WORTH KNOWING

Practical photography principles that really work

The light meter — how it “sees” light

The light meter measures reflected light and usually steers exposure towards a medium brightness. However, this does not mean every bright scene requires exactly +1 EV and every dark scene –1 EV.

• For white, very bright elements, check the histogram and highlight clipping warning; adjust exposure only as much as the scene requires.
• For black or dark elements, check that shadow detail is not being lost instead of automatically applying a fixed correction.
• Colour alone does not determine exposure compensation. What matters is subject brightness, scene contrast and the intended effect.

What is EV?

EV (Exposure Value) is a unit describing a change in the amount of light in an exposure. A change of 1 EV means doubling or halving the amount of light reaching the sensor.

A 1 EV change can be achieved in three ways:

• shutter speed — halving or doubling the exposure time
  (e.g. from 1/100 s to 1/50 s = +1 EV, from 1/100 s to 1/200 s = –1 EV)
• aperture — opening or closing by one full stop
  (e.g. from f/8 to f/5.6 = +1 EV, from f/8 to f/11 = –1 EV)
• ISO — doubling or halving sensitivity
  (e.g. from ISO 100 to ISO 200 = +1 EV, from ISO 200 to ISO 100 = –1 EV)

Example:
If the camera indicates underexposure of –1 EV, this means the photograph needs twice as much light. You can correct it, for example, by:

• lengthening the exposure from 1/200 s to 1/100 s,
• opening the aperture from f/11 to f/8,
• raising ISO from 100 to 200.

Each of these changes gives exactly +1 EV.

White balance — a starting point and intention

Colour temperature describes light, but the Kelvin value set in the camera is also a decision about how the image is interpreted. Do not choose it solely from a table — assess the result on the screen or in the RAW file.

• In uniform light, start with Auto WB or an appropriate preset, then adjust the appearance of the photograph.
• In product photography, use a grey reference or custom white balance when accurate colours matter.
• In mixed lighting, choose the dominant source or deliberately retain the difference in colour.
• If you shoot in RAW, white balance can be fine-tuned without loss during editing.

Large depth of field in landscapes

There is no single focusing distance or aperture for every landscape. These depend on focal length, foreground distance, sensor size and the intended size of the final image.

• f/8–f/11 is often a good starting point: it provides a large depth of field and limits diffraction.
• Use f/16 when you really need sharpness closer to the camera; check the result in a magnified view before taking the photograph.
• Focus manually at a chosen distance or using the hyperfocal distance, but treat the calculation as an approximation.
• When the foreground is very close, consider focus stacking instead of automatically stopping down to f/22.

Shutter speed — controlling motion

• Freezing motion: shutter speed 1/500 s – 1/1000 s.
• Panning: shutter speed 1/60 s – 1/15 s, depending on the subject’s speed.
• The “brushstroke” effect: an exposure of 1/4 s is usually enough (e.g. a car passing behind a stationary subject).
• Remember ISO: fast shutter speeds require around ISO 400+; for panning, ISO 100 is usually enough.

Colours — how to combine them deliberately

• The colour wheel contains 12 colours and shows their relationships.
• Primary colours: red, blue, yellow.
• Secondary colours: green, purple, orange.
• Tertiary colours: e.g. red-purple, blue-green.
• Complementary colours (e.g. orange + blue) reinforce one another and intensify colour when placed together.
• Analogous colours (e.g. blue + blue-green + green) create a calm, harmonious combination.

The sunny f/16 rule

The sunny f/16 rule is a starting point for a scene in strong, direct sunlight: at ISO 100, you can start with f/16 and around 1/100–1/125 s. Cloud cover, shade, reflections and the direction of light require further adjustment.

If you open the aperture by three stops from f/16 to f/5.6, shorten the exposure by three stops to retain a similar exposure. Then check the histogram — the rule should help, not replace metering.

A starburst halo — shooting into the sun

• A backlit scene, with people silhouetted against transparent, often colourful objects.
• Best: low-angle backlight, a wide-angle lens, aperture f/22.
• To reduce flare, remove all filters from the lens.
• In aperture priority mode: f/22, exposure compensation –2/3 EV, ISO 200–400.

Light passing through obstacles

Light passing through leaves, blinds or openwork architecture can create interesting patches and rhythms, but it can easily produce high contrast. Matrix metering can be a convenient starting point, but it is worth checking the histogram and adjusting exposure for the most important part of the frame.

Panning — a practical technique

• The base of the camera rests flat on your palm, while your other hand grips the camera firmly at the side.
• Image stabilisation (IS) should be switched on.
• Choose a background with clear contrast (e.g. a graffiti-covered wall or shop windows).
• Follow the subject at the same speed, from left to right or vice versa.
• Try to keep the subject in the leading third of the frame.
• Shoot bursts at shutter speeds of 1/30 s, 1/25 s, 1/20 s, 1/15 s.