THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE

EXERCISE
Bracketing
Select a subject with a wide range of
values —from black through various
grays to white —and shoot it several
times, at one shutter speed, but several
apertures.
Before shooting, take a light
reading of some part of the subject
that is in the mid-range of grays (or
meter off your palm).
Shoot one frame at the setting
recommended by your meter, then
shoot another at each f-stop above it,
while keeping the same shutter speed.
Student photographs by Marc
McCoy.
Then shoot one frame at each f-stop
below the one selected by the light
meter.
For the most interesting range of
lighting effects, try to shoot in
lighting that is just a bit less than
broad daylight. Your meter reading
should be around f/8 at a shutter
speed between 250 and 60.
You should produce at least two
different exposures of a single subject
to be critiqued. However, you may
want to try the same procedure on
several subjects to find one that produces
the most interesting variations.
If you use only one subject, try to
find several angles to shoot it from,
so you can compare effects. Different
angles will produce the most variety
when the subject is dramatically lit.
This means that your subject needs
to receive some direct light, and that
you'll want to shoot early or late in
the day.
Light 127