----- Original Message -----
From: "Cory Papenfuss"
Subject: Re: to anyone in the Pentax software group who might be reading
What I am suggesting is learning the appropriate exposure techniques
required to take the picture you want without depending on post picture
technology.
The technique of shoot and hope you get it right is what people who don't
know exposure do.
The educated photographer shoots and knows he got it right.
This is what I am suggesting.
Don't take it as a flame, but then what is bracket exposure for if real
photographers know they got it right before they even shoot? One of the
biggest advantage of digital (for me anyway) is that I have a much shorter
(and cheaper) schedule for learning than with film. Rather than have to
take good notes, wait for film to be developed, and see the results (days
or weeks), I can see the diagnostics and have a much quicker feedback
loop. Granted, I'm still learning my "rules of thumb," but I doubt that
even the most seasoned photographers can nail tricky lighting conditions
accurately every time. Why shortchange the learning experience by not
providing useful information? With it, fewer exposure errors will be made
in the future.
Your original complaint had something to do with wanting something done to
the histogram.
Presumably to ensure you aren't taking more than the bare minimum of
exposures required to do the job.
My suggestion was to learn correct exposure instead.
I've never said anything against bracketing, it's a pretty useful tool.
In order to bracket effectively, you need to have a fairly good idea of what
the correct for you exposure.
In the situation you described, to me, it would have made more sense to
bracket a few exposures and see which one looked best, it's not costing
anything except time, and probably will take less time that pulling up the
histogram and examining it.
You'll learn more about making exposures doing it that way.
You'll make fewer exposure errors in the future, having learned more about
exposure.
You'll learn more about how histograms translate into pictures.
What you are suggesting is that I am suggesting something I am not
suggesting.
Then might I suggest suggesting suggestions applicable to enthusiasts as
well as avid professionals.... :) (*everyone* is learning to some degree)
Was that better?
William Robb
