Bird and wildlife --- need help with exposure

[rjmelone]

<p>See sample: D90, 70-300 VR II (at around 250mm), Matrix, AP, f/8, SS (around 1/320), ISO 200, Vivid mode, Sunny - mid afternoon light, histogram - single spike at center<br>

I have been getting many pictures like this one where the conditions seemed decent, histogram seemed ok but the results are much darker than the actual setting. I don't know what else to do except arbitrarily add exposure. Since my lens is not long enough to fill the frame, I need to learn more about how the metering system is affected by water and light and how to compensate. I have also noticed that using a different aperture while in AP mode can change exposure. Additionally, I have noticed that a slight change in the angle of the camera while using the same settings can also change exposure. No clue why all this is happening with the camera in AP mode. Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.</p>

[howard_m]

<p>2 words: manual mode</p>

<p>if the light isn't changing significantly, then you dont have to keep changing the exposure. the metering system sees mostly the brighter water (reflections of sun/sky) and forcing under-exposure.</p>

<p>I'd suggest a couple of chimp'd test shots and/or spot metering on the wildlife in question and use that as the starting point for manual settings.</p>

[SCL]

<p>I'll agree with Howard....once you nail the proper exposure for the prevailing light, unless the light changes....keep the exposure the same. I frequently do this with an incident light reading, but chimping a few shots on the digital camera works fine as well. FWIW water and its reflections from the sky can seriously throw off metering. Bracket 2-3 shots and go from there.</p>

[chris_letts]

<p>I'll agree that this sort of subject is (to me anyway) difficult to get right and demands a lot more attention to metering and focussing - I tend to use spot meter and spot focus for such subjects BUT I'm convinced most people are using too short a tele lens for things like this. Last year I upgraded from a 70-300, to a 200-500 and I can tell you I find it MUCH easier to get good results on animal photos.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Use spot metering right on the subject. If the subject is moving and you have trouble keeping the center AF point (and therefore the spot) on the subject, meter first and fix the exposure in the M mode (fixed aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity) until the light changes.</p>

[wogears]

<p>Your camera meter has done its job--assuming that what it sees is middle grey. Levels adjustments can get you where you want to be, but I definitely concur on manual mode with a longer lens to get best results.</p><div></div>

[howard_m]

<p>vivid mode isn't really helping you out either. Start in Standard mode & RAW and post-process as desired.</p>

[elliot1]

<p>Robert, I find my copy of that lens tends to underexpose a bit compared to some of my other lenses. There are a number of ways to correct for this type of issue. I usually just dial in a bit of exposure compensation or fix the RAW file during post processing. Keep in mind that it is difficult to get a great looking shot when the main subject and background share colors, especially when the lighting is less than optimum. It looks like the sun was behind your friend.</p>

[peter k]

<p>Hi Robert, I shoot a lot of waterbirds. My method is as follows: D-200 300mm f:4 lens with 1.4 Nikon tele converter. Matrix metering, sunny, sun on the bird (late afternoon to ensure good shadows). As you are shooting onto the water you may have to add 1-1.5 plus exposure compensation when shooting JPEG's. I shoot raw so I don't have any problems correcting for underexposure. Sample photo attached. Regards Peter</p><div></div>

[rsands]

<p>Agree with Les. Your camera has done its job, you need to know when what you are looking at is not averaging out to 'middle grey' and compensate for that. I have the same body and lens, and find that I usually have to crank it up a bit with either exposure compensation, or adjusting aperture/shutter in manual mode after taking what the meter tells me.</p>

[mike_halliwell]

<p>Interstingly, the Wood Duck histogram is centred in a very similar 'centred' position with even more dark pixels. The difference is no bright pixels in the Shoveler (?) pic.<br />I assume Spot-Centered-Matrix will make very little difference to the camera chosen exp.<br />With the new 'One-shot HDR' claim of DxO v6.5, I wonder whether camera meters can expose to just not quite clip highlights, ie expose for the BRIGHTEST pixel ? It would have saved this pic.</p><div></div>

[michael_alger]

<p>If the histogram shows a single pike at the center, the picture is too dark. Change the exposure to +1 or even more, basically until the peak in histogram just does not touch the right edge.<br /> The exposure meter will always center a picture with a single birghtness value. Try the following: Take a white sheet of paper, a grey one and a black one. Take one picture of each, with the paper filling the frame completey and using aperture priority. Look at the results. They all are similar and the histogram is one peak in the middle. The Exposure values will vary greatly, however. <br /> Hence, if you want white to be white and there is not much more in the frame, dial in +1. If you want black, make the grey darker.</p>

[mike_halliwell]

<p>Michael. I agree completely, in theory, but how does the second histo work then, as I can see little wrong with the Wood-Duck pic.<br>

As a question/statement in reply. If the peaky Shoveler histogram is overexposed by one stop, does it 'simply' move to the right by an amount or does it change shape?<br>

The width of the tone curve/peaks represents the breadth of different tones within the scene. The first duck scene has very little contrast so is a very narrow peak centred on mid grey. The second duck scene, due to nicer lighting, is much broader and more punchy, but is still centred on mid grey.<br>

If all tones are captured within the boundaries, ie no burnt out highlights, or pure black shadows, then with curve correction, the 'perfect' exposure can be recovered later in software, particularly if a RAW image is recorded.</p>

[rjmelone]

<p>Thank you all for your helpful comments. I found the side-by-side histogram comparison by Mike H. particularly helpful. I intend to shoot in manual, spot meter mode and see what happens. I also will shoot in standard opposed to vivid mode and only use vivid when there is adequate light, but will watch for smeared color and blown highlights. Lastly, I intend to use the histogram as an indictor of not only exposure, but also whether I have enough of the subject in the frame to achieve detail and contrast with the background. Thanks again for helping me become a better photographer!</p><div></div>