does not equate to a correct exposure. JMO</p>

[digitaldog]

<blockquote>

<p>IMO, a correct exposure doesn't clip highlight or shadow, within the limits of the film/camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The only thing I'd ad to the above is taking the scene dynamic range into account. Say the scene has a 15 stop DR, I'd like to clip neither but my capture device can only capture 13 stops. In this case, short of HDR/multiple captures, we have to decide where to clip (shadows to retain highlights, or highlights to retain shadows). But every photographers has struggled with this since day one. So:</p>

<p>A correct exposure doesn't clip highlight or shadow, within the limits of the film/camera/dynamic range of the scene.<br /></p>

[Carl Stone]

<p>That's what I meant, but didn't spell out, Andrew. DR is the limiting factor for sure. </p>

[blumesan]

<blockquote>

<p>A correct exposure doesn't clip highlight or shadow, within the limits of the film/camera/dynamic range of the scene.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Andrew,<br>

Not to belabor the point but I would add to this statement: ...And exposes those highlights (in which one wishes to preserve detail) sufficiently that they just approach the point of clipping.</p>

<p>That, I think, is the essence of ETTR.</p>

[digitaldog]

<blockquote>

<p>

<p >Not to belabor the point but I would add to this statement: ...And exposes those highlights (in which one wishes to preserve detail) sufficiently that they just approach the point of clipping.</p>

<p >That, I think, is the essence of ETTR.</p>

<p > </p>

</p>

</blockquote>

<p >Agreed! </p>

[william_hicks2]

<p>Look into HDR imaging. Shoot raw, and get the book "Mastering HDR photography by Mike Freeman. You can't use it for sports and stuff, but many of the users will find it helpful. </p>

[jtk]

<p>Lightroom seems almost magical, recovering highlight detail that appears to be lost...infinitely more efficient than Photoshop for the purpose. </p>