How to read histogram?!

[DYORD]

Shooting outdoors are very difficult if you rely on your LCD... i always sometimes thought that my shots are underexposed, but to see it in my computer.. everything is fine.. too bad i didn't frame it the way i wanted it to be.

When using flash as a fill light in outdoors.. how will i know if the subject is exposed properly by looking at the histogram?

[Wilt]

You don't! 'Properly exposed' simply means giving sufficient exposure to capture objects at their native tonality, to even simply 'to suit what the photographer has in mind'.

When you practice Expose-to-the-right, you are verifying that no pixels are falling off the right edge of the histogram, but you easily could end up shooting an 18% gray card where it is the only thing in the frame and its RGB values are 200-200-200 or very close to white! From the standpoint of ETTR that would be acceptable, but from the standpoint of representing it at the inherent brightness it would be horribly overexposed.

In your example of using flash, you certainly would wish to not let pixels fall off the right, but if the dynamic range of the scene is too wide, it simply will not all fit! That is where your judgement as photographer has to decide what portion of the dynamic range of the scene to keep, and what to sacrifice.

[Invertalon]

I am also trying to use the histogram more outdoors. On the LCD, pictures will look overexposed, but once inside on the computer they are perfect. I need to use the histogram to verify this more often!

[Wilt]

I am also trying to use the histogram more outdoors. On the LCD, pictures will look overexposed, but once inside on the computer they are perfect. I need to use the histogram to verify this more often!


Yeah, if I take my laptop outside I can scarcely read it, too! What makes any of us think that we can simply look at the camera LCD on the back to judge exposure (without evaluating the histogram)?!

[Invertalon]

Well, usually I don't have time to look at the histogram after each photo I take, that's why. That or I am too lazy to... Either way, with a little PP any slight variance is easily take care of :)

It's part of learning though... You can't expect everybody to do what you do as common practice. It comes with experience. Then you eventually wonder why everybody else doesn't do the same thing...

But like I said, I have been using the histogram more often now and plan to try to use it more frequently when out getting photos.

[Wilt]

Well, usually I don't have time to look at the histogram after each photo I take, that's why. That or I am too lazy to... Either way, with a little PP any slight variance is easily take care of :)

It's part of learning though... You can't expect everybody to do what you do as common practice. It comes with experience. Then you eventually wonder why everybody else doesn't do the same thing...

But like I said, I have been using the histogram more often now and plan to try to use it more frequently when out getting photos.


Get an 18% gray card, shoot in M, and eliminate 90% of the shot to shot variations that arise simply because of ever-changing subject tonality...and the LCD chimping!

[fly my pretties]

I go by this:

If loads of stuff is at the right, decrease shutter speed or open aperture.

If loads of stuff is on the left, increase shutter speed or close aperture.

Never, ever fails.

[PhotosGuy]

When using flash as a fill light in outdoors.. how will i know if the subject is exposed properly by looking at the histogram?
&
Well, usually I don't have time to look at the histogram after each photo I take, I'd use manual for the flash & would already know what to expect at a certain distance & flash setting. Read post #3
Tips for Xmas Ball Please (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=419399)

[iddycourt]

I go by this:

If loads of stuff is at the right, decrease shutter speed or open aperture.

If loads of stuff is on the left, increase shutter speed or close aperture.

Never, ever fails.

The histogram finally clicked for me!
thank you so much!