How do you shoot?

[laawaaris]

Ok, this is how I shoot.

1) I walk into the environment - whether it be my backyard, or a wedding site, or a studio.
2)Then I take out my camera and put it in Auto mode and point it roughly at where I want
to shoot. I look at the camera readings to see what Aperture and Shutter Speed it is
picking.
3) Then I use these values and zoom over the Manual Mode - and input these same
Aperture and Shutter Speed values.
4) I take the picture and then look at the LCD screen.
5) Based on what I see, I make random adjustments based on the overall brightness of the
image in the LCD screen. Too dark - then I open up the Aperture or slow the Shutter.
Too bright - then I closed down Aperture or Increase Shutter. If I don't want to lower
the Shutter too much (to avoid motion blur), then I bump up the ISO to compensate
and add brightness.
6) Finally I play with different white balances until I find one that gives a good color.
Usually, I pick Flash if I have my flash head on, or I pick Auto - or I use the one that
gives the most natural looking image. Its too hard to tell if the Yellowish or Reddish tone
in the LCD will look good when you look at the picture full blown.

What do you guys think? I'm using Auto Mode as a Light Meter of sorts in Step #1.

How do you guys do it? Do you walk into an environment and just "know" what settings to shoot in?

Lately I have been trying to modify Step #4 - and look at the Histogram and the Blinking Highlights in my LCD to determine how much to change the Aperture and Shutter.

[kenw]

I think after awhile experience will tell you ahead of time what the starting point should be. I usually start with either Av or TV depending on the desired results and experience tells me the rest. Once I take the first shot, it's just a matter of fine tuning or bracketing (CYA mode), if any.

Using the Auto mode as a meter is ok for the most part, but there are often details or extenuating circumstances (backlit, high contrast, low contrast, etc, etc etc...) that require some rather radical departures from what the camera "thinks" it sees (via Auto).

Also Auto can mislead as it doesn't allow spot metering or other features that can make a big difference with still the same Av/Tv.

[johnastovall]

Usually start at AV, Crank the ISO to what I think I'll need given the light, set the F for what sort of DOF I want or think I'll need for the light. Do a quick check of the shutter speed I get with a exposure check on the palm of my hand and then I start shooting after 3 or four a quick look a the histograms and then never bother with the LCD anymore.

With the R-D1 it's even simpler just set to AV pick an f that gives me a good hyperfocal range and start shooting with some manual focus from time to time. The D1's LCD folds up and it's just like a film camera and you don't even think about looking at it.

As for WB, I'll let the camera pick it and I'll dink with it in ACR or C1 later if I don't like it.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by laawaaris

Ok, this is how I shoot.

snipped
5) Based on what I see, I make random adjustments based on the overall brightness of the
image in the LCD screen. Too dark - then I open up the Aperture or slow the Shutter.
Too bright - then I closed down Aperture or Increase Shutter. If I don't want to lower
the Shutter too much (to avoid motion blur), then I bump up the ISO to compensate
and add brightness.
r.

May I suggest don't use the brightness seen in the LCD but rather use the histogram. Since that LCD isn't calibrated to any standard it's worthless for measuring brightness.

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Bobby,

IN MY OPINION...

Taking/Making a photograph is recording what you see and how you want others to see what you saw. So, instead of trying to simply take a photo that is correctly exposed, you should look through the viewfinder and think of what you see in the viewfinder as the final resulting image. Does that look like what you want to record?

Another thing is depth of field (DOF). Do you want your background to be gradually blurry or do you want it to be crisp and sharp? The difference is... what is most imporant in the image? Is there a person in the image? Are they the only important subjects in the photograph? If so, then you can make sure they are more important than the background by using a wider (lower F #) aperture (<= 2.8). If they are not the only imporant subject, such as people standing in front of an important building or monument, then you want to use a higher aperture (higher F #) that will bring more of the background (and foreground) into focus.

So... it's really up to you. Personally, I never use AUTO mode for anything. Av and Tv modes are semi-AUTO anyway.

Good question though... and it really depends on the TYPE of photography that you're doing at the time as to what options you choose.

- Wil

[Daniel Bates]

I usually shoot in specialized situations (like sports or meetings) where the light is terrible or practically nonexistant, so my ISO is pegged at high (3200), my aperture at maximum (often f/2.8) and my shutter speed at 1/focal length to prevent motion blur. When I shoot 'normal' situations, I walk in with a preset ISO and aperture and adjust shutter speed with the help of the histogram.

[engstrom]

I use aperture priority (Av) and shutter priority (Tv) with exposure compensation depending on the situation. I'll also use maunal (M) fairly often. I check the RGB histogram to make sure I'm close with regards to exposure.

[Dwight]

I think it depends a great deal on what you are shooting and what you are trying to accomplish within any session. My sessions tend to be oriented around landscapes and nature so Depth of Field (both shallow and deep) is very important to me. I tend to shoot aperture prority and select an aperture that I believe will give me the DoF needed as this allows me to control the DoF and let the camera choose an appropriate shutter speed. If you are shooting action or you are not really too concerned with DoF things could be very different.

I also auto-bracket a lot of my shots (e.g. -1/2, 0, +1/2) and capture 3 images in a row on most of my shots and this covers a lot of exposure problems. I take a quick look at the histogram and make an exposure compensation and shoot again when needed.

The only thing I use the image on the LCD to do is to decide if the composition of my image is what I was looking for. I find the histogram to be a much more reliable way to check exposure.

I use AWB unless I am sure of the lighting. When shooting RAW this seems to be easy to fix in the converter.

[The Loft Studios]

Set my ISO on my Camera.....
Set my ISO on my Hand Held Meter.....
Set my WB on my Camera.....
Set my Camera to Manual.....
Adjust my Camera to corespond to my Meter.....

*SHOOT*



Whatever I do, I do not look at my LCD Screen.....EVER!

[engstrom]

Originally Posted by The Loft Studios

Whatever I do, I do not look at my LCD Screen.....EVER!

Really, not even to make sure you didn't mess up and dial in the wrong aperture? Why not?

[The Loft Studios]

Originally Posted by engstrom

Really, not even to make sure you didn't mess up and dial in the wrong aperture? Why not?

If you were shooting film, what would you have done?

I feel with Digital, too many people are starting to depend on the LCD Screen and spend more time looking at their screen, then actually shooting. Because I come from a Commercial and Fashion Background, we would set up our lighting, do a Polaroid (back in the film days), review it, and start our shoot. I make a concious effort to do the same with Digital. Unless a Client or Models ask to see the image, I don't have a need to look at my screen for validation. I know that my meter is perfectly calibrated to the ISO of my camera, so what I get on my meter, I set my camera to..... saves so much time but most of all, it saves second guessing yourself like a lot of people do. Someone also sugested to view the Histogram, this can be a problem if you shoot a Model that is prodominately back lit or with a model where the background is dark, the Histgram will give you a false reading..... well, actually, it will give you an acurate reading, but you will have to understand how to interpret that reading. Basically, it comes down to my conversion from Film to Digital (about 15 years now) has not changed much.....

[kenw]

Just because it didn't exist in film is the silliest reason I've ever heard not to use it!!!!!

[brad]

Originally Posted by kenw

Just because it didn't exist in film is the silliest reason I've ever heard not to use it!!!!!

But its a common reason heard from film shooters.

My methods are similar to John's... and using the histogram to decide if I have it where I want it as far as exposure goes.... when shooting with studio lights, I know from experience about where my manual settings will be, and I make adjustments based on the first couple of histograms.

Typically, I will not go back and look at the histograms again unless the lighting changes... I will chimp a little to make sure I'm getting poses and expressions I want.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with shooting it like you did in the film days. Go with what works for you and what you are comfortable with... if you are getting the results you want, in an amount of time that is acceptable to you given what you are being paid (or enjoyment you are getting).... do it.

[The Loft Studios]

Originally Posted by kenw

Just because it didn't exist in film is the silliest reason I've ever heard not to use it!!!!!

I don't use it because it's not a necessity for me. I never needed it to validate my exposures before and I don't need it now..... If you start to consistantly use it, you'll become dependent on it and start to question yourself, thereby not relying on your knowledge and expertise.

[engstrom]

Mark, if I were shooting film - actually when I was shooting film - a lot would depend on the type of shooting I was doing. For shots with consistent lighting I would do essentially what you do - meter the light with a handheld light meter, set my exposure, and shoot. If I was shooting in changing light then I would usually meter for the starting conditions and/or let the camera meter and adjust/keep an eye on the camera's adjustments. Oh yeah, and shoot negatives for a little more processing latitude.

Hey, use what works for you - ultimately as long as you and your clients get the shot then it doesn't really matter.