Exposure matters, for sure. But sometimes varying exposure produces a range of equally interesting options — other times it just produces images that are clearly too dark or too light to appreciate. But while this high-contrast subject reveals very different images at different exposures, this is generally NOT the case with low-contrast images.
There are many ways to vary exposure, but usually changing shutter speed, ISO, or lighting level is the way to go — changing aperture does change exposure but can also produce such different looks that you end up varying two things at once, which is creative but confusing and hard to learn from.
Bottom Line: It is often surprising how very different exposures of the same subject produce entirely different images, particularly with high-contrast images.
To some extent, you can shoot the "proper" exposure and then produce the under and over exposed looks in computer, but that won't always work.
(This page only applies to those point-and-shoot cameras that allow for substantial exposure adjustment.)
Left
Right
Way overexposed — the image is almost gone, but we do look harder into what's left to get what we can.
80mm, f4, 1 second, ISO 800
Still very overexposed, but has a certain luminous quality that ain't bad.
80mm, f4, 1/2 second, ISO 800
Deliberate over exposure is a common way to achieve a certain look, particularly in fashion.
80mm, f4, 1/8 second, ISO 800
Is this the "correct" exposure? The point of this group is to say that sometimes there is no single correct exposure.
80mm, f4, 1/15 second, ISO 800
Dark, but visible details in Nicole's face. This is not a subtle as the detail in the next panel, but sometimes you can't afford to be that subtle because iffy reproduction will kill off the subtle qualities.
80mm, f4, 1/30 second, ISO 800
Dark exposure, but dramatic, with subtle details stil in the face. The ability to work with faint shadow details depends on good quality monitors and printers. In many cases a lovely photo will get slaughtered in print or by dark monitors.
80mm, f4, 1/60 second, ISO 800
This is pretty much a silhouette, with no detail. I happen to love the silhouette, so at times I can live without the details.
80mm, f4, 1/250 second, ISO 800
Here the image is almost gone, but the subtle silhouette is one of my favorite images from this whole project — along with panel 2.
80mm, f4, 1/8000 second, ISO 800
Way overexposed — the image is almost gone, but we do look harder into what's left to get what we can.
80mm, f4, 1 second, ISO 800
Still very overexposed, but has a certain luminous quality that ain't bad.
80mm, f4, 1/2 second, ISO 800
Deliberate over exposure is a common way to achieve a certain look, particularly in fashion.
80mm, f4, 1/8 second, ISO 800
Is this the "correct" exposure? The point of this group is to say that sometimes there is no single correct exposure.
80mm, f4, 1/15 second, ISO 800
Dark, but visible details in Nicole's face. This is not a subtle as the detail in the next panel, but sometimes you can't afford to be that subtle because iffy reproduction will kill off the subtle qualities.
80mm, f4, 1/30 second, ISO 800
Dark exposure, but dramatic, with subtle details stil in the face. The ability to work with faint shadow details depends on good quality monitors and printers. In many cases a lovely photo will get slaughtered in print or by dark monitors.
80mm, f4, 1/60 second, ISO 800
This is pretty much a silhouette, with no detail. I happen to love the silhouette, so at times I can live without the details.
80mm, f4, 1/250 second, ISO 800
Here the image is almost gone, but the subtle silhouette is one of my favorite images from this whole project — along with panel 2.
