Wildlife Photography_ From Snapshots to Great Shots - Laurie Excell [41]
Poring Over the Picture
My camera gave me a technically accurate meter reading based on the subject size and the amount of bright light surrounding it. I chose to add more drama by dialing in -1 exposure compensation (Chapter 3, “Exposure Simplified”).
Poring Over the Picture
Understanding the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and the compromises that must be made sometimes, led me to increase my ISO and push my comfort level with my Nikon D2H to get a shutter speed fast enough to stop the action (Chapter 3).
Creative Use of Exposure Compensation
In Chapter 3, I discussed exposure and the elements that go into making a good exposure. Now let’s take it to the next level by taking control of the exposure and choosing whether to brighten or darken the exposure for effect. As I discussed in the opener, dialing in minus exposure compensation will add drama and saturation to your images. In Figure 8.1, a Reddish Egret is bathed in light, and the mangrove background is in shadow. Dialing in -1.5 exposure compensation darkened the background to black, making the egret stand out and enhancing its colorful feathers.
Figure 8.1 A Reddish Egret in breeding plumage flares its feathers.
When faced with a bird in flight against an overcast sky, my meter will dial down the exposure (trying to keep the scene a midtone value), resulting in a dark bird against a gray sky. By dialing in plus exposure compensation, I’m able to bring out the detail in the bird, and the bright sky gives the image a high key look that can be quite appealing. When a Black-legged Kittiwake flew by, I had just enough time to dial in +1 exposure compensation and turn the camera into a vertical orientation to capture a nearly frame-filling wing spread (Figure 8.2).
Figure 8.2 Adding plus exposure compensation brightens an image. Watch for blinking highlights.
On a visit to Brooks Falls in Alaska, a sow had treed her cubs so she could take a nap knowing they were safe right above her. It was such a cute shot, but the sky was bright and the cub was backlit. With the cub as my subject, I dialed in plus exposure compensation until I was able to capture detail in the cub’s face and fur knowing the background would blow out (Figure 8.3). At +1.5 exposure compensation, I confirmed that the cub was well-exposed and the highlight warning was blinking, warning me that the background was blowing out—a compromise I made to get the shot. It’s not a great shot, but it’s my first image of a bear cub in a tree in my files.
Figure 8.3 Plus exposure compensation provides details in the cub’s fur that would otherwise be in silhouette with the bright background.
When to Use Manual Exposure
My preferred choice of exposing my images is Aperture Priority. After years of using digital cameras, I am comfortable with the way my meter works and have the skills to understand when to override my meter’s choice of exposure by dialing in exposure compensation. But there are times when the exposure situation is changing so rapidly that taking the time to dial in exposure compensation may be the difference between getting a snapshot or a great shot. When I’m faced with a situation where the lighting is difficult, I turn my camera to manual exposure and set the meter to spot meter. Using my focus point as my spot meter, I’m able to expose properly for my subject and let the background fall where it may. While photographing Roseatte Spoonbills in Tampa Bay, I was faced with just such a dilemma. If I exposed for the spoonbill against the blue sky (Figure 8.4), I would get a good exposure of the Spoonbill until it began to drop lower for a landing. As it got lower, the background