it is also important to remember WHY it works and why it is good to know....

the sun is a constant.... it is hitting the Earth with roughly the same amount of light every day from space (weather not withstanding).
It was the basis, the set standard for measuring light.
all films, then later all meters, then later all electronic devices were designed on the basis that the most likely source of bright, natural light, it will get from a scene on this planet, is a Sunny day, with the sun behind you.

All standards for metering and photography, are based on this assumption.

It is like knowing how to read the stars.
The North star is a constant. Then came star maps, then compasses, then gps...
and we all know magnets, and the earths magnetic field can cause a compass to mislead... software, radio interference, aurora borealis can interfere with satellite transmissions and enemies can now shoot down satellites... if your compass or gps fails, you wait for a clear night and look for the north star.

same deal with photography....
if all your fancy crap fails or is fooled or misled... you always got sunny sixteen to fall back on.

some problems are best avoided. In the case of white backgrounds there are three simple rules:

1) Light your backdrop, evenly (and about two stops brighter (for white) than the key light for your subject).

2) Light your subject properly. (3 point is best: key, fill, separation/hairlight)

3) put some space between the subject and backdrop.


those three rules become incredibly important when shooting photos or video in front of a green screen.....

I use the sunny sixteen rule all the time.

the point being your brain can always compare notes with what the camera meter is saying, and if the exposure ain't right, you should know what to do to fix it.

Ideally, with practice, you should know (with reasonable accuracy) what your exposure should be, then check the camera meter to verify it jives then shoot. Then check your results and make decisions from there on fine tuning....


I caught Gerri making a mistake last week...
she left the iso on one camera at 1600....
I picked up the camera later (we have a default rule where we're supposed to set the camera to certain settings BEFORE we set it down or put it away) and knew instantly the shutter speed was waaaayyy out of whack for f8 in the sunshine outdoors...
would've missed my elk shot for sure if I hadn't caught it immediately.

I prefer my gold in neat little bars nicely stacked in a safe deposit box, and my camera to be fully functional and usable.

I'll pass on the bling, and carry a camera that is less likely to be stolen, more likely to be used for taking pictures.

getting the animal in the pool of light was very much luck. got a few frames before he scurried off in to the darker forest.

goes to show you don't need a super expensive or super tele to get the wildlife shots...

Shot near Banff with k10 and 16-45mm
yeah I know the © stamp is gaudy,

did you shoot a series on this subject?
I see the subject and the setting have much potential, but this shot is lacking...
from the composition (cut off hand, you are either to wide or too close, this sort of in between composition just doesn't work well, crop a horizontal 8x10 aspect ratio of just the head to the elbow you'll see what I mean...) to the exposure (a little fill flash for the subject, less exposure on the background for effect would help) to the focus/sharpness (which I believe is a combo of slow shutter induced blur and photoshop induced sharpening)... it is a good idea, but falls short on the technicalities...

got any more from that shoot?

good idea, but could be better.

pros are using some kind of viewfinder maginfier..
store bought (check out RED adapters and viewers etc) or home made.. (using an extension tube and lens, a loupe or what have you...)

tell that to the people that think the "terrorism act" type laws give them the right to .....
well it's happening more and more that our rights are being attacked isn't it?

I'm just saying to those that comply or feel the issue is unimportant, to try to understand...

this is an important right. the photos and video can come in very handy in circumstances where your words might not be sufficient to ensure justice.

Apparently don't mix...
link