Using Wrong Exposure for Added Drama

It is generally accepted that achieving the correct exposure means matching the tonal range of your image to that of the scene you are shooting. To help you determine the required exposure settings your digital camera is equipped with a light meter that measures the light reflected back from a scene. The majority assumes that the ideal exposure equates to a mid-grey tone, so the area metered should therefore equate to a mid-grey tone to avoid under or over exposure. Most photographers put enormous effort into achieving the so-called perfect exposure, as even slight under or overexposure can ruin an image. However, it’s important to realize that deliberately engineering the wrong exposure can give scenes and entirely different mood or message, which is a powerful tool in the hands of a creative photographer.

Restricting the tonal range mainly to the darker half of the spectrum can introduce a strong sense of mystery, danger, tension and power. It’s also a handy way of concealing background clutter or unsightly skin defects. One method for restricting the light tones in your image is to spot meter from an area of highlights that still feature detail. This will turn these highlights a mid-grey and force the mid-tones and shadows to dark gray and jet black.

Another option is to begin with the correct metered exposure and then dial in greater amounts of negative exposure compensation progressively, ranging from -1 to -4 stops in half or one stop increments. The degree of compensation required depends on the initial lightness of the subject and how much shadow detail you wish to retain. This technique is well suited to high contrast subjects; particularly those that already feature predominantly dark tones. We underexposure exposure times tend to be shorter, so a tripod may not be necessary. However, you should be aware that underexposure in digital cameras can result in increased noise.

By contrast, purposefully making an image lighter by overexposing it can signify fragility, purity, clarity, calamity and happiness. It can also give images a dreamy quality. One way to create the effect is to spot meter for the shadows with detail. This will turn them gray and push all the other tones up the brightness scale to light gray or white.

For more extreme results, try over exposing up to four stops over the suggested correct exposure. The greater the exposure the more pastel and faded colors become and the more abstract the effect. Shutter speeds can run into seconds here so be prepared to use a tripod. To increase the exposure in Aperture or shutter priority mode, use positive exposure compensation; in manual mode, boost the shutter speed and/or widen the aperture.

Tagged with: Background Clutter • Correct Exposure • Creative Photographer • Dark Gray • Dark Tones • Digital Cameras • Exposure Compensation • Exposure Settings • Exposure Times • High Contrast • Negative Exposure • Perfect Exposure • Shadow Detail • Tonal Range

Filed under: Digital Cameras

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