exposure metering – let your background blow out!
Too often there’s the desire for us to bring the detail in our backgrounds back in by adding flash. But there are times when the image will be stronger if we just allow the background to completely blow out. It especially works in our favor if the background is cluttered, because then by letting the background completely over-expose, we can simplify our composition.
The photo at the top is of Randa, whose wedding I photographed the past weekend. While finishing her preparation in the bedroom, I noticed a gesture she made as she tried to control the veil … but I also knew that if I exposed correctly for her as my subject, the background would melt away. So we played with the idea for a minute.
Here is another photo in the sequence, but with the exposure pulled down by 3 stops with the RAW file. That will give you an idea of what the background would look like. Not bad … but not as simple as I like.
Then by exposing correctly for her, the background disappeared. I also lose some detail in the veil, but I can live with that, since this image is more about the mood and the gesture than it is about exact retention of detail in the veil.
Here is the image without any post-processing. (Aside from a slight tweak of the white balance of the RAW file.)
camera settings: 1/80 @f/2.8 @ 1600 ISO
Nikon D3S (B&H); Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 AF-S VR II (B&H)
Then for the final image, shown at the start of the article, I used the Totally Rad action set, with a mixture of presets that I named ‘Vintage‘, that I’ve used before with some images. It gives the image a warm muted look that works well in this context.
The technique is so simple, but it relies on us recognizing the potential while actually shooting.
This is exactly the technique I used when I photographed Anelisa in the shopping mall when working on the review of the Fuji X100. By exposing for my subject, I let my background blow out, giving an ethereal looking photograph.
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Neil, great shot! What kind of metering would you use in this instance? Spot or centre-weighted? Love the warmth shown in the final image.
Regards
Roy Barnes
Comment by Roy Barnes — January 16, 2012 @ 10:26 pm
Comment by Neil vN — January 16, 2012 @ 11:11 pm
Beautiful Neil.
Love the light, the color, the composition, and of course a stunning bride.
Trev
Comment by Trev — January 17, 2012 @ 4:28 am
Neil,
Completely agree! While it’s critical not to allow important details to blow out, I have absolutely no issue about letting backgrounds go, as long as it doesn’t detract from the image as a whole (it rarely does, and in this case, it improves the image greatly).
Comment by Mike — January 17, 2012 @ 10:19 am
“Here is the same photo, but with the exposure pulled down by 3 stops with the RAW file.”
It’s not the same photo. Check the hand of the girl and also the face… I don’t get it.
Comment by John — January 17, 2012 @ 10:52 am
Comment by Neil vN — January 17, 2012 @ 11:07 am
Thanx Neil for another great tip.
Question: If you have a situation such as this with a really clattered room in the background but not enough strong sunlight in the back to burn out the details how do you achieve the same effect with flash. In order words can I blast the background to completely burn it so that we don’t see it?
Thank you
Alexis
Comment by Alexis Hadjisoteriou — January 17, 2012 @ 12:48 pm
Simply…. PERFECT!
Comment by Michelle Handal — January 18, 2012 @ 10:01 am
That’s is a hell of experience!!!
You look, and you dial in.
Nice.
Comment by bart — January 21, 2012 @ 12:56 am
Hi Neil – Adam and I just came back from our honeymoon and our parents forwarded us this right away. I absolutely LOVE this image and can’t wait to see all of the rest. You are simply the best – thank you for working with us that day.
Comment by Randa — January 24, 2012 @ 11:14 pm