How do you shoot into back light?

[mo]

Example Below....I know it could be better but how do you do it? I use Manual cameras no digital SLR.How do you bring the cocky and tree out of the shade.I come across this problem all the time and don't know how to set the exposure accordingly. I know a longer lens would have helped but what are the adjustments for exposure is there a rule to go by with strong back light or side light

[Scheimpflug]

Have you thought about using a fill flash?

I believe the technique is to set the exposure for the bright background, then use the fill flash to lighten the shadowed side of the foreground. Perhaps even with several flashes, or an off-camera flash...

[mo]

Not sure how practical that is when out in a park ,would the flash reach that far up a tree? I have a few flashes picked up with the cameras I have bought over the years.The other aspect is when the cockatoos are in that hole that is their nest so a flash may scare them off

[Scheimpflug]

It might reach that far.. it probably depends on the flash, but it might be worth a try.

Otherwise, since you are working with film, all I can think of is to do some dodging/burning in the darkroom. Once you have it scanned, you could edit the photos in photoshop, or take multiple exposures and make a HDR composite... but that's definitely more work.

[mo]

Sadly I am not in the film developing stage...I have looked at it but not gone that way...yet I have my L plates on just learning the basics.The flash would be interesting especially if I have any walkers nearby...

[Excalibur]

Well it depends if you have spot metering on your camera, but anyway the meter is set for the standard of "Kodak grey" so it can be fooled and the best thing is to take a meter reading of something else (away from the subject) that looks Kodak grey to the exposure meter e.g. deep green grass or bushes, grey pavement, grey bark of a tree etc and set the aperture or shutter speed......then compose your shot of the tree, but there is still a problem because the subject is in the shade so open up a stop or two.

[mo]

Thanks for the tips.I will be doing some shooting over the weekend in a wetlands area and plenty of birds up a tree. so will practice.I use the Ricoh KR10 at the moment.

[Excalibur]

[Scheimpflug]

[Nesster]

As a hint, the Nikon EM has a back-light switch that increases exposure 2 stops, and it works great most of the time.

I find often that when I notice a light level difference, it's usually at least 2 stops. Rarely am I so in the zone that I am sensitive to 1 stop differences...

[mo]

The Ricoh has one of those it sits on the film side/ASA setting and has the settings -2 -1 0 +1 +2...so that's what it is for

[Orio]

The best way to meter for backlight is to use a hand meter and meter the incident light (i.e. point the meter to the light source).

If you don't have a hand light meter, put yourself in a position where you receive the same light as the subject, and meter a 18% grey cardboard - or your hand, if you don't have the cardboard.

Both these methods will give you the "standard" light measure (the incident light method being more precise).

Of course photo is an art not a science, so you may want to shift from the ideal measure depending on your artistic goal. But in any case, the standard measuring is always to be taken, in order to know "where you are".

[mo]

Thanks Orio at the moment I am trying just for correct metering ,I have a hand held meter which I will bring with me. I have found a beautiful tree that goes like a S nice curves,not a straight line like other gum trees so I have a practice subject

[Scheimpflug]

Keep in mind though that a metering change might not be the magic fix. Your first exposure certainly wasn't "wrong", it was just not what you wanted for the foreground subject. It was correct for the sky, which covers the majority of the frame, and about perfect for the highlights on the lower tree branches.

So once you start adjusting the exposure for the shadows, you may find that you quickly run out of dynamic range for the highlights. For example, the lower portions of the tree branches in your photo here are already clipping the red channel, and within a few percent of clipping on the green as well. Adjusting the exposure may fix the darker sections of the bark, but it will also make the bright parts worse - larger sections will be clipped.

So sometimes you can work around lighting deficiencies with exposure adjustments... but not always. Sometimes you just have to fix the lighting.


For what it is worth, have you ever watched a pro shoot an outdoor model shot in the sun? Often times instead of a fill flash, they will use large reflectors to help fill in the foreground. This probably wouldn't be as effective on the large tree, but it might be a useful technique for smaller objects.

A few examples:

[mo]

LOL I have a few things to try this weekend,Thanks for the input Scheimpflug
(by the way does your Tag name mean anything?)

[Scheimpflug]

[mo]

Over my head...cool name!

[martinsmith99]

I won't bother adding anything to the exposure tips, but I will say the flash won't bother the birds. I was told by someone that works with birds of prey that they cannot see it.

[venkatnet]

Hi Orio,
Can you please elaborate on the Contax TLA-30 flash on Canon 5D. If you can explain the setting on the flash unit it would be very helpful. I would like to use this flash as a fill flash. Thanks in advance! venkatnet

[peterqd]

Mo, in a situation like that tree, just pointing the camera at it from your shooting position and using auto exposure is going to result in the meter averaging the light to try to get a balance between low and highlights. The result will be underexposure of the tree because most of the picture is brighter sky. It's a similar situation to a snap of a person in the snow. The opposite case is, for instance, a bride in a white wedding dress in front of a dark wall - the camera will tend to overexpose the dress.

You can never get a proper balance in one shot containing widely different high and low lights (at least not without some darkroom trickery) and there will always be some compromise. So you need to decide which parts of the picture you want to expose correctly and those you can allow to over or under expose. In your case, if you want the tree correctly exposed then the sky is always going to be overexposed, but this is preferable to a shadowy subject as in your pic.

My approach would be to go right up close to the tree and take an exposure reading of the trunk with no sky in the picture. Then, with the camera on manual, set the shutter speed and aperture to those values before going back to the wider shot. This is where cameras with exposure lock feature (e.g. the Chinon Memotrons or Pentax P30n) are handy.

Another thing to remember is that the camera meter reading can be affected by light entering through the viewfinder, so you should block the v/f when taking the meter reading. If your camera is on auto you should try to block it as you press the shutter. Some cameras have an internal blind which does this, and some have a plastic cap that slides over the outside of the v/f. An eye-cup helps as long as you don't wear glasses.

[mo]

Thanks Peter some great points ,yes I would prefer the tree to be exposed correctly Or the bird on the tree.
I have noticed the viewfinder problem with exposure and I do wear Glasses...when the issue pops up I cup my hand over the viewfinder and it works.I mainly use the manual setting as I am trying to get a grasp on how it all works and it has been hard but fun and rewarding

Thanks Martin,I am glad it won't hurt the birds.

[Esox lucius]

I would use fill-in flash. I know SB-800 can be zoomed as well as easily reach 40m at ISO 100, Nikon's SB-900 packs a lot more punch. Canon's and other manufacturer's portable flashes can cover the same distances also.

[lexanite]

With that condition I will try Fill in Flash:
Set the camera dial at speed priority, lowest ISO, set shutter speed at the max flash syncro speed (to minimise the effect of back light), for example, 1/250 for 7D, 1/500 for D70S, then focus and fire.
Sorry for my poor english.
The Flash in place and switch on for sure...