Need help with these images

[Tom]

The first 2 look like you brought the camera outside from a cool bldg to a warm humid environment.

I walked through the patio door in our family room onto the deck behind the house. The outside fog was visible through the door before I picked up the camera 

[Ron from Big D]

As Pierat said, in these situations you have to shoot manual or use exposure compensation to adjust for the light.  Snow demands opening the lens and a dark brown bear requires closing down the lens for proper exposure.  Neither of these conditions usually requires more than a full 2 stops.  It is easier to deal with if you use spot metering mode.

In your harbor photo, I would have left all the foreground info out and concentrated on the wonderful reflections across the way.  If your original is large enough, you can crop many images out of that single one.

[Tom]

Thanks Ron. I need to play around with different exposure settings.

It is easier to deal with if you use spot metering mode.

I've set the default on my camera to spot metering. Are there times when it should be set to something else?

[Marsha/CA]

Tom, I think what Tvman was meaning is that sometimes, like eyeglasses, the lens can become slightly fogged over when you leave a cool building and immediately take a photo in a warm humid environment.

Marsha~

[Tom]

Yes, that's what I understood Marsha. My response explained/clarified that I did the opposite i.e. I walked from inside the house to the outside. So no, my lens wasn't fogged up, neither were my glasses - which would be my first tell tale sign  

Still waiting for the next foggy morning to experiment with the stuff John (Pierat) and Ron suggested.

[seilerbird]

Thanks Ron. I need to play around with different exposure settings.

I've set the default on my camera to spot metering. Are there times when it should be set to something else?

I personally leave mine on spot metering all the time. Works good for me.

[Bob Buchanan]

I've set the default on my camera to spot metering. Are there times when it should be set to something else?

Rarely would you use spot metering, Tom -- unless you want the metering to be confined to the area of the spot. For example when zoomed in on a bird or plane in flight. Otherwise you want to have the meter consider the reflective light from the entire area of your image. Usually, you would also want that to be weighted more to the center if that is where the subject of the image is located. If you leave it on Spot metering, the portions of your image outside of the spot will not be considered -- and that could lead to a very high or low contrast shot. So the image itself determines the type of metering.

Edit: BTW, am not disagreeing with Ron as to fog/snow metering. In that case, I would want to meter just where the fog or snow is, vs. having other reflected light in the image affecting the reading -- so the spot would be good for that situation as well.

The spot can also be used to view different parts of an image as to the amount of reflective light in each. For example, if doing a sunset, I shoot in manual mode -- and use the spot meter to let me know the contrast between the sun and the surrounding image. An "average" is not much help in that case. Ansel Adam's did most all of his metering with a one degree spot meter. He would look at the highest and lowest amount of reflective light in an image as it applied to the subject of his image to figure what he wanted for an f-Stop and Shutter speed. Digital's do most all of that for us now - or allow us to go back to the basics in manual mode and do it as Ansel did.  

[Tom]

Thanks again Bob. Looks like I really do need to experiment with the spot metering and re-review the Canon educational DVD. One nice thing about a DSC (SLR, compact, or P&S) is the ability to see the results immediately after shooting.

[Jim Dick]

Tom,

Fog can really make or break a shot. One morning Pat & I took a ride along the Black Point Wildlife trail on Merritt Island. We came upon a rookery of Egrets around 0730. I set up my camera on a tripod with the 100-400 zoom. I spotted this one egret that was at the forefront of the jumble of bushes where they were nesting. Due to the fog I was able to capture one of my favorite photographs of birds. Without the fog it would have been a washout. If you look very closely you can pick out some of the branches in the background.

[Lorna]

Great shot Jim.

[Jim Dick]

Hi Lorna,

Thanks! It is one of my favorites. We were lucky to be there at the right time.

[Tom]

Thanks Jim. That's definitely one trick I need to remember.

[Jim Dick]

Thanks Jim. That's definitely one trick I need to remember.

I forgot to mention that the depth of field was fairly shallow which also helped with the background. Wish I could remember all this stuff when it comes time to shoot a picture. :-)

[Tom]

Wish I could remember all this stuff when it comes time to shoot a picture.

That's always my problem; I feel lucky if I remember to remove the lens cap  

[Jim Dick]

That's always my problem; I feel lucky if I remember to remove the lens cap 

Tom,

That's one of the best reasons to own an SLR! Can't forget to remove the lens cap. :-)

[Tom]

Hood Good point Jim. I didn't think of that  

[PancakeBill]

Hoods are different than lens caps.  Sometimes you have to remember to put them on.

[Jim Dick]

Hoods are different

Hoods are different than lens caps.  Sometimes you have to remember to put them on.

n lens caps.  Sometimes you have to remember to put them on.

Aw Bill,

Always the practical joker!!! :-) :-)

[Tom]

Oops typo 

[PancakeBill]

Being the king of typo's I feel it is my duty to have fun with the good ons.   

[Tom]

Being the king of typo's...

Bill, that title is rightfully mine, but I don't mind sharing 

[BernieD]

Bill, that title is rightfully mine, but I don't mind sharing 

Let's not forget Ron Ruward just because he hasn't been able to post recently

[PancakeBill]

Do I have to bring in confirmation from all the other forums I participate in?