Practice question · Select all that apply
Why does a reflected-light meter under-expose a snow field? Select every statement that is part of the reason.
Hints
- Three describe one mechanism from three angles; one invents a different fault.
- The meter has no information about what it is pointed at.
Show the answer
- A. The meter cannot distinguish a bright subject from a brightly lit one
- B. The meter reports the exposure that renders whatever it sees as a mid grey
- C. Snow reflects far more than mid grey, so the meter calls for less exposure than the snow needs
Why
The fourth is a red herring: the cell is not confused, it is working perfectly. It has been asked a question it cannot answer, is this a bright thing or a well-lit thing?, and answers the only way it can, by assuming mid grey. Correcting it means opening up about two stops.
Practise Exposure and Metering
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More questions on Exposure and Metering
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