Learning Center
Metering

During an evening shoot recently on the mall in Washington DC, I was presented with metering issues photographers face regularly. Lighting during the holidays, in arenas and in mixed, low light conditions can present a photographer with challenges. In this series of images, I shot hand-held and was fortunate enough to use the Tamron 28-300 VC lens with Vibration Compensation technology, capturing blur-free images in low light.

Today’s DSLR cameras offer Full-Weighted, Center-Weighted and Spot metering modes. Understanding each and employing the correct one greatly increases your chances of creating a properly exposed image in difficult light.

Using the Full-Weighted metering mode, the camera evaluates the entire or most of the area of view in order to calculate the exposure.

Using the Center-Weighted metering mode, the camera favors the center area of view and considers the side areas less as it calculates the exposure.

Using the Spot metering mode, the camera only uses a small spot area in the center of the viewfinder to evaluate the exposure.

With practice, photographers instinctively know which metering mode to use. Most of the time, Full-Weighted metering will achieve the desired results. If you are unsure which metering mode to use, it is a good practice to start with Full-Weighted metering (often the camera’s factory default position), move to Center-Weighted and then to Spot meter if the scene dictates it. Be sure to test your shots before shooting an important event. Consult your user manual for the exact details, nomenclature and specifications of your particular camera.

Image #1 – For this image from inside the Abraham Lincoln Memorial, I used the Spot metering mode to achieve the desired exposure. The Full-Weighted metering mode would properly expose for the indoor room, but would have made the statue of President Lincoln over exposed. Using Center-Weighted metering mode would improve the statue detail, but it would still be over-exposed. Spot metering off of the base perfectly exposed the statue.

Image #2 - In this case, I shot the Washington Monument with the moon overhead from inside the Lincoln Memorial. I used the Center-Weighted metering mode to achieve the desired exposure. Using Full-Weighted metering would have properly exposed the columns, but the outside area beyond the pillars would have been too dark. Spot metering could have over exposed the entire image depending on exactly where the meter reading was taken.

Image #3 - For the WWII Memorial, I used the Full-Weighted metering mode to achieve the desired exposure of the overall scene. Using Center-Weighted metering would have caused the overall exposure to be too dark. Using Spot metering wouldn’t have included enough information to achieve a proper exposure.