While I am one to play on the light and airy side, with bright whites and pops of colour, I have noticed that sometimes I am drawn to a lowlight moody scene. There is a different richness and isolation of the subject that draws the viewer into the frame.
While there are various post-processing techniques to enhance the look and feel of the image, the real magic is done in camera.
This is where spot metering comes into play.
AVERAGE MATRIX METERING
I love how the tulips are evenly lit. It is a true feel of what my dinning room looks like midday. We are surrounded by windows, and natural light spills right in a fills the entire room. The image has a bright cheerfulness. The tulips appear to be stretching toward the delicious sunlight.
[Using a Tripod]
200mm | f/2.8 | SS 1/10 | ISO 320
SPOT METERING
By just the switch of a dial, and metering off the highlights of the tulips, I love how this mood transforms. The depth of the colours are suddenly richer and the tulips appear to be lightly kissed by the light. The tulips are leaning toward the side, as if showing the beginning stages of wilting.
[Using a Tripod]
200mm | f/2.8 | SS 1/60 | ISO 320
Something as simple as selecting how you wish to meter your subject will ultimately create the vision of the story that you wish to tell.
D xo
dana walton photography 