3 Reasons to Underexpose Your Photos

Hey photographers, let's talk about this... 3 Reasons to Underexpose Your Photos Download the [17 Piece Camera Fundamentals Guided Resource Kit]( today to jumpstart your photography skills (but read the tip below first!) –– While your camera is capable of making a good exposure in many situations, sometimes it fails to read the scene properly and produces an unsatisfactory result. In such situations, you need to take control of the exposure settings to get the correct exposure. Let’s look at 3 such situations where underexposing can result in better images. 1. To compensate for loss of highlights When the scene you want to photograph contains white and dark subject in the same frame, underexposing helps you capture details in the highlights. The highlight details might otherwise get lost if using the camera’s default settings. Look at the images below. A ‘normal’ exposure makes the white birds featureless in the image on the left. By underexposing the shot by one stop on the right, the highlight details are brought back. The dark shadows can be brightened in post-processing to your liking. 2. To use a faster shutter speed Ever been stuck because there’s not enough light and your shutter speed is too slow? Underexposing allows you to utilize a faster shutter speed. If shooting in Aperture Priority mode, set the Exposure Compensation feature to minus one f-stop. This produces a darker result because, to underexpose in this mode, the camera is forced to increase the shutter speed by one exposure step. One step faster shutter speed might be all you need to get a blur-free shot, and the resulting darker image can easily be fixed (brightened) using software with little or no negative results. By underexposing the shot by two stops, it maximized the shutter speed in this low light scene and therefore ensured a shake-free shot. [📸 17 Handy Resources on Camera Fundamentals? Download our complete 17-Piece Guided Resource Kit that will help you understand the basics of photography... ⏰Be quick — Bonus expires midnight! Download Here →]( 3. To capture low-key images In low-key photography, you lower the exposure to create more shadows while selectively revealing details in certain parts of the frame. Underexposing can help you achieve this effect, as you can see in the images below. The frame was deliberately underexposed by two stops to achieve a low-key image that adds a far more atmospheric mood to the shot. BONUS: I've got something special for you on the next page... Want to get a stronger grip on camera fundamentals? Grab our [Camera Fundamentals Guided Resource Kit](. This curated collection includes some of our best material on camera fundamentals – including a 2-part guided video walkthrough, and 3 hands-on exercises & assignments for you to try! If you missed out on your kit last time, it’s available again, and on sale right now. Plus it includes a daily bonus for free. Click below now, to read about it on the next page… [→ NEXT PAGE]( [Continue to next page »]( Keep that creative fire burning 🔥 Cheers, Brett   P.S – Want more quick photography tips, for free? Head over to our friend's website- [DailyPhotoTips.com]( now.       [ Want to build your creative confidence? Try our super supportive [Weekly Photography Challenge Group](. It's a great place to share your work, get inspiration, and mingle with fellow photographers. [Join Now →]( (it's free!)]( Thank you for supporting Photzy! We're so glad you're here. Our mission is to help you explore your creative side, through photography. As a small community-led team, email is a crucial way for us to keep in touch. We regularly send out free tutorials, photo tips, inspiration, and store discounts. Never want to hear from us again? Break our lil hearts and [unsubscribe](. Or tell us how we can improve [here](mailto:cservice@photzy.com?subject=Feedback%20on%20your%20email). [Made with ♥ at Level 2 11 York St Sydney Australia]( Copyright © 2012 – 2024 Photzy Pty Ltd.