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And Scott Kelby's Photoshop book and LR book both have a gray/grey card in the back that you can pull out and use. I've yet to do that though, nose has been buried in schoolbooks for forever, it seems, but I'm making progress on getting back in the study and learning modes. Been lurking but haven't shot much in the last six weeks.
Mishu01 wrote:
leighton w wrote:
kwoodard wrote:
a.RodriguezPix wrote:
kwoodard wrote:
Just had to relay this story from yesterday. Many of you know that I work at a junior college. Recently I moved into the Fine and Applied Arts department (where photography and other arts disciplines are taught). Yesterday, some beginning photography students were out shooting all manually (shutter/aperture/ISO/focus) and were tasked with determining proper exposure using a grey card. They were told to take a shot of a grey card (shooting only JPEG) to figure out what the settings should be for the subsequent shot of their subject. The girls were using a used D60 that didn't come with the manual. They were really struggling and were packing up when I went to run an errand. I stopped and asked if they were shooting the flowers (they are dying, but look very cool, will be shooting them on my break today). They were, but had to follow certain guidelines. They told me the problem that they were having with the camera. On the D60, there is a manual mode, but the girls could not figure out how to adjust aperture since there was only one wheel. I found that you had to press and hold a button next to the shutter (her camera had a ghost image left from where the little aperture logo was). They were very pleased. I gave them a few tips for shooting in that kind of harsh light and they were off. It was nice to give back like so many of you do with relative noobs like me. Thought I would share.
I don't understand gray card to much, so I end up skipping them! I dont get how to take the gray cards picture, does it have to cover the entire photo? would light not reach it then? is it ok to tilt the gray card so that the light source hits it directly? i have used it, and it seems right at times, but i am unsure if it is correctly used? do i use auto, or m mode, does it need to be in focus? thanks for hearing me rant!
Most people say that it is used to get exposure "right"... I say it is used to get exposure close. When I have used it, I have it within the same light as whatever I am shooting, having the card essentially reflecting the light into the lens. I set aperture, shutter, and ISO to get the little light meter centered. If I shoot with these settings, it usually comes out properly exposed, but a little flat. That is why I say its used to get it close.
I made the mistake of going on a shoot as a helper and the 2nd unit forgot their card. I lent them mine and in the crazy that ensued, I never got it back. I need to get another one, its a very useful tool.
This is one reason I shoot RAW. So easy to change white balance in post if need be.
Leighton, the gray card is useful for two distinct situations: (1) to pick the right exposure and (2) to pick the right WB. I believe Kevin is addressing the exposure part.
While shooting RAW can give you flexibility to correct the exposure and WB during PP I still find the gray card very helpful in establishing the proper exposure in situations where you have too much white or two much black in the scene. In such as situations the camera lightmeter is driven to nuts especially in matrix metering.
As a particular observation... correcting exposure in PP is OK in a small amount but when one needs to push the slider for two fstops I personally see that the IQ of the image is suffering in comparison with the same image with a proper exposure. That's why I personally consider that my best images are these with proper exposure and WB - and I mostly shoot only RAW.
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