Reminder to digital camera users. Try to expose more for highlights than shadows.

[usonian]

Unless the highlights are just background with no detail.

The reason is that unlike film, highlights tend to block up and shadows are not hard to bring up in post-processing. If there is detail in the highlights, expose for it.

This is the short version. Keeping it simple for now.

You can narrow the metering area, but this might backfire on more "normal" scenes if you don't change the metering back to a broader area. Or just use the common exposure adjustment dial to expose less, to make the highlights not saturate.

From experience, shadows do come up nicely in post processing whereas highlights resist tweaking.

I left out HDR, which your camera may have, or which might be a nuisance to use, (or not) and RAW editing. Most people want to keep it simple and get better results.

You can look this up to verify what I am posting. This is the shortest article I found that explains the concept, with the fewest popups and junk to sell.

https://photofocus.com/photography/shooting-photography/expose-for-the-highlights-a-photographers-golden-rule/

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Set your view so that overloaded highlights blink. Adjust exposure so only unimportant detail blinks

Always capture in RAW mode. Let camera or downloader add JPEG copies.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

2. ETTR

"Expose To The Right."

If using a histogram, (which I prefer doing), adjust the exposure so that the large hump is predominately in the right half of the rectangle, but not touching the right edge.

I learned photography in the late 60s and early 70s, when "match needle" SLRs were the norm. One adjusted the ISO, shutter speed and apeture until a little pointer and circle or notch lined up. To me, watching the histogram live accomplishes the same thing.

[usonian]

3. Oh those light meters!

There’s a whole history there.

I used a Coolpix P510 for ages and ages and iI never saw a histogram until I went mirrorless.

I’ll try that now that it’s “on my radar screen”.

And DANG! Those high tech mirrorless cameras make great light meters for the roll film box camera!

Who’d have thought it?

[Grumpy Old Guy]

4. LOL!

That's true!