Since there are a bunch of "I just bought a camera" - Here's your first rule

[Mama Got Boost??]

If you've heard about it...great. If you haven't then you need to read lol

I didn't know about this and had probably inadvertently done it not knowing. In class last week someone brought up that he was constantly blowing out skies. The f/16 rule was brought up and problem solved.

When shooting into a blue sky, set your camera to f/16, 1/125, ISO100. No matter what you do, you will get blue skies. If you are shooting a subject, you might need a little fill light but for the most part you don't.

This is not shooting directly into the sun. Test it out...check it out and see if it works for you

All SOOC (straight out of camera)

[StreetRacingOnline]

Sunny 16 rule...

[Michael.]

Some people can't go to iso 100 200 will have to do.

Also, be careful with this, because if you have a dirty sensor, you may be needing to do some cleaning in PS, and actual hard sensor cleaning (done by me lol)

[96whiteknight]

Interesting...Never heard of this.

[Mama Got Boost??]

Sunny 16 rule...

Yes I had never heard of it either way so it was pretty interesting to me lol

[8600RPM]

I wouldnt try it shooting directly into the sun, the rule as I understood was for when its overhead.

It does work though, I believe there is a similar rule for lunar light.

[The Hedgehog]

Haha, this would've been helpful the last two weekends or so!!! Thanks for the advice!

[StreetRacingOnline]

Yes I had never heard of it either way so it was pretty interesting to me lol

there is also other simple rules...

the actual rule is to set shutter speed to whatever iso you are using and f16 for your aperture.

so iso200... f16 1/200 iso200

also other helps tips
Conditions: Sunny days
Av: f/16
Example of shadows: Dark with sharp edges

C:Slightly overcast
Av: Add 1 stop to f/16: f/11
S:Bright with fuzzy edges

C:Overcast
Av: Add 2 stops to f/16: f/8
S: Barely visible

C:Heavy overcast
Av: Add 3 stops to f/16: f/5.6
S: Absent

C:Open shade
Av: Add 4 stops to f/16: f/4
S: Absent

C:Backlighting
Av: Add 1 stop to f/16: f/11
S: depends


hope this helps.

[Adrenalin]

...
I didn't know about this and had probably inadvertently done it not knowing. In class last week someone brought up that he was constantly blowing out skies. The f/16 rule was brought up and problem solved.

When shooting into a blue sky, set your camera to f/16, 1/125, ISO100. No matter what you do, you will get blue skies. If you are shooting a subject, you might need a little fill light but for the most part you don't.

This is not shooting directly into the sun. Test it out...check it out and see if it works for you

...

Thanks for posting this! I just read something similar today but haven't tried it yet. I will definitely try it.

there is also other simple rules...

the actual rule is to set shutter speed to whatever iso you are using and f16 for your aperture.

...

This part is almost word for word what I read today.


Thanks to both of you for sharing! I'll take all of that I can get.


-Terry

[btuner]

The sky looks too dark in these pictures, no? Also why are there halos around everything if SOOC?

Better way to get good exposed sky and subject is to average the exposures of the two

[Enz01]

Amazon.com: Sekonic L-758DR Light Meter (Black): Camera & Photo


I live by it, I use it everywhere I go....

[The Hedgehog]

Amazon.com: Sekonic L-758DR Light Meter (Black): Camera & Photo


I live by it, I use it everywhere I go....

LOL, I think there's a good amount of us that are just amateur shooters...I know there's some pros on here, but I'm not that baller..

[Enz01]

LOL, I think there's a good amount of us that are just amateur shooters...I know there's some pros on here, but I'm not that baller..

I have a saying, you pay for what you get...

Glass is for ever, good glass you pay the price, good bodies don't come cheap & good lights will last you a long time.

I have two light meters, one I mainly use for film (video) & this one I can use for anything, video or DSLR's anything really but the price of 499.99 isn't bad.

You can find them cheaper like 180.00 ish or cheaper on ebay but I don't know how well they will work.

[Cola]

Nice rule of thumb Lisa thanks for sharing I will keep that in mind. Out of curiosity, in the first photo, whats the halo around the trees on the left and middle?

[Mama Got Boost??]

I wouldnt try it shooting directly into the sun, the rule as I understood was for when its overhead.

It does work though, I believe there is a similar rule for lunar light.

That's why I said in the OP, not for shooting directly into the sun

The sky looks too dark in these pictures, no? Also why are there halos around everything if SOOC?

Better way to get good exposed sky and subject is to average the exposures of the two

On my laptop they don't look dark and I'm not seeing halos *shrugs*

I'll have to pull the original file and see what it looks like. Regardless, this is just a general rule. You don't have to live by it but it helps.

$500 isn't that bad for a light meter. There's one that the school sells for $300 but I'd have to see what kind it is when I go in tomorrow. Even for shooting studio stuff, a light meter is a much IMO Cuts the time in half when getting your settings correct.