Modern cameras come equipped with this cool feature call “matrix metering” – basically the camera’s ability to analyze the scene and “figure” out how much light is needed for the exposure. This is a real cool and real convenient feature and I think it made photography a lot more accessible to the masses.
At the same time, just because the camera figure out the amount of time it needs to make the exposure, it doesn’t mean it’s the artistically correct exposure – this the concept I first came across from reading Bryan Peterson’s “Understanding Exposure” book. At the same time, I was reassured by many sources (in-print, online, Nikon, or other “experts”) that Nikon has a very good matrix metering system and it works well in “most” cases. So I have been leaving my DSLR on matrix metering all these time.
Last time, I noticed the moon was just spectacular and decide to capture the moment with my D5100. I put the camera on a tripod, get a good focus (AF-A) and snapped a exposure, and this is what I got.
Well, it’s not bad, but I was hoping I could get something a little better… So, I snapped a couple more exposures, and I got
Clearly I wasn’t getting anywhere with this matrix metering, so I decided to change it to good old spot metering and see what I can do with.
I then decided to see what else I can with spot metering. Simply by metering from different spots, I got very different results from the same target:
I think this is where Photography becomes a real art - I can, using the tools I have available and my creativity to decide how I would want to interpret a given scene and communicate that to others. I don’t know if I would ever be fractionally successful as Bryan Peterson, but I think I have just crossed over from snap-shooters to a artistic-shooter. 
The supermoon last night supposedly became really bright at 11:36pm. I was sound asleep by then. I had wanted to go out to the park to take pictures of the moon but since it was just 13% larger than the normal moon, I did not feel compelled to go out there. I have already taken many photos of the moon.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I like photos #5 and #7 best. The colours are richer.
:-) We came home from a BBQ at Caledon @ 9pm and I told myself I've got to snap a few shots at the moon. My neighbours must have wondered what was wrong with me.. :-)
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