MAKING PORTRAITS 203
DARK SKIN
We know that photography is most likely to lose detail in the highlights and
in the shadows. Few people with light skin are light enough to cost highlight
detail, and we rarely encounter such problems. However, a few people with
dark skin are dark enough to present potential shadow detail problems.
Some photographers increase the exposure in these cases. Sometimes,
and we must emphasize only sometimes, this strategy works well. If, for
example, the subject is dark skinned and wearing a dark shirt and coat, it
is safe to open the lens considerably to compensate for the light lost by skin
absorption.
However, if the subject is a bride with very dark skin in a white wedding
dress, the preceding strategy could ...