lighting question

[dishingthedivine]

I'm on my laptop editing all these photos and it's tough to tell when the lighting is correct given that a quick tilt of the screen one way or another produces a dramatically different picture. So, can you give me some feedback about whether this picture is too dark, too bright, or wrongly exposed in some other way? I know there are probably greater problems with it, but for now, I had someone tell me it's too dark but I think the exposure looks fine on my screen. Just curious.

Thanks!




Model = Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi
Exposure Time = 1/60"
F Number = F4
Exposure Program = Shutter priority
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Exposure Bias Value = ±0EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash fired, compulsory flash mode

[zona5101]

it might be a tad dark but really not very much - if the plate is white it my need a tiny tweak in color balance adjustment.

[KansaiGreenie]

Hi dishingthedivine,

I'm going to agree with zona5101. I think it might be a little dark, but more importantly the white balance seems off. The plate is gray and the colors are dull, which I think is making it look darker than it is.

As for editing on your laptop... the most important thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't have any light shining directly onto the screen. Make sure that you aren't editing outside or next to a window. The best way to avoid that is to edit in a dark, or very dimly lit room and any light in the room should be coming from behind the screen (relative to your position in front of it). The good news is that a laptop is portable so you can pick it up and move it around as you need to.

I hope that helps.

KG

[dishingthedivine]

Thanks for your feedback! Now that you mention it, I totally see what you mean by the plate being off white and the colors seeming dull.

I try to avoid editing next to a window, but now that I have skylights in my house, that will be more challenging. I'll pick darker rooms for photo editing as you're right - that will definitely help.

Your feedback is super helpful.

[sybren]

If you're in doubt, use the histogram. It'll tell you the pixel values, irregardless of how your monitor shows them. It's an invaluable tool, both in-camera during shooting and in post processing.

[dishingthedivine]

Originally Posted by sybren

If you're in doubt, use the histogram. It'll tell you the pixel values, irregardless of how your monitor shows them. It's an invaluable tool, both in-camera during shooting and in post processing.

can someone point me to where I'd find info on how to use the histogram? I'm new to DSLR but am trying to beat the learning curve as fast as i can.

[sybren]

histogram - Google zoeken shows a Wikipedia article and a webpage titled "Using histograms" as the top two hits on my computer. I think that with a little more digging you can find a lot more info on the subject.

Part of learning is getting information, and the other part is learning how to find that information.