Exposure on a cloudy day.

Not sure if I have posted this in the right place or not so if this belongs in another part of the forum may a mod please move it.

I have read somewhere that it is better to take an over expose a picture and tune it in PS or LR rather than taking a under exposed and dark picture. So I snapped a few pics with that in mind and need some feedback on it. On the 2 first sets I have just used exposure and contrast while on the last set I also increased the temp just a little bit.

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/png' | Byte size: ZERO

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/png' | Byte size: ZERO

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/png' | Byte size: ZERO

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/png' | Byte size: ZERO

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/png' | Byte size: ZERO

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/png' | Byte size: ZERO

Use your cameras meter. Also remember to change your white balance when needed. The best results will come from manual use, not auto or other presets. Practice will help you in this, take notes of your settings in various situations and use them to compare later. Eventually you will remember what is what and get better images SOOC.
Never take a shot with PP in mind, unless you are planning on some kind of extreme effects. You want the best shot out of the camera and use PP for minor details. Don't rely on PP to make your shot.

Its comparatively easier to recover an underexposed shot especially where there is sky in the image, overexposed images with clouds or sky's tend to get their highlights blown beyond recovery, PP as mentioned above should be your last option, try and get it right in the camera as much as possible , for me the blown out skies in the images here tend to be a big let down to what are otherwise good shots..a nicely exposed sky in images like these will give more impact the advice about exposure compensation above is sound and will help and if you think you are hopeless you should look at some of my attempts ...of course its easier said than done..to put theory in practice but once you have the theory in place its easier to improve with practice

cheers

Oh yeah forgot to mention...get a circular polarizer, it can really enhance your outdoor photos.

Easy fix.stop shooting into the bright light. Read the histogram.

I use two rules:

- If I shot in .jpg (family, holidays, not creative pictures..) I let the camera exposimeter do its job. I only over/underexpose a little when necessary. For example, if I take a picture of a snowed lanscape it is necessary to overexpose to have the snow white.

-If shot in .RAW I have the following procedure (in manual mode):

1) Choose the desired f-number.
2) Use the spot measurement of light and measure the brighest light in the picture.
3) While pointing to the brighest point adjust shutter speed until the measurement is in the top right (+3EV).
4) Recompose the image and shot.

With this procedure the brighest lights of the picture will "fall" in the right top of the hystogram but without being burned. So, you will not lose information in the high lights.
Even if the picture is not very contrasted it is a good method because although you will see the picture very clear, the lights are full of information. You will have time later to reduce the luminosity in PS. By the opposite, if you expose for the medium tones you will burn the high light (without possibility of recovering!) and you will have a lot of noise in the shadows.

English is not my usual language. I expect o be more or less understood. Sorry for the mistakes

Thanks for all the input! I will give it a try next time I’m out and about with my camera.