Correct
Exposure
It
should always be remembered that there is not necessarily
a single correct exposure - and
that different exposures produce different visual interpretations
of the scene being photographed. Under or over exposure
on either side of what might be deemed the correct or
average exposure produce images that might carry the
particular mood a photographer wants - this is termed
an interpretive exposure.
However what is most important to understand is that the
recording medium can register surprising amounts of
information which can be worked up later in photoshop
- it is still capable of recording only limited amounts
of information and if the information is not recorded
it can never be retrieved by analogue or digital techniques.
Below are a series of images of the historic Wool Shed
at Lake Mungo - Look how we read each one differently
- each one gives a different feeling. - Look how the
Low key images ( Darker) of the same scene contains
quite different information to the High key ( Lighter)
images.
Image
1
1/30
sec @ f22 - In this image there is virtually no
detail in the shadows - the image operates as
a silhouette - It gives a feeling of a very dark
enclosed space - sinister almost prison like - |
Image
2
1/30
sec @ f16 - Here there is some detail appearing
in the shadows - Because we can see some detail
in the shadows we gain more of a sense of what
the space was used for - but it still has a threatening
presence. |
Image
3
1/30
sec @ f11 - In terms of the overall scene this
might be viewed as the average exposure - there
are still black areas and white areas of the contrasty
scene - Here the image gives a good description
of the space and the objects within it. |
Image
4
1/30
sec @ f8 - In this image the walls and floor are
beginning to lose textural detail - there few
areas with a black. But the space feels airy an
more open - |
Image
5
1/30
Sec f5.6 - This image appears over exposed it
has lost significant detail in the highlights.
But the space feels lighter - Light seems to penetrate
the enclosure - it has an ethereal feeling - as
though the spirit of the past has a presence. |
Image
6
1/30
sec @ f2.8 - Here the highlights have been washed
out completely. Nothing seems concrete - stable
- the image appears to reference the place as
a fading memory. |
while
some photographers argue that you can simply take the
correct exposure which will hold all the information
- the image contains different information to an interpretive
exposure -
Image 7
Here
we see image 1 photoshoped using curves and contrast
control to get close to image 5 |
Image 5
Notice in this image how there is more detail
in the dark or denser areas of the image like
the wheel in the lower left. |
Image 8
Here
we see image 3 photoshoped using
curves and contrast control to get close to image
1 |
Image 1
Notice
how there is less contrast and the colour is slightly
different between the two. Also how the light
coming through the slats burns into the shadows. |
So
from this we can see that while we can retrieve huge
amounts of information in photoshop - there are differences
and also that there is no single perfect exposure -
the exposure relates to the photographers' objective.
