THE ULTIMATE EXPOSURE COMPUTER

A GUIDE FOR NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS

©1995-2006 Fred Parker

INTRODUCTION
Imagine an exposure computer so advanced that it uses your eyes as a sensor. The
processing unit is as powerful as your brain. The computer is accurate over a light
range from reflected starlight through the light produced in a hydrogen fusion
reaction. This computer weighs nothing and operates without batteries. It comes
with instructions to allow you to implant the capabilities of the computer directly into
your own memory so you can accurately judge a correct exposure by simply looking
at the type of light that the subject is in. You are using this computer right now!

Everything I've said above is true. However, I'm sure you've noticed that the only
thing before your eyes is a World Wide Web page. An entire photographic industry
has been built by convincing consumers that the subject of photographic exposure is
so arcane, difficult and impossible to understand, that it is best left up to technology.
This, of course, allows companies to sell billions of dollars worth of equipment to
figure it all out for you.

The fact is that the concept of photographic exposure is extremely simple. It can be
mastered by anyone who can multiply or divide by two. Everything you need to know
is contained on these few Web pages.

Knowledge of photographic exposure is essential to controlling the creative side of

the photographic process. This knowledge increases the chance that the photograph
that comes back from the lab is the one you envisioned when you pushed the shutter
release. Your camera or light meter can not make creative decisions for you. If you
want to control the creative side of photography, you need to understand the
interrelationship of Exposure Value, film speed, aperture and shutter speed. You
must have this understanding even though you own the most sophisticated
equipment available. I have watched photographers (amateur and professional)
struggle with this subject for a number of years, confused by the misinformation that
abounds in the photographic press. I decided to publish this document to clarify,
simplify and demystify the issue.

But first, a word about copyright. This document is copyrighted. In order to keep the
cost down, it has been published in a form that would be easy to copy. Copyright law
strictly forbids copying this document. You may print a copy or two of the Ultimate
Exposure Computer to keep in your camera bag for personal use. In fact, I would
encourage it. All I ask is that you send me an e-mail (fred at fredparker dot com) to
let me know that you've downloaded this document. If you get a chance, drop me
another e-mail after you've worked with it and let me know if you have any
suggestions. However, please do NOT make copies for your friends, students or any
other person. Originals are inexpensive and easy to obtain. Just see the Products and
Services page of this site for details. If you have a related site (commercial or
otherwise) please hyperlink to this site for access to this document. If you download
all or part of this document and post it directly to your site, it will be assumed that
you have decided to purchase redistribution rights, which START at $3500. Thanks!

WHY YOUR LIGHT METER LIES TO YOU

Light meters can be less accurate than you might imagine. Their response to various
colors of light may not match that of your film. Their response in low light and high
light conditions may not match response at the mid-range of light. But the worst
characteristic, for practical purposes, is that all reflected light meters make one
basic (erroneous) assumption. They are calibrated to render an exposure
that will make the subject look like a middle tone in the resulting
photograph.

How do you compensate for the fact that your meter is lying? You have to lie to your
meter. If you are photographing a light toned subject, such as snow or sand in bright
light, you must convince your meter that it is looking at something even lighter than
your subject, so that the meter's attempt to make it a middle tone will result in the
right tone. The same is true for dark objects. You must tell your meter that the
object is darker than it really is so that the meter's compensation will register the
correct tone in the photograph.

You can tell this white (or black) lie to your meter in a couple of ways. You can meter
a middle-toned area in the same light as your subject and manually set your camera
accordingly. You can lie to the camera outright by telling it that it is using film of an
ISO rating different from what is actually in the camera. For instance, if you are
using ISO 100 film and are photographing a light subject, you would tell the meter
that you have ISO 50 film. If you are photographing a dark object, tell your meter
that you have ISO 200 film in the camera. This method works well for cameras in
automatic exposure modes. Be careful to tell your camera the truth if you move to a
middle toned subject.

Another way to get the right exposure from a lying meter is to politely ignore it.
Switch from automatic to manual exposure (a good idea anyway) and simply move
to the next larger aperture or the next slower shutter speed (for a light object) or to
the next smaller aperture or faster shutter speed (for a dark object).

So it goes. Your meter deceives you, so you deceive it. But what kind of relationship
is this? The Ultimate Exposure Computer does not make erroneous
assumptions, because you tell it what type of light your subject is in. As long
as you tell it the truth, it will not lie to you. Definitely a better relationship.

There is a chance that the preceding section may have confused you. If that is true,
don't worry about it. The next section defines Exposure Value, film speed, shutter
speed and aperture (f/stop) and describes the interrelationship among these factors.
After you've read the next section, revisit this section again, because the concept is
important.

EXPOSURE VALUE, FILM SPEED, SHUTTER SPEED AND f/stops

-- What Are They?
Each of these four factors is represented by a series of numbers. Your camera may
have only a portion of each series indicated.

Exposure Value:

In most light meters, photons of light that are reflected from your subject put
pressure on a photo-sensitive receptor in your light meter and are converted into
electricity (this is why some meters do not require batteries). The greater the
number of photons, the greater the electricity that is produced. Internationally
accepted standards specify exactly how much light pressure equals a certain EV
number. This value is measured by the following number series (for ISO 100 film):

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

Easy! However, even though this appears to be a linear progression, each number
represents twice as much light as the numbers increase. This provides an easily
memorized scale to clarify the concept of "absolute value of the amount of light
falling on a subject". This term is related to illuminance, footcandles and lumens. But
it doesn't matter. If you are using a light meter this number is irrelevant, and you
can ignore it. You may never see these numbers, because the meter uses them
internally to calculate a set of combinations of shutter speeds and apertures.
However, knowledge of Exposure Value can significantly enhance your
ability as a photographer. The Ultimate Exposure Computer gives you the
knowledge to take control of your photographs. See the section "Throw Away Your
Light Meter!" for details.

In order to be useful, this Exposure Value number must be converted into

an f/stop and shutter speed combination that will provide the proper
exposure for the film speed you have chosen. The relationship between
these four elements is represented in the Ultimate Exposure Computer.

Film Speed:

Film speed is a number that indicates the sensitivity of film to light. Film sensitivity is
measured by a set of standards established by the American Standards Association
(ASA) or the International Standards Organization (ISO). For all practical purposes,
the ASA and ISO numbers are interchangeable. In general, films with a higher
sensitivity (larger number) have coarser grain and do not register detail as
well as films with lower sensitivity (lower number). The number series for film
speed is:

25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200

Pretty straight forward! Moving to the right, each number is twice the preceding
number, and represents twice the sensitivity to light as the preceding number. There
may be some intermediate steps (such as 64 or 125) on your dial. Set the light
meter or camera for the same number that is on the film. Your camera may do this
automatically.
This leaves only two things to adjust to achieve the correct exposure while
making a photograph; shutter speed and aperture (f-stops). Shutter speed
and aperture are very important to the creative photographic process.

Shutter Speed:

Shutter speed indicates how long the camera shutter remains open to let light onto
the film. The number series for shutter speed is:

15, 8, 4, 2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000

This looks more complicated, but it's actually straightforward. These numbers are
whole seconds or fractions of seconds. They aren't expressed on your shutter speed
dial as fractions to save space, so they should read as below:

15, 8, 4, 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500,
1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000, 1/8000

Again, each number moving to the right is half the value of the preceding number,
and represents half as much light as the preceding number.

There is an important rule regarding shutter speeds:

If your shutter speed is slower than the reciprocal of the

focal length of your lens, you must use a tripod.
For example, if you are using a 200 mm lens, your shutter speed must exceed 1/200
second (I.E. 1/250 or faster). If not, you should use a tripod. If your subject is
moving, double this shutter speed. If you are moving (such as in a boat or plane)
triple the speed. If you are doing macro work (.25 magnification or greater), always
use a tripod. If you're using a format larger than 35mm, use a tripod. To be safe,
weld your camera to the tripod. If you are a serious nature photographer you will
always use a tripod, anyway. A tripod will allow you to make photographs with
slower film speeds. Slower film speeds equate to better detail and sharpness in your
photographs. More important, using a tripod makes you slow down and allows you to
examine your composition more carefully. Modern electronic cameras may lack
certain features of the older, mechanical cameras (such as a button that allows you
to see the depth of field that will be present in your photograph), but every camera
has a tripod socket. You'll make better photographs if you use it.

Aperture (f-stops):

Aperture refers to the size of the opening inside the lens that the light must go
through to reach the film. Aperture is measured in f/stops as indicated in the series
below:

1, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, 45

This looks tougher, but the solution is the same as for the shutter speeds. These are
actually fractions. They should read as follows:

1/1, 1/1.4, 1/2, 1/2.8, 1/4, 1/5.6, 1/8, 1/11, 1/16, 1/22, 1/32, 1/45

Like the shutter speed series, each progression represents half as much light
(moving to the right) as the preceding number. But why do the numbers look so
odd? I recommend that you ignore it, because it doesn't matter anyway. Just accept
that each progression represents half as much light as the preceding number.

If you are curious as to how we got to such a seemingly illogical progression of

numbers, read the following three paragraphs. If you aren't curious, you can safely
skip them.

The numbers represent the ratio of the focal length of the lens to the diameter of the
lens diaphragm opening. That's why it's called an f(ocal)/number. The designation
"f/2" means that the diameter of the aperture is 1/2 the focal length of the lens. The
designation f/32 means that the diameter of the aperture is 1/32 the focal length of
the lens. f/2 on a 100mm lens means that the diameter of the diaphragm opening is
100/2, or 50mm. Unfortunately, the amount of light reaching the film is dependent
on the SURFACE AREA of the opening NOT the DIAMETER. As you no doubt learned
in high school, the method of calculating the surface area of a circle is Pi times the
radius, squared (Pi is approximately 3.14; the radius is half the diameter, squared
means that the number is multiplied by itself). Therefore, in our example, the
surface area of the opening would be 3.14X25X25, or approximately 2000 sq. mm.

Now, let's look at the next f/stop, which is f/2.8. 100/2.8=35.7mm. The surface area
would be 3.14X17.85X17.85. If you multiply it out, you will see that the surface area
is now approximately 1000 sq. mm, or HALF the surface area of f/2.Therefore, each
succeeding smaller aperture lets in half as much light as the previous f/stop.

The reason we use the ratios instead of the actual surface area of the diaphragm
opening is that the actual surface area would be quite different between lenses of
different focal lengths. Photographers would have to memorize a series of numbers
for each focal length lens they owned. Think about what you'd have to do with a
zoom lens! Ratios allow us to use the same number series for all of our lenses. f/2 on
a 100mm lens lets in exactly the same amount of light as f/2 on a 500mm lens.
Trust me, f/numbers are the best way to do this. I would still recommend that you
simply accept that each successive f/stop represents a doubling (or halving) of light.
However, since you've read this far, I'll give you a hint about how to memorize the
f/number series. The good news is that you only have to remember two numbers; 1
and 1.4. Double each one alternately and you will have two series:

1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 1.4, 2.8, 5.6, 11, 22

So, combining the two sequences in numerical order gives the full sequence:

1, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32

What you need to remember is that, within each factor,
as you move from one number to the next, the amount
of light is either doubled or halved. Some cameras may
include numbers between the numbers mentioned
above. Those numbers represent half or third stops. For
the purpose of what you are learning here, ignore the
in-between numbers.

HOW TO USE THE ULTIMATE EXPOSURE COMPUTER: THROW

AWAY YOUR LIGHT METER!
Well..... maybe not. But you could if you wanted to. The purpose of this section is to
show you how Exposure Value, Film Speed, Aperture and Shutter Speed are
interrelated, and why you don't need a light meter to know the proper exposure.

STEP ONE: PUT YOUR CAMERA ON MANUAL

Automatic cameras are designed to give an average photographer a better chance of

getting properly exposed pictures while shooting average subjects in average light,
without a tripod to steady the image. These cameras work well for family pictures
and many urban subjects. Automatic focus and exposure (especially TTL flash) are
extremely useful for some specialized types of photography, such as sports or
photojournalism.

Nature photography is a different matter. Many of your subjects will not have
"average" tonality. Most of your subjects will not be located in "average" light. Many
times your subject will not be in the center of the frame (where an automatic camera
takes its light readings). However, the most important reasons for putting your
camera on manual while photographing natural subjects are:

1) There are times when you will want to stop motion, such as a flower
waving in the breeze. Other times you may want to exaggerate the effect of
motion, such as when photographing flowing water. Decisions about these
matters address APPARENT SUBJECT MOTION. This is controlled by the
shutter speed. Faster shutter speeds stop action better than slower speeds
(1/1000 second will stop most motion, while 1/8 second will blur even slow
moving subjects).

2) Sometimes you will want everything in focus, such as a foreground

flower AND a distant mountain. Sometimes you will want the flower to be in
focus while keeping a busy background softly out of focus. When you make
this type of decision, you are considering DEPTH OF FIELD. The aperture
(f/stop) controls the depth of the image that is acceptably in focus. The
higher the number, the greater the depth (f/32 keeps more of the subject in
focus than f/2).

You must make these aesthetic choices. The camera has no way of knowing what
you want the photograph to look like. Remember that the camera's automation is
designed to make technical decisions based on average subjects in average light. It
is not designed to make aesthetic choices regarding natural subjects (which are
rarely "average").

Because of these factors, the same camera that will give you dozens of perfect
photographs of your children opening birthday presents will churn out dozens of
badly exposed nature photographs that look nothing like what you experienced in the
field. The only way for you to get good results in nature photography is for YOU to
make the choices.

Get your camera. Purchase two sets of batteries and install one set in the camera.
Do this even if you changed batteries last month. Keep the spare set with the
camera, always. Keep a copy of the Ultimate Exposure Computer with the camera
and the batteries.

Find your instruction manual. Now comes the hardest part of the entire process
(unless you've lost the manual). You must find out how to set your camera body to
its "manual" setting. I can't help you here. Good luck and congratulations! You've
just taken the first step toward becoming a serious nature photographer!

STEP TWO: A TOUR AROUND THE ULTIMATE EXPOSURE COMPUTER

CHART A: Take a look at Exposure Value Chart A. The left column of the chart
contains the Exposure Value (EV) numbers. The right column of the chart contains
some lighting situations that equate to EV numbers. The chart ranges from EV -6 to
EV 23. This represents a range of light from below reflected starlight to the brightest
light in the Solar System.

Notice that most daylit subjects fall within a narrow range from EV 11 to EV 15. It is
a good idea to memorize the characteristics of these daylight Exposure Value factors.
Pick a favorite lighting situation, note the EV and turn the Ultimate Exposure
Computer over to Chart B.

CHART B: Exposure Factor Relationship Chart B shows how Exposure Value, film
speed, aperture and shutter speed are related.

On the left side of this chart, along the top row, are the ISO/ASA film speed
numbers. Pick the film speed you use most often. Starting with that film speed,
move down the column until you reach the EV number that you chose from Chart A.
Now move to the right along the row until you cross the double line. To the right of
the double line is a row of shutter speeds. As you will recall, a fast shutter speed
stops motion, while a slow shutter speed enhances the effect of motion. Choose an
appropriate shutter speed for your subject. Now, move straight up the column to the
top row to find the aperture (f/stop) for use with the shutter speed. Enter your
chosen shutter speed on your camera and set your lens to your chosen f/stop. It's
that easy!

Example 1 -- A Typical Day In The Life of a Nature Photographer

Suppose you are in the field photographing with ISO 100 film, and the
battery in your camera just failed. You can't take any light readings, and
you only have one mechanical shutter speed (1/125 second). This situation
is extremely unfortunate, since you just stumbled onto an extremely rare
species of flowering plant that blooms for one hour every hundred years.
It's in full bloom. The sky has started to cloud over and things look bleak.
Have no fear! Your Ultimate Exposure Computer will save the day! You
already know from Chart A that subjects under heavy cloud cover are at EV
12.

Look on the left-hand side of Chart B. Locate ISO 100 film along the top row.
Look down the column until you find EV 12. Look along the row to the right
of EV 12 (across the double line) until you find the shutter speed you are
looking for (your mechanical 1/125 second). Move straight up the column
and find that the aperture of your lens should be set to f/5.6. Easy! No light
meter required!

But wait! Suppose the f/stop you landed on isn't on your lens. Or perhaps the f/stop
you landed on offers too much or too little depth of focus. In that case, move to an
appropriate f/stop along the top row to achieve your desired result. Then move down
the column to the row represented by your original choice of film speed and EV
number. At that intersection you will find the appropriate shutter speed for the
desired aperture.

Perhaps this exercise indicates a very slow shutter speed that cannot be hand held.
That means one of two things. You must put the camera on a tripod (where it should
have been to begin with), or you need to determine the proper film speed to use for
your photographic situation.

Example 2 -- Planning Ahead

The Ultimate Exposure Computer is useful for several photographic tasks,

such as planning a shooting session. For instance, you may know that you
are going to be shooting scenics of a field of flowers with mountains behind.
It will be a sunny day (EV 15), but the wind will be gusting to twenty miles
per hour. You need a small aperture to get the greatest depth of field, but
you will also need a fast shutter speed to stop the motion of the flowers in
the wind. What ISO film speed will you need to do the trick?

Go to the upper right of the Table B. Find f/22 aperture for maximum depth
of field. Go down the column until you reach a shutter speed fast enough to
handle the flowers in the wind (1/125 second). Move to the left along the
row (across the double line) until you find the correct Exposure Value (15).
From there, move up the column and find that ISO 200 speed film will solve
your problem.
STEP THREE: USE THE ULTIMATE EXPOSURE COMPUTER
WISELY

The Ultimate Exposure Computer is designed for use in existing light. If you need to
use flash, or you are taking bellows shots, by all means use a camera with a
through-the-lens meter. When using flash, use the manufacturer's dedicated flash
unit that allows through the lens control of the flash. Those situations are excellent
reasons to use the meter in your camera. Some of the lighting situations described in
Chart A occur outdoors during daylight. In these cases it is assumed that the sun is
at an elevation greater than forty-five degrees. If the sun's elevation is less than
forty-five degrees, you can use the next lower Exposure Value, although you'll
probably like the results of using the chart without modification. For some films,
exposures involving shutter speeds in excess of several seconds may require
additional exposure because the film's sensitivity decreases with continued exposure
to light for long periods (this is called "reciprocity failure"). Light meters do not
correct for this phenomenon, because it varies according to the type of film. Consult
the manufacturers' specifications for details. There are some tricky exposures where
you can improperly expose the film whether you are using a camera meter or the
Ultimate Exposure Computer. Many of these situations are addressed in "What to do
in Tricky Light Situations" in Appendix A.

THE FINAL STEP: THROW AWAY THE ULTIMATE EXPOSURE

COMPUTER!

The Ultimate Exposure Computer is easy to use and extremely accurate. But there is
an easier way. Why not memorize the whole thing? It's a lot easier than you may
think. This section will show you how.

There is a rule called the "Sunny f/16 Rule". It says:

On a bright, sunny day, the correct exposure for any

subject is f/16 at the shutter speed nearest to the
reciprocal of the film speed.
For example, if you are using ASA/ISO 100 film, the correct exposure would be
1/100 second (or rather the closest available shutter speed - 1/125 second) at f/16.
The next three paragraphs address this example.

We know that a bright, sunny day equals EV 15. The "Sunny f/16" rule gives us an
anchor point to use in mentally calculating the entire contents of Chart B, since it
contains all four elements of exposure: Exposure Value (EV 15), film speed (ISO
100), aperture (f/16) and shutter speed (1/125).

From that anchor point, it is easy to calculate any other set of correct exposures. We
know that each step up or down in one variable represents a doubling or halving of
the amount of light required to make a correct exposure. For example, an overcast
day would halve the light falling on the subject (EV 14). If the light reaching the film
is cut in half, ONE other variable needs to be changed to increase (double) the
amount of light. In this case the shutter speed could be reduced to 1/60 second OR
the aperture could be increased to f/11 OR the film speed could be increased to ISO
200. Any ONE of these corrections would provide the correct amount of light. Make
the correction that best suits your photographic purpose (decreased depth of focus
or enhanced apparent subject motion).

In the same sense, a change in any of the variables can be offset by a reciprocal
change in any other variable. For example, you may need a faster shutter speed to
stop some action. If you choose 1/500 second, the light will have been reduced by
two steps (cut in half from 1/125 to 1/250 and cut it in half again from 1/250 to
1/500). You could compensate for this by opening up the aperture two steps (from
f/16 to f/11 will double the light and f/11 to f/8 will double it again). You could make
the same correction by increasing the film speed by two steps (from ISO 100 to ISO
200 doubles the light and from ISO 200 to ISO 400 doubles it again). Or, you could
increase the aperture to f/11 AND increase the film speed to ISO 200. Again, make
the adjustment that best suits your purpose.

Now, let me say that the "sunny f/16" rule is one of the most misunderstood rules in
photography. I have heard very competent professional photographers say that the
rule is based on reflected light. Nonsense! The rule is based on the light falling on
the subject (incident light) not the light reflected from the subject. The rule gives
precisely the same measurement that you would get from an incident meter or a
reflected meter using a perfect gray card. If your subject is very light or dark, you
will need to adjust exposure to bring it within the five stop range of transparency
film. But you would also have to make an adjustment from a reflected reading in the
same circumstance. The difference is that an incident light measurement is a
consistent anchor from which to adjust. A reflected measurement is much more
subjective and prone to error. I have also heard that the "sunny f/16" rule doesn't
work for backlit or sidelit subjects. This is also false. Just open up a half stop, and
bracket in half stop increments one and a half stop above and below the corrected
exposure. You should always bracket in difficult situations. Anyone who says
differently is misleading you. See the section on "Difficult Exposures" for guidelines.

The "sunny f/16" anchor point, combined with your knowledge that each
change of one step in a factor doubles or halves the exposure, makes it easy
to select a correct exposure for any photographic situation you may be
confronted with.

Practice this technique with the Ultimate Exposure Computer in hand. Look at (or
imagine) a photographic situation and try to mentally figure out the correct exposure
using the "Sunny f/16" anchor point and any adjustments you feel are necessary. For
the purpose of this exercise, it is best to concentrate on EV 11 through 16 (where
most of your outdoor photography will occur). As you perfect your accuracy in this
range, you can move on to more exotic lighting situations. Write down the factors
(Exposure Value, film speed, aperture and shutter speed) that you believe will make
the best exposure. Consult the Ultimate Exposure Computer to assess the accuracy
of the calculations you made mentally.

With a little effort you will soon be achieving close to 100% accuracy, without the
use of a light meter or any other exposure aid. The more you practice with the
Ultimate Exposure Computer, the sooner you will be able to simply look at a lighting
situation and immediately know the correct exposure for the job.
Once you have mastered this technique, you can use it to judge the accuracy of the
light meter in your camera (or anyone else's). You will be able to amuse and edify
your photographic friends by accurately stating the correct exposure in any situation
before your friends can take a reading with their meter!

When you reach that point, the real Ultimate Exposure Computer will be

YOU!
WHERE ON EARTH ARE YOU?

I get e-mail from all over. Photographers use this document on every continent.
Even Antarctica. People taking photographs far to the north or south of my sunny
San Diego, California (USA) location (32d N) have asked me to make charts adapted
to extreme (from my perspective) latitudes. Here's why: If you live anywhere
between the equator and about 50 degrees north or south, the charts and tables in
the Ultimate Exposure Computer should work fine for you (remember to bracket).
Just move on and don't read the next few paragraphs. If you live further north or
south, it should work for you in summer. But things aren't so simple if you live
toward the poles. Light from the sun is diminished by traveling farther through the
atmosphere or blocked by the curvature of Earth. Look at it this way: near a solstice,
natural light at mid-day can range continuously from "Sunny f/16" at the equator to
near dark at one of the poles. So you have the variables of latitude and season and
time of day to consider. There are other variables such as altitude and snow cover
(partially counteracting the effect of latitude and season).

"So," you say, "You've taken me this far and it turns out this won't work for me?" I
say, the Ultimate Exposure Computer will NOT let you down. "Well then," you say,
"Are you going to give me some complicated, hashed-up chart that tries to fit in the
five variables you talked about?" Well... Actually I DID try to do this. What a mess!
I'm striving for simplicity here, not trying to model the light falling on every square
inch of Earth! Fortunately, the solution is simple, because I know something about
you that you've never admitted to me. You DIDN'T throw away your light meter, did
you!!? Hah! I knew it! Good! Read on!

You can easily calibrate the Ultimate Exposure Computer to fit your exact location.
Go outside and take a meter reading (preferably incident or reflected from a
standard gray card). Use whatever light is available, but it is best if it's full sun on a
bright day (Sunny f/16). Take a few readings and average them. How many stops
difference between your reading and the "Exposure Value Chart"?

Print out two copies of the "Exposure Value Chart" (below). Using a sharp implement
(your choice) cut one chart apart, separating the "EV" section from the "Type of
Lighting Situation" section. If, for example, your metered reading was two stops
below "Sunny f/16" you would slip the "EV" section down two rows. Tape it in place.
You now have a chart customized to your latitude, season, time of day, altitude and
any other variable you can think of (remember to bracket). You'll need to repeat this
exercise as the seasons and conditions change. This is only necessary for sunlit
subjects. Other subjects in the chart will work using the copy you didn't deface.
There are limitations. Here's just one example: If you're at McMurdo Station on June
21, you'll need to find another way to calculate exposure. Drop me an e-mail and tell
me how you make photographs. For most of you intrepid poleward photographers.
enjoy!

Exposure Value Chart

EV TYPE OF LIGHTING SITUATION

-6 Night, away from city lights, subject under starlight only.
-5 Night, away from city lights, subject under crescent moon.
Night, away from city lights, subject under half moon. Meteors (during
-4
showers, with time exposure).
-3 Night, away from city lights, subject under full moon.
-2 Night, away from city lights, snowscape under full moon.
-1 Subjects lit by dim ambient artificial light.
0 Subjects lit by dim ambient artificial light.
1 Distant view of lighted skyline.
2 Lightning (with time exposure). Total eclipse of moon.
3 Fireworks (with time exposure).
Candle lit close-ups. Christmas lights, floodlit buildings, fountains, and
4
monuments. Subjects under bright street lamps.
Night home interiors, average light. School or church auditoriums.
5
Subjects lit by campfires or bonfires.
6 Brightly lit home interiors at night. Fairs, amusement parks.
Bottom of rainforest canopy. Brightly lighted nighttime streets. Indoor
7
sports. Stage shows, circuses.
Las Vegas or Times Square at night. Store windows. Campfires,
8 bonfires, burning buildings. Ice shows, football, baseball etc. at night.
Interiors with bright florescent lights.
Landscapes, city skylines 10 minutes after sunset. Neon lights,
9
spotlighted subjects.
Landscapes and skylines immediately after sunset. Crescent moon
10
(long lens).
11 Sunsets. Subjects in open shade.
12 Half moon (long lens). Subject in heavy overcast.
Gibbous moon (long lens). Subjects in cloudy-bright light (no
13
shadows).
14 Full moon (long lens). Subjects in weak, hazy sun.
15 Subjects in bright or hazy sun (Sunny f/16 rule).
 16 Subjects in bright daylight on sand or snow.
17 Rarely encountered in nature. Some man made lighting.
18 Rarely encountered in nature. Some man made lighting.
19 Rarely encountered in nature. Some man made lighting.
20 Rarely encountered in nature. Some man made lighting.
21 Rarely encountered in nature. Some man made lighting.
22 Extremely bright. Rarely encountered in nature.
23 Extremely bright. Rarely encountered in nature.

THE ULTIMATE EXPOSURE COMPUTER

EXPOSURE VALUE

Exposure Factor Relationship Chart B

FILM SPEED
APERTURE OF
(ISO/ASA
LENS (f/STOP)
NUMBER)
ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO
f/1.4 f/2.0 f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22
25 50 100 200 400 800 1600 3200

1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 4 sec 8 sec 15 sec 30 sec 1 min 2 min 4 min 8 min 16 min 3

2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 2 sec 4 sec 8 sec 15 sec 30 sec 1 min 2 min 4 min 8 min 1

3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4 1 sec 2 sec 4 sec 8 sec 15 sec 30 sec 1 min 2 min 4 min 8

4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 1/2 sec 1 sec 2 sec 4 sec 8 sec 15 sec 30 sec 1 min 2 min 4

5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 1/4 sec 1/2 sec 1 sec 2 sec 4 sec 8 sec 15 sec 30 sec 1 min 2

E 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 1/8 sec 1/4 sec 1/2 sec 1 sec 2 sec 4 sec 8 sec 15 sec 30 sec 1

V 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1/15 sec 1/8 sec 1/4 sec 1/2 sec 1 sec 2 sec 4 sec 8 sec 15 sec 3

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1/30 sec 1/15 sec 1/8 sec 1/4 sec 1/2 sec 1 sec 2 sec 4 sec 8 sec 1

N 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1/60 sec 1/30 sec 1/15 sec 1/8 sec 1/4 sec 1/2 sec 1 sec 2 sec 4 sec 8

U 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 1/125 sec 1/60 sec 1/30 sec 1/15 sec 1/8 sec 1/4 sec 1/2 sec 1 sec 2 sec 4

M 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 1/250 sec 1/125 sec 1/60 sec 1/30 sec 1/15 sec 1/8 sec 1/4 sec 1/2 sec 1 sec 2

B 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 1/500 sec 1/250 sec 1/125 sec 1/60 sec 1/30 sec 1/15 sec 1/8 sec 1/4 sec 1/2 sec 1

E 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 1/1000 sec 1/500 sec 1/250 sec 1/125 sec 1/60 sec 1/30 sec 1/15 sec 1/8 sec 1/4 sec 1

1/1000 1/125 1/15

R 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 1/2000 sec 1/500 sec 1/250 sec 1/60 sec 1/30 sec 1/8 sec 1
sec sec sec
1/2000 1/1000 1/250 1/125 1/30 1/15
S 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 1/4000 sec 1/500 sec 1/60 sec 1
sec sec sec sec sec sec
 1/4000 1/2000 1/1000 1/500 1/250 1/60 1/30 1
16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 1/8000 sec 1/125 sec
sec sec sec sec sec sec sec s
1/15000 1/8000 1/4000 1/2000 1/1000 1/500 1/125 1/60 1
17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 1/250 sec
sec sec sec sec sec sec sec sec s
1/30000 1/15000 1/8000 1/4000 1/2000 1/1000 1/250 1/125 1
18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 1/500 sec
sec sec sec sec sec sec sec sec s
1/60000 1/30000 1/15000 1/8000 1/4000 1/2000 1/500 1/250 1
19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 1/1000 sec
sec sec sec sec sec sec sec sec s
1/125000 1/60000 1/30000 1/15000 1/8000 1/4000 1/1000 1/500 1
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 1/2000 sec
sec sec sec sec sec sec sec sec s
1/250000 1/125000 1/60000 1/30000 1/15000 1/8000 1/2000 1/1000 1
21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 1/4000 sec
sec sec sec sec sec sec sec sec s
1/500000 1/250000 1/125000 1/60000 1/30000 1/15000 1/4000 1/2000 1
22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 1/8000 sec
sec sec sec sec sec sec sec sec s
1/1000000 1/500000 1/250000 1/125000 1/60000 1/30000 1/8000 1/4000 1
23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 1/15000sec
sec sec sec sec sec sec sec sec s

THE ULTIMATE EXPOSURE COMPUTER

EXPOSURE FACTOR RELATIONSHIP CHART B ©1995-2006 Fred Parker

Some Useful Photographic Guidelines

Sunny f/16 Anchor Point: On a bright day (EV 15) the correct exposure
for any subject is f/16 at a shutter speed nearest to the reciprocal of
the film speed (I.E. ISO 100 film = 1/125).

Doubling Rule:Within any exposure factor (Exposure Value, film speed,

aperture, shutter speed) each step is double (or half of) the preceding
step.

Tripod Rule: Use one for every photograph. If your shutter speed is
slower than the reciprocal of the focal length of your lens (I.E.< 1/200
sec. with a 200 mm lens), use a tripod. If your subject is moving,
double this shutter speed. If you are moving (such as in a boat or
plane) triple the speed. If you are doing macro work (.25 magnification
or greater), always use a tripod. If you're using a format larger than
35mm, use a tripod. To be safe, weld your camera to the tripod.

As you increase film speed, problems with grain and

Film Speed:
sharpness will increase.

Increasing shutter speed will reduce apparent

Apparent Subject Motion:
subject motion. Decreasing shutter speed will increase apparent
subject motion.
Depth of Focus:Increasing aperture (lower f/stop #) will decrease depth
of focus. Decreasing aperture (higher f/stop #) will increase depth of
focus.

APPENDIX "A": WHAT TO DO IN TRICKY LIGHT SITUATIONS

Front Lighting: Follow directions given in this document.

Side Lighting: Expose for front lighting, exactly as described herein. Bracket in half
stop increments to one and a half stops over exposure. No need to bracket on the
underexposure side. Alternatively, use a reflecting surface to bounce more light into
the shadows. Make decisions based on the tonality of the subject. With a light
subject your first exposure should be your best. With a darker subject your last
exposure should be correct.

Back Lighting: Where possible, shoot subject in front of a dark background. Use EV
12 as your starting point (there are three stops difference between sun and shade)
and bracket in half stop increments one and a half stops to the underexposure side
(no need to bracket to the over exposure side -- EV12 takes care of it for you). If
you must shoot into a light background, your best bet is to shoot a silhouette.
Examples are backlit fog on a lake with fishermen in boats in the shot. In this case,
start with EV 15 and bracket in half stop increments to three stops on the under
exposure side. Your backlit photography will be better if you use a long lens (with an
appropriate lens shade!). Make sure your lens is scrupulously clean. If you are
shooting people, use a warming filter (such as 81B), and adjust exposure by
increasing exposure by 1/2 to one stop.

The Ultimate Backlight -- Sunrises & Sunsets: When the sun is in your shot, go
for silhouettes. Begin with EV 15 and bracket in full stops to four stops under.

Night Shots: Don't shoot them at night, shoot at dusk. Look through your camera
with the aperture fully stopped down. This has the effect of taking color out of the
scene and allowing you to judge tonality more accurately. When your subject and the
sky seem to be the same shade of gray, open up the lens and make your exposure.
With a middle tone subject, this will usually take place 30-45 minutes after sundown.
Use EV9 as a basis for exposure. Bracket in half stop increments to two stops over
and two stops under. You will like at least half of the shots.

Shoot the Moon With a Long Lens: Use EV14. Bracket in half stop increments to
one stop over and one stop under.

Shooting Scenics in Woods or Where There Are A Lot of Shadows: Shoot

under overcast (EV12 or 13) situations.

Fast Moving Subjects -- Sports, Etc.: Pick a vantage point that lets you shoot in
front light, if possible. Utilize a dark background if available. Use a telephoto lens and
a tripod, if possible. Use Chart B to select a film speed that will allow you to use a
shutter speed TWICE the reciprocal of your focal length (i.e. a 300mm lens at 1/500
sec).
Shooting from an Airplane or Boat: Use Chart B to find a film speed that will let
you shoot at THREE times the reciprocal of the focal length (i.e. 1/1000 sec for a
300mm lens).

Macro or Micro Shots: Make adjustments for loss of light due to extension of the
lens or bellows, as given in the instruction manual, or on the lens barrel. Better yet,
use your in camera meter! It will need the exercise.

Excessively Long Exposure Times: Times above 10 seconds or so. Here you run
into reciprocity failure (a fancy name for "it will take a LOT longer than you think!")
Follow the directions that come with every film package. You will run into this
problem whether you are using a meter or not. Bracket liberally!