[kgphoto]

EH,

I have clipped only those areas that I am commenting on. Ready, Aim . . . lol

I think you have most of it down, but some of your wording is a little awkward and may lead some astray. As an example; "only's" are very hard to use. Underexposed may show "some" shadow detail, or still not show "some" highlight detail depending on how much under they are as well as how hot are some of the high lights.

RE: "Similar to the iris of the eye, the aperture allows in light. Think of it like this: the more light, the smaller the opening needs to be (more light= higher f/stops) and the less light, the larger the f/stop (no light= small f/stops). "

Here's the most problematic language. More light doesn't equal higher f:stops, but more light means you need the higher numbered f:stops, since they let in less light.

So it may be more clear to say, that the larger openings use the smaller numbers and the Larger the opening, the more light is let in for any given shutter speed.

I think your comments on shutter speed and meters is right on, with only the following clarification. Incident light meters measure the light falling on the subject and are held at the subject and pointed at each light source to measure relative ratios, but for an overall exposure are point at the camera from the subject position. When metering the surroundings, they are held at the surrounding, i.e. the background, and pointed at the camera. If you are talking about an accent i.e. rim light, you point it at the light source whether that is the sky from open shade or a studio strobe or flash.

As to your section on metering, you need to meter more than the highest and darkest and average. You need multiple points so you can predict how they will reproduce and then you can decide where to slide the range where it will do the most good, or how much light to add or remove to make the best image.

Finally each COMBINATION of f:stop and shutter speed count at one, unless you are only talking about flash then shutter speed contributes little. This is too complicated a relationship to be reduced to one sentence.

I hope that clears things up. Feel free to improve my descriptions as well. I see cyclohexane caught some of this too.

Originally Posted by expensive_hobby

Okay ladies and gentlemen... here's my summed up version of exposure. Please feel free to jump in to correct anything I've gone astray on

Exposure-- Hobby's Quick Summary
Exposure is definitely a multi-facted aspect of photography. It seems to be THE MOST multi-facted thing by far. (If not, just shoot me now!)

Film:

• If the image is underexposed details are quite sketchy and only the light/bright areas of the image are clearly seen.
• If the image is overexposed only the dark/shadowed areas are detailed.
• 
  

Aperture:

• Similar to the iris of the eye, the aperture allows in light. Think of it like this: the more light, the smaller the opening needs to be (more light= higher f/stops) and the less light, the larger the f/stop (no light= small f/stops).

Meters:

• Incident meters will read the light "falling" onto the subject; therefore, they should be pointed from the subject to the camera. They read an area ~180 degrees.

Metering for correct exposure:

• A reading from the lightest and darkest areas of the scene is needed.

*Each f/stop or shutter speed count as "one".