Your night photos are likely too bright because your camera is misinterpreting the scene's overall darkness.
Let's break down why this happens and how to fix it.
How Camera Exposure Works
Cameras use light meters to measure the brightness of a scene. The goal is to expose the image so it looks naturally lit. However, the camera's light meter is designed to make an average scene look like a mid-tone gray.
The Problem with Dark Scenes
The issue occurs when you're photographing something dark at night. Your camera reads the dark scene as needing more light to reach that average mid-tone gray. This results in the camera increasing the exposure, which makes your photo appear brighter than intended.
As the reference states: "You will end up with a picture that is too bright when the exposure reading is taken from a subject that is darker than middle grey."
Correcting Overly Bright Night Photos
Here's how to solve the problem of overly bright night photos:
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Exposure Compensation: This is your best tool.
- Your camera has a feature called "exposure compensation" usually represented by a +/- symbol.
- Using negative exposure compensation will tell your camera to take a darker image.
- Start by decreasing your exposure in small increments. You will likely have to go a stop or two below what the camera suggests.
- Take a test shot, review it, and adjust as needed.
- This is the most effective way to achieve a correctly exposed image.
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Manual Mode: Using manual mode gives you total control over the exposure settings.
- You control shutter speed, aperture and ISO.
- Use your camera's light meter as a guide, but trust your judgement on how dark the scene should look.
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Spot Metering: Select spot metering to use a very small area to base exposure from.
- You can take the reading from something closer to mid-tone grey and get a more accurate reading.
- This may work well for night photography.
- If using spot metering, make sure you take the reading from something close to mid-tone grey and not something too dark.
Common Mistakes
- Relying Only on Automatic Settings: If you rely entirely on your camera's auto mode for metering in the dark, it will likely overexpose the photos.
- Not Experimenting: Don't be afraid to experiment with different settings.
- Not Reviewing: Check your images right after taking them to see if the exposure is accurate and adjust if needed.
By understanding how your camera's light meter works and applying the solutions above, you'll be able to capture stunning night photos with the correct exposure.
