AV Mode Problem

This isn't a wedding photography question per se, but it did happen while I was shooting a wedding Any idea why I would get images like this when shooting in AV mode, Auto ISO and using spot metering taken off the brides cheek closest to camera?? Plus, when trying to bring it up in ACR, it's got a really green tinge to it. Thanks in advance for any help!

If you spot metered the cheek, then you would have needed to add at least one stop of exposure compensation to get near an accurate exposure.

What does it look like if you boost it in post by 1 - 1.5 stops.?

I'm not sure I understand - the cheek is dark, so why wouldn't the auto ISO have bumped up enough to expose properly? Here is what it looks like bumped up 1.5 in ACR (see the awful greenish tone?).

It's possible the greenish tone may have been caused by simultaneous contrast from the heavy, bright green foliage. As far as the underexposure goes, is it possible that your spot metering may have hit the much brighter dress itself in stead of her face? That could account for the severe underexposure.

If I understand AUTO ISO correctly, it would not have bumped up the exposure automatically to a correct level because it doesn't "know" what you want the overall correct level ofthe picture in it's entirety. It just reacts to the point where you are metering.

The caucasian skin is not 18% grey reflective and therefore, if you spot meter caucasian skin, you need to compensate for this fact by increasing exposure by 1-2 stops (check histogram - adjust).

Edit.

I should add that, given the distance you are from the subject, and assuming that the spot meter of you camera is probably 3degrees, you will have metered an area greater than the cheek. If you don't have a hand held meter, the next time you have similar conditions, get very close to the subject and spot meter so you know you are metering exactly what you want, then lock that exposure and walk away to get the framing you want( don't release the exposure as you change position). Having said that, you might find it easier to shoot in manual mode.

Considering that the cheek closest to the camera is dark black nearly I would also guess that you caught the dress not the cheek with the metering. And as such the camera exposed for that white dress and everything else got sent into darkness.

A quick fix in the moment to check the LCD and adjust as needed since this clearly went "wrong". Another approach is to use a handheld meter and, since the light is falling on you and the subject the same (ergo its the sun) you could use an incident reading to set the exposure.

I suppose it is possible that in this image the metering may have incorrectly gotten put on the dress, not the cheek, but here is another image, zoomed in, that I know for sure the metering was taken off the face not the dress (DunnoWhen thanks fo rthat reminder about the skin).
I used to shoot entirely in M mode but switched to AV (unless using OCF) & found it much easier to get wedding images quickly exposed well - except in this case of course, lol!

If you were using spot metering mode most Canon cameras spot meter the middle AF point only (I think some of the newer can move it around). So might be its doing it right but you're taking the meter reading off the brightest point.

Spot metering can be difficult to use - get it wrong by even a little and you can get results like this; its why many oft use spot metering just to read the light in a scene (say before doing an HDR and deciding how big the dynamic range is) whilst using things like centre weighted average for regular shots.

I will def check my manual on this - could explain everything! Thanks for the tip.

Edit: Manual & Youtube Metering is set to the center for Spot Metering UNLESS you change it in camera to link it to the active AF point; checked my settings & I had done that. Another consideration is if you are set to Automatic Point Selection or Zone AF modes, it will return to center metering. My AF Area Select mode is set to Expand AF Area:Surround and Spot AF. So, if I'm reading all this right, my spot metering SHOULD have been reading from my AF point, not the center.

Could be something like a minimum shutter speed being applied by some software in the camera. Could be spot metering has found a little highlight and has metered that. Can you post full exif?

Check your histogram when you change scenes. Stop using spot metering, it's not appropriate for many situations, use center weighted or something else.

Date: 5/23/15
Time: 2:45:23 PM
Latitude:
Longitude:
Well, Tim, you just helped me solve the mystery - check out the Exposure compensation It had been really bright inside & apparently I forgot for a while to change it back.


Model: Canon EOS-1D X
Serial #: 222010000504
Firmware: Firmware Version 2.0.3
Frame #: 9068
Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 200
Aperture: 4.5
Shutter: 1/8000
Exp. Comp.: -3.3
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority
Focus Mode: AI Servo AF
White Bal.: Flash
ICC Profile: sRGB Profile
Contrast: 0
Sharpening:
Quality: Raw

Tim is wise. Check your histogram!

EC shouldn't be used because it's bright inside, EC should be used to tell the camera that the contents of the frame is dark (negative EC) or light (positive EC). Using it as a single control to tweak your exposure could cause problems. I suspect your use of spot metering is involved here. Go do some experimenting in wedding-like conditions, outside a wedding. Use evaluative and center weighted metering, shoot white, black, and pink (people) subjects. Shoot reflective objects with and without flash, with the flash pointing towards and away from the subject. Shoot glass. Shoot with lights in the frame, both in the center and at the edge. Basically - experiment

There is an ol Saying that's always true.

AV will always get you close but manual get you there.

I shoot AV a ton. But sometimes that camera will go ape for no reason. AV mode its trying to meter to get 18% grey for the scene. If you metered on that bride with that much light its going to go crazy at times...And I have no explanation why either.

I always get close with AV in the middle. 90% of the time its perfect. Typically with a flash involved im 1/3 -2/3 in AV and adjusting flash output to taste. But after a test shot I would look at the exif date in INFO and see a dark image like this and look for shutter speed problems and switch it to manual and get the shot.

AV always gets you in the ball park when in the middle. At that point you can dial in with exposure compensation or switch to manual. This is the problem with auto modes and the cameras trying to make everything 18%. Its not always going to be right. One of its disadvantages. The advantage is i quicker and faster 90% of the time....Its a trade off.. So being the smart photographer that I know you are, you kick it into manual, get your shot, and move on to the next opportunity.

This thread points to the failing of many photographers, to ALWAYS BE AWARE of what your camera is doing whether it is on Manual or on any Automatic setting!

• If on Manual, you are ensuring that your exposure combination is resulting in the meter needle being 'ABOUT CENTERED', and if it is not centered at the time you KNOW WHY it is not centered to indicate what the meter thinks 'proper exposure' (because you are deliberately biasing for exposure compensation reasons) -- or you adjust it.
  
• If on Automatic, you are ensuring that whatever parameter which is under the camera control (e.g. shutter speed, as one example) is an acceptable one to you for the shot being taken.
  
• If on Automatic, you know that an EC value is cranked into the camera or not, and you understand why any EC for biasig the shot being metered is appropriate to the shot being taken.
  
• If using flash, you know that an FEC value is cranked into the camera or not, and you understand why any FEC for biasing the shot being flashed is appropriate to the shot being taken.
  

• inadvertantly the camera blinking at you for under-/overexposure (even though it is in an automatic mode), because it is needing a parameter adjusted which currently out of its range.
  
• inadverantly the camera is using an aperture too big/small, a shutter speed too slow/fast, an ISO too high/low
  
• inadvertantly the camera meter is biased from an EC value 'left over' from another shot or because you simply bumped the control
  
• inadvertantly the camera meter is biased from an FEC value 'left over' from another shot or because you simply bumped the control