Collins Complete Photography Course. John Garrett

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       Self timer

      Meter modes

      Most cameras provide you with three exposure modes which evaluate the light reflecting off different areas of the picture.

      Matrix mode (Nikon) or evaluative metering (Canon) averages the exposure over the whole viewfinder frame. It is recommended by camera manufacturers for all-round situations but does not work well with exposure compensation or on exposure lock.

      Centre-weighted mode meters the whole frame but makes the centre of the frame (as marked in your viewfinder) the most critical. It is ideal for portraits and is also recommended when using strong filtration.

      Spot meter mode (Nikon) or partial metering (Canon) takes a reading off a small centre circle (only about 2 per cent of the frame). It is ideal if you have a small but critical area in your frame that you want to be sure is well exposed. This is often much brighter or darker than the rest of the picture, but you can spot meter it and let the rest of the frame take care of itself.

      Exposure compensation

      When you are shooting in P, S or A modes the camera automatically calculates the exposure. If you want to override its reading, use exposure compensation. By pressing the button and rotating the control wheel you have a choice of making the pictures brighter or darker (shown on the camera as + or – respectively).

      This can be useful when you have a light subject in front of a dark background, for instance, when you may need to give less exposure than the camera has calculated because it is trying to record detail in the dark background and will make your lighter subject in the foreground too bright. Conversely, if you have a dark subject in front of a bright background you may want to give more exposure.

      Auto exposure lock (AE AF)

      If your subject is off-centre in the viewfinder the exposure could be incorrect. The answer is to select centre-weighted or spot metering, put the subject in the centre of the viewfinder and hold the shutter button halfway down to set the focus and exposure. Use the auto exposure lock, recompose your picture and take the photograph.

      Self timer

      The self timer delays the shutter release, giving you time to push the button then run around to include yourself in the shot. If you don’t have a cable release or remote control to fire the camera on long exposures, use the self timer to avoid camera shake.

      Quick tip

      Flash

      Having flash at your disposal can be invaluable on many occasions, and modern automatic systems make it easier than ever to use.

      Most cameras now have a built-in flash, but it’s something to use with care. Set onto auto, the camera will be popping a flash into just about everything, trying to produce a uniformly ‘normal’ picture every time, and that’s not the way forward for a creative photographer. However, the ‘fill-in’ flash works well in automatic to supplement ambient (existing) light. If you practise and study your camera manual you will be able to use it imaginatively as well as usefully.

      Flashguns

      As well as the built-in flashlight, the manufacturers all make separate dedicated flashguns. ‘Dedicated’ means that when they are connected to the hot shoe on the camera they can be controlled from it and work with the through-the-lens (TTL) automatic exposure. Check your manual for the maximum recommended shutter speed that will synchronize with your flash; you can use slower speeds, but if you exceed the maximum speed you will not get an image.

      Flashguns have a very short flash duration which is so fast it will freeze almost any moving subject. They have more power than the built-in flash, and because they have their own battery power, they don’t drain the batteries of the camera. The swivel head can be angled to bounce light off walls or ceilings, which makes a lovely soft light – but be careful that the surface you are bouncing off is neutral, preferably white, or your flash will pick up the colours and cast them onto your subject.

      There are many accessories such as diffusers, reflectors and colour filters available for flashguns. They become a really versatile and creative light source when you add an off-camera cable which connects the flashgun and the camera hot shoe, enabling you to light your subject from almost any direction (see pp.116-17), with the flash still dedicated to your camera’s automatic exposure.