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Overexposure tutorial with Histogram

akdrone

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This brief tutorial describes how to view and use the Histogram to ensure important bright areas are not overexposed. I thought I'd posted this but don't see it with a search or in my list. If I missed it and this is a duplication feel free to flag it and delete it.

Over exposed bright area cannot be "dialed back" and they are often important areas where detail is needed. Often times clouds will be overexposed and sometimes that can be alleviated and sometimes it can't. This describes how to control bright highlights and expose them properly. Note that there are times when you must leave some areas over exposed...the sun...bright clouds or other bright areas that if darkened enough to show detail the result would be too dark in other areas. In many cases, however, bright areas can be controlled by careful interpretation of the Histogram.
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Auto exposure is convenient, especially if yr in a rush, but yr always vulnerable to the way the camera senses the light. With only a small number of pixels being used to meter middle gray, you run the risk of snagging a dark area & getting over exposure or light areas & getting under exposure. Or have the exposure change during capture. Aligning the camera with a representative scene and setting exposure manually using the histogram to verify gives you a much better chance of overall good exposure, especially in the white world many of us are living in for a few months.
 
This brief tutorial describes how to view and use the Histogram to ensure important bright areas are not overexposed. I thought I'd posted this but don't see it with a search or in my list. If I missed it and this is a duplication feel free to flag it and delete it.

Over exposed bright area cannot be "dialed back" and they are often important areas where detail is needed. Often times clouds will be overexposed and sometimes that can be alleviated and sometimes it can't. This describes how to control bright highlights and expose them properly. Note that there are times when you must leave some areas over exposed...the sun...bright clouds or other bright areas that if darkened enough to show detail the result would be too dark in other areas. In many cases, however, bright areas can be controlled by careful interpretation of the Histogram.
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
AKD:
Very nice clip and well explained. Thanks for that! I recommend that we all keep the histogram visible on our screens. I, however, do not like the "blinkies." Too distracting for me.

Dale
 
AKD:
Very nice clip and well explained. Thanks for that! I recommend that we all keep the histogram visible on our screens. I, however, do not like the "blinkies." Too distracting for me.

Dale
agreed on the "blikies" I don't normally fly with that turned on
 
Auto exposure is convenient, especially if yr in a rush, but yr always vulnerable to the way the camera senses the light. With only a small number of pixels being used to meter middle gray, you run the risk of snagging a dark area & getting over exposure or light areas & getting under exposure. Or have the exposure change during capture. Aligning the camera with a representative scene and setting exposure manually using the histogram to verify gives you a much better chance of overall good exposure, especially in the white world many of us are living in for a few months.
completely agree.
 

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