1. Proper Exposure and Light Meter Basics
Instructor: Ms. Davis

4. Proper Exposure-what is it?
The first step in making a good image, is to properly expose it.
An exposure is a single image on your camera’s sensor or film.
We call it an exposure because the sensor or film is being exposed to the light outside of the camera.
But there is an art to the process of exposure, which is the balance you strike between lightness and darkness in any single exposure. This is proper exposure.
To get the correct balance of light and dark, you need to allow the right amount of light to hit the sensor.

5. Proper exposure Using a water analogy:
Not enough – just enough – too much
Underexposed – Proper Exposure- Overexposed

6. There are 3 camera controls that control proper exposure.
Let’s find them on your camera. Digital cameras are different!

7. Proper exposure (cont.)
Think of filling a bucket with water. Once you know how much you need, there are several ways of getting that same amount of water in the bucket. You adjust aperture, shutter speed and ISO to get proper exposure.
When they are combined in the correct proportions for the amount of light available, you will get a correctly exposed image (i.e. an image that isn’t too bright or too dark).

8. How does this picture look?

9. Or this one? Underexposed

10. And this one?

11. And this one?

12. How about this one? Proper exposure!

16. Proper exposure: This was taken by a beginner last year.

17. Light Meter You must be on M on the mode dial.
Light meter on the Nikon D90
Light Meter
You must be on M on the mode dial.
You must adjust your shutter speed and aperture dials to obtain proper exposure. The objective is to get only one line under the o.
What happens if the lines are over in the -? In the +?
Your ISO also plays a major part in proper exposure too, but we won’t cover that at this time. Just leave it at 400.
You must meter off of your subject to determine how much exposure it needs.
Not all camera’s have a meter that looks like this

18. Hands on Break
1) Practice using your shutter speed dial and aperture dials to create a proper exposure, using the light meter inside your camera.
Start at 1/60 on the shutter speed dial, and go up from there. Do not go below 1/60.
2. Hands on break. Practice using your light
Meter and adjusting your shutter speed and aperture dials
To obtain proper exposure. And practice focusing.
Shutter speed
Aperture
ISO