[Robl]

Afternoon

Recently got a Nikon D3100 with the stock 18-55 lens, and have been out snapping away. Sometimes on auto sometimes on sport, sometimes manually setting. What I have noticed on mine (and other peoples)  pics is chalked up hands are over exposed.?

I am a novice when it comes to anything camera based, can anyone offer any advice?

Here are a couple of examples?

Manual Setting - f3.5, Exp 1/60 - It was probably 6:30pm on an overcast evening. I'm happy with the realism of the colours, the green is right on my top for example but the back of mu hands / arms are almost glowing? (maybe a tan would help? )




This was in the cameras sport mode. f5.6 exp 1/125 - again colours good but over exposed hand.? Late morning - overcast day.



Thanks all. 

[butterworthtom]

I am certainly an amateur, but in my (limited) experience I would suggest that both those pictures are slightly overexposed. I would dial down the exposure compensation by 0.3 - 1.0.
If you think that the subject is the climber and the line, looking at that first image the chalked up holds, the hands, and the skin on his arms are blown out. The surrounding rock is well exposed, but is that what you want?
There is more detail in under exposed areas than over exposed ones, hence it is easier to correct underexposed images than vice versa.
If you have situations with a wide dynamic range, then try and think about which part of it you want to be able to see clearly, either that or get your HDR out 

Anyway, I'm sure Paul or someone will be along to correct me soon.

[butterworthtom]

I am going to plug a photo I took the other day as an example:



You can see the hands and face are well exposed, parts of the rock, parts of his body (legs and chest) are underexposed, but the area which is the subject is exposed properly. I generally think underexposed > overexposed

[Johnny Brown]

On my Nikon D300 I usually shoot in aperture priority with -0.3/ -0.7 dialled in permanently - the reason being rock is generally darker than the 18% grey meters are calibrated too, though sunlit limestone can require the opposite. If you shoot in RAW you'll generally be able to correct the exposure later and recover the blown highlights.

If you're in manual, no excuses, take a test shot, check the histogram for flashing (blown) highlights and adjust exposure accordingly. Works great unless the lighting is constantly going up and down - eg sun in and out behind clouds.

[dave]

Another idea is in manual spotmetered mode, point the spotmeter at the back of your mates hand (in the same lighting as it'll be when they're climbing, obviously) and adjust your exposure to put the brightest part of the hand at +2 (or thereabouts) and it should be all gravy. I'd still check on the LCD/histogram though.

[Johnny Brown]

Can't say I've bothered with a spotmeter much since I've had a histogram. And I used to be the Minister for Spotmeters.

[Robl]

Excellent - just what i'm after!

Ap mode with - exposure -0.3 -7, Shoot in RAW.  (Learn more about the camera  )

Histogram - less spikes the better

This is my first delve into the slr world from point and shoot so its nice to pick up the tips! again many thanks!

[Johnny Brown]

Histogram - less spikes the better

Its not so much spikes you need to avoid, its spikes right up against the right hand edge. Blown areas of the photo should flash when in histogram view.

[butterworthtom]

Spot meter on manual is not always an option for climbing shots though. Especially if the opportunity for the photo only lasts a split second. I never use histogram mode, maybe I should try it.

You are right about the manual. Read it cover to cover, unless you can't read mandarin, spanish, french etc... in which case just read the bits written in English. RAW is good, but expensive in memory (I think it takes about 4x more than jpeg), also you have to make sure you have computer software that can handle it. If you have windows, there probably won't be software on your pc that can do it, if you have a mac then iPhoto can do it.

[Paul B]

Spot meter on manual is not always an option for climbing shots though. Especially if the opportunity for the photo only lasts a split second. I never use histogram mode, maybe I should try it.

Why not? You don't have to meter the instant the shot is being taken. Snap a few tests and see where your exposure lies (using the histogram as screen brightness / picture style can be misleading on the LCD).

Using the histogram is definitely worth it, turn on 'blinkies' as well. If you're Nikon then you're lucky enough to have either fullscreen I believe?

It might also be worth playing around with the 'Active D-lighting' stuff. My Canon has similar  functions built in that bias the matrix metering to the focal point, often with fantastically shit results.

(Myth of the 18% meter standard might be worth a read for the geeks among us)

[Robl]

Just a quick thanks to all who contributed, weekends photo's are better - heading in the right direction.