How can I meter a person in portrait when the sun is towards their back?

11 years 7 months ago #250334 by Number 7
I have problems with getting a correct exposure when doing shots when the person has the sun behind them. They always come out under exposed. How can get a proper exposure in this example?


Photo Comments
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11 years 7 months ago #250359 by KCook
Switch to spot meter, get the reading for the figure, AE lock, then "recompose". This will block the bright background from overwhelming the meter reading. Of course the spot meter result will also blow out the background, you can't have everything! Links to a few articles that may help -

www.photographytalk.com/photography-arti...-lighting-situations

www.picturecorrect.com/tips/camera-setti...ortrait-photography/

neilvn.com/tangents/2011/06/01/exposure-...se-for-your-subject/

Kelly Cook

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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11 years 7 months ago #250363 by McBeth Photography
you'll need to use a reflector or add flash to bring up the shadows on the face, then meter the face with the spot meter after the reflector is in place. With the nikon i-ttl you can set your ambient exposure in manual and then turn on the flash, spot-meter the face and fire...the flash will bring the face up to exposure.

It is what it is.
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11 years 7 months ago #250365 by icepics
If you're shooting facing into the sun you're bringing a lot of light into your camera and the light's hitting the back of your subject, so it makes it hard to meter or see what you're doing (like being outside squinting into the sun).

I learned early on to have the sun behind me and the light hitting the subject or scene.

Doing backlit subjects seems to be somewhat popular but facing into the sun just with existing light is probably not going to be your best option.

Sharon
Photo Comments
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11 years 7 months ago #250369 by John Landolfi
You can also experiment with some positive exposure compensation, to get better exposure on the face, without completely blowing out the background, and then give more exposure to the face in PP.


Photo Comments
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11 years 7 months ago #250549 by Joves

McBeth Photography wrote: you'll need to use a reflector or add flash to bring up the shadows on the face, then meter the face with the spot meter after the reflector is in place. With the nikon i-ttl you can set your ambient exposure in manual and then turn on the flash, spot-meter the face and fire...the flash will bring the face up to exposure.


:agree:
This is the right answer. You need to light the subject well enough so the you get proper exposure of they and the background. Reflectors give you nice even lighting if you are not comfortable with flashes.


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11 years 7 months ago #250567 by Henry Peach
There are many ways to get correct exposures in this sort of situation:

Set exposure manually. Remember that the bright background is fooling the meter, so add a few stops.

Dial in some positive exposure compensation.

Switch to spot meter and only meter your subject.

Meter something that's in similar light (not the background light) as your subject, and use meter lock.

As has been mentioned, if you want to get a good exposure on both the foreground and background you are going to have to figure out a way to add light to the foreground.
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11 years 7 months ago - 11 years 7 months ago #250569 by Henry Peach

icepics wrote: I learned early on to have the sun behind me and the light hitting the subject or scene.


This doesn't always work well with people. If the sun is behind the photographer, and the people are looking at the camera, then they are looking towards the brightest part of the sky, and they get squinty.
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