| The automatic exposure feature on today's | | | | aperture priority and keep the camera aperture small. |
| inexpensive digital cameras is often better than the | | | | Of course this will decrease the shutter speed to |
| auto exposure was on expensive film cameras 10 | | | | allow more light to come in to the camera. Be sure |
| years ago. Advances in computers allow a very | | | | the resulting exposure will not be at a shutter speed |
| sophisticated auto exposure brain to be packed into | | | | of less than 1/125th unless you are using a tripod. |
| a tiny space in today's digital cameras. | | | | If you are shooting a moving object, you'll have to |
| But even the most sophisticated auto exposure | | | | switch to shutter priority and set the shutter speed |
| features can sometimes simply make an error or | | | | fast enough to eliminate blurring - usually at least 1 |
| read the scene wrong and set the wrong exposure. | | | | 400th. Just keep in mind that, when you do this, the |
| The exposure compensation feature of your digital | | | | depth of field will suffer, so focus carefully on your |
| camera enables you to compensate for these | | | | main subject. |
| mis-readings by making your photos lighter or darker | | | | After you've selected aperture or shutter priority, |
| than you would get using auto exposure alone. Here | | | | take another photo and check the results. If the |
| are some tips for improving your digital photos by | | | | depth of field and sharpness are acceptable, now it's |
| using the exposure compensation feature of your | | | | time to use exposure compensation. |
| digital camera. | | | | Most digital cameras allow you to increase or |
| 1. Take a photo and check the exposure - After you | | | | decrease the auto exposure setting by 2 stops in 1/3 |
| take your photo, review it in your camera's LCD | | | | stop increments. You'll have to check your digital |
| screen. One of the joys of digital photography is that | | | | camera's manual to see just how to do it. It varies |
| you can always lighten or darken a digital photo later | | | | by camera. Start by adjusting the exposure |
| using Photoshop or another kind of digital photo | | | | compensation + 2/3 or - 2/3, depending on whether |
| editing software. However, while you're still on the | | | | your auto exposure photos was too light or too dark. |
| scene, why not use the exposure compensation | | | | Take another photo and check the results. If it's still |
| feature to make the correction in the original. | | | | not right, make an additional adjustment to the |
| Photoshop can darken a picture after the fact, but it | | | | exposure compensation and try again. |
| can't bring back details that were lost in an overly | | | | Exposure compensation gives you much more control |
| bright section of your original photo. If they got | | | | over the exposure setting so your digital camera. |
| washed out when the picture was taken, they are | | | | Just remember, once you go to your next photo |
| simply not there to bring back. | | | | taking session, to be sure to return the + 2/3 or - 2 |
| 2. Choose the camera program settings - You can | | | | 3 or whatever to -0-. Otherwise you'll get exposure |
| always use exposure compensation with the fully | | | | compensation on your next photos without wanting |
| automatic mode, but there is a better way. If you | | | | it. |
| want to maximize the depth of field, switch to | | | | |