
CORRECT EXPOSURE
Correct Exposure
It’s a common misconception that you don’t have to worry
about exposure when you shoot RAW. Sure, you have more
exposure latitude with RAW, but the further your image is from
correct exposure, the more work you’ll have to do in Camera
Raw or Photoshop to get it right.
Getting the correct exposure—as most
photographers know—can either
be very dicult or a piece of cake. It
depends on the subject, the light, and
the camera’s capabilities. Fortunately,
almost all digital cameras come with
built-in features that help determine
whether you are in the ballpark: LCD
previews, histograms, and over/
under exposure warnings. If you haven’t
already, it’s good to familiarize yourself
with these handy tools and use them
wisely. (My book Shooting Digital goes
into the subject of exposure in great
detail.)
LCD Preview The LCD preview, shown in
Figure 1-22, will tell you if you got the
shot, but it shouldn’t be relied on as an
indictor of correct exposure.
Histogram Camera histograms, like
the one circled in Figure 1-23, are a
good indicator of exposure. Properly
exposed images will produce a well-
distributed histogram, shifted slightly
more to the highlights (right side)
without clipping.
Over/Under Exposure Warnings Flashing
Over/Under exposure warnings,
(represented in Figure 1-24) are
distracting, but at a glance you’ll know
if your highlights ...