Getting proper exposure in difficult conditions

C

chuck_ferris

Member
I'm doing interviews with homeless people on the street. To maintain authenticity, I never move anyone, no matter how difficult the lighting circumstances. Maybe I'm a masochist???

In an case I don't think I understand how to get proper exposure with the 100A. I'm a pretty good photographer but
a neophyte videographer. I have tried using both the manual and auto iris. (I only use the viewfinder, not the LCD)
Often is seems that neither the auto or manual iris is right.

I do use a white card to set the WB, which is usually pretty close, and not too difficult to correct in post using PP1.5.
Levels usually gets it looking pretty good.

The best efforts I have done are on HomelessImages.com
I'm not satisfied with the quality, especially re the iris.
Should I use a grey card or a meter? I have both. How would I translate the meter reading to the video camera, since gain or ND is often in play?

Any advice would be very much appreciated. I have done a fair amount of reading but have not seen this issue addressed
in any detail. In any case it seems I just don't get it.

Thanks in advance,
Chuck
 
Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Do you have your zebra stripes turned on? That will help a lot. I assume you are having trouble because the street is much darker than the sky?
 
Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Yes I have the zebras but I don't pay much attention to them.
Maybe I should but it seems that the only critical issue is getting skin exposure reasonably good. This is even more difficult when the person is wearing a baseball cap and part of the face is shaded and the other half is bright sun.

I guess the problem could be described as finding an individual who is willing to be interviewed and setting up fairly quickly, getting WB and then setting a proper iris. Not a lot of time to fiddle around. If highlights are burned out thats the way it goes. I maybe should fiddle with the knee, but I'm only ultimately concerned with the proper face exposure.

Chuck
 
Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Your galleries are very nice and do not look bad at all. I do know, that when the background is blown out it might not be ideal; but it is acceptable.

I think you have to make a decision on where and how you are going to shoot your subjects. First, I have to ask...

Skin Exposure. Are you talking about Skin Tones? Or Exposure?
 
Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

I also thik they look very nice.

The DVX100A has a function called the 'marker', that is in fact a spotmeter in disguise. It's activated by changing the zebra mode and what it does is create a small quare slightly to the left of the center of the frame, and the reading inside the square region. What's different from a still camera is that ot gives you a reading in% values of the video signal, instead of f/stops. Now, a latitude testt should be performed and evaluated on a calibrated monitor until you find the reading you like, but between 55% and 70% seems the nice range for caucasian skin for me...
 
Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Good point.
Certainly they are interrelated.
Seems like if one is off, so is the other.
So do I look through the viewfinder and judge the iris?
Is there a more precise way to determine the iris setting.

The more I think about it, I probably don't understand the relationship between master pedestal, auto iris, gamma and
knee. Whew...lot to think about.

Any suggestions from the jpg's on the video pages. What changes in those settings would you suggest.

Thanks
Chuck
 
Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Marker!!
I sure missed that one!
There it is on pg.87 of Barry's book.
Can't wait to try that.
Thanks,
Chuck
 
Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Yes, the missing element in your formula is the zebras. Zebras will give you an instant reference to whether something is "properly" exposed. Set your zebra to 70%, then open up the iris until the zebras just start to appear on the highlights on the subject's face. That's a reasonably quick formula for getting ballpark-accurate exposure on a caucasian face, other skin tones will require some adjustment.

I just took a quick look at a couple of your galleries, and most of the shots look perfectly reasonably exposed. Maybe Sharyn O in gallery 2 is a half-stop overexposed, maybe a little more, but they're all very reasonably exposed, so you're not doing anything wrong, you're doing quite well.

If you're doing that consistently well without the zebras, then the zebras may help you fine-tune it to get that ideal exposure you're looking for.
 
Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Re: Getting proper exposure in difficult condition

Thanks Barry,
It had never occurred to me to use the zebra for faces.
I had thought of it for backgrounds, sky, etc.
Chuck
 
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