Exposing Right

Demonstrating the effects of editing on RAW files that have been over or under exposed and how deliberate overexposure will yield a superior image.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Lightroom
• RAW
• Image Editing
• Exposing Right

[FleetingGlimpseImage]

I do this in the video to ensure that I have reached the same level of blacks in all three images. If I stop short, I don't know if I am applying the same tonal value across all images.

[JoffyMusic]

Okay and what is the best way to ETTR before your image hits a computer? Im confused about whether I should use my live view's histogram (but evaluative metering on the live view generally makes the entire image too bright if the histogram is on the right) or whether I should use spot metering in the viewfinder and use the review/playback histogram to make sure my image is ettr'd.

[JoffyMusic]

Just a question because I feel like this is one of the most valuable and underwatched videos on the internet: when you're tweaking the "blacks" parameter, what does channel clipping have to do with it? I'm not understanding why it matters if one channel or all channels clip, I just tweak blacks til I think its just above too black in order to retain detail. But apparently theres more involved in this. So why do you aim to make all channels clip? What does that do? Thanks so much.

[globalimage]

very informative, well done.

[thegorn]

...middle exposures. Expose right and then pull back in post and you'll find the colors are slightly different. If you expose right, then you'd definitely want to take a middle exposure for a color reference. I find the best thing to do is to take 3 exposures of middle and then blend - a very low noise result with accurate color. Gives you best of everything! Only works for static subjects though. Enjoy.

[thegorn]

One thing is for sure - never expose to the left. But exposing to the right is not the panacea people think it is.Basically.

Left: digital noise and posterisaiton. Bad.

Middle: natural colors. Potentially some visible noise in shadowy areas.

Right: lowest possible noise and best sharpness BUT there is a slight color shift and a chance of blowout. The blowout you can tell by the histogram. The color shift is a more insidious. See the sensor color translation is calibrated for...

[owinthomas]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, you've just proved it. Thanks

[sandbar60090]

Regardless of the subject, I always expose as far to the right as possible, without hitting the "wall." I noticed, early on, a huge advantage with respect to noise. My post-adjusted images always look more "film-like," when the original raw file is exposed this way.

[Alebi]

Thanks for a great explenation. I find some tutorial are very advanced.

You went straight to the point and showed your solution!

Thanks for sharing the knowledge

[jasonstone1973]

Great video! I saw the link on Matt's site too - thanks for a really clear and detailed explanation.