Street photography tip: Create beautiful silhouettes with spot metering

Thursday 29 August 2024, 20:10 by Michiel Heijmans | 2,853 views | 1 comment

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

There are several ways to measure the light in a photo. The method I want to highlight in this tip is spot metering.

Breda - f/2.8, 1/125s, 640 ISO @ 200mm
With spot metering, the light in the photo is measured at the specific point you have chosen. This is usually linked to your focus point, so your subject will at least be correctly exposed.

This method of metering uses only 2 or 3 per cent of the entire image to measure the light. It can result in overexposed or underexposed photos, but you can also use it to create some beautiful effects.

The best-known types of photos where spot metering is used are silhouettes. By metering the light on the brightest part of the photo, your subject will become very dark instead (see photo). Do experiment with this. My camera is almost always set to spot metering, precisely because of effects like these.

Share: WhatsApp Facebook

About the author

Michiel is professioneel straatfotograaf en geeft workshops en lezingen over straatfotograﬁe. Hij schrijft columns voor Focus Magazine en is erg actief op Instagram. Daar vind je dagelijks inspiratie en tips voor je eigen straatfotograﬁe!

Different Metering Methods Don't Make Better Photos
by Nando Harmsen
Learn How the Exposure Meter Behaves
by Nando Harmsen
Silhouettes in nature photography
by Nando Harmsen
The Light Meter, How Do You Read It?
by Frank Doorhof
Play with silhouettes
by Nando Harmsen
Street photography tip: Night photography on the streets?
by Michiel Heijmans

Show every article in Street photography

home

1 comment

Karel van de Pol wrote on Wednesday 4 September 2024 at 19:41 | reply
Clear and effective
Translated from Dutch.

Have your say

Please note: Articles older than a week can only be commented on by signed-in visitors.
Would you still like to comment? sign in or create a free account.

Become a better photographer every week

A practical photography tip in your inbox every week.
39,219 photography enthusiasts already receive the tips! More about the weekly mail. Or keep up to date via Facebook. Sign-up secured with Google reCaptcha.

Elja Trum

Photofacts; everything to do with photography!

Would you like to take better photos and keep up with what is happening in photography? Photofacts publishes articles that teach you something about photography — from a product announcement to a practical shooting tip or a look at a website. Photofacts covers photography every day and is a hobby project of Elja Trum's that got out of hand. The articles are written by a team of volunteer authors. If you would enjoy writing one or more articles for Photofacts, do get in touch.More about Photofacts

Photofacts is made possible in part by