Landscape Photography: Why is getting a "good" exposure so important?

In this video: Getting a good exposure? What is it, and why is it so important? This is what I will explore in this video, and some of the answers may challenge you to rethink how you expose in the landscape.
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[@tonyandsheilaphotography]

I am not saying this lightly, nor am I just trying to impress, but you have risen to the top as far as the landscape photographer tutorials that I follow. Your philosophical approach of tapping into the creative side of photography is helping me transition from just focusing on getting the composition "right" and understanding the technical tools we have with our camera and by working through post-processing techniques, just so I can then produce images that look like whatever particular photographer channel I'm watching. Come to think of it, most of these photographers' images are quite similar to each other. I only began this photographic journey after I retired from my marketing career 2 years ago. My desire is to move from just getting everything right to fit the unwritten standard for "what is landscape photography" to creating photographs that express what I am feeling and seeing when I engage with the landscape. Please keep sharing your heart as you have been, especially over the last couple of months.

[@Alister_Benn]

Delighted to hear that, I am delighted my approach resonates with you ❤️

[@nickshepherd8377]

Well said Tony…I fully agree. Alister over the last few years has changed my whole approach to photography.

[@f52023]

Well said 👍 I got more from this video than from a lot of videos where I had to watch about experiences on the way to some destination or gear, to get bits of information. I have a good feeling so I will check out Your "Luminosity & Contrast" e-book.

[@Alister_Benn]

@@f52023 Thanks for buying the eBook, I am sure you'll find it interesting. I believe the theory I lay out in it is pretty ground-breaking and completely changed how I see and engage with the world.

[@rickwilliamsphotography]

I've seen many videos and read many articles about exposing to the right. Not one of them has ever made the link to using this method to facilitate one's creativity and emotion. Bravo! This ^^^ is what it is all about!! Use the tech to free the emotion!

[@Alister_Benn]

Awesome, that’s really great to hear. Kind of makes it all worthwhile

[@lynnecliffe3056]

Interesting 'expressive' dialogue. Enjoy your visit with Adam.

[@jefflohse3260]

Thank you so much Alister, for helping me to understand myself when i am in the Australian landscape. I usually even ask the area, the trees, and bushes, permission to be in their presence, before being guided into their world. I am in awe at their wisdom and love and the encredible lesson they show me about patience.

[@Alister_Benn]

Nice, that sounds amazing and I agree 100% - too much rushing these days... I appreciate your feedback very much.

[@dougmckillop9352]

Aha! Lightbulb moment, thank you!

[@teresababer5310]

Thank you….I always walk away after listening to you with wonderful insight and inspiration. I appreciate all you share.

[@SimonWillig]

I knew this at an unconscious level. Thank you so much for unveiling this!

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, so many of these things we forget ❤️

[@jeffschreifels8651]

I used to have a film camera and learned back then to under expose to 'enrich colors'. That has stuck in my head and its a hard habit to break. I've heard a hundred times in recent months that I should expose to the right on the histogram and why but, you are the first person that explained why it's hard for me to actually do it. It is exactly because I want the photo to look good in the back of the camera. That is because I am told to do that. 'Get it right in the camera'. I think another part of the problem is that I know that once you over expose to the point of clipping, that is not recoverable. So I tend to fear that end of the histogram but no one is telling me to go that far right.

[@Alister_Benn]

Happy to hear that ❤️

[@Highdepthfilms]

I don’t always watch your videos, but when I do, I always learn a thing or two from your discussions. Thank you for producing the videos. Looking forward in getting my book next year.

[@arkansasvinny]

Spot On!! You can’t get it when you never captured it in the first place…

[@betheking1543]

This video should be recommended for all new photographers (and many veteran photographers as well). You explain why and show why so well instead of just saying "do it this way." I shoot both film and digital. For me, I want to capture a full range of what's in the scene, no matter the recording medium, which I think is pretty much what you're recommending. With black and white negative film, you need to expose it enough to get details in the shadows (which usually means "over"exposing) and then you develop it to have details in the highlights (which frequently means "under"developing). The over and under are as compared to averaging the scene. In the darkroom (I do my own printing), there are still a lot of adjustments that I can make to get the scene the way I want it. Slide film doesn't give that amount of creativity unless you scan it and slide film is usually exposed the opposite way compared to negative film. When I shoot digital, I always look at the histogram, not so much the image.

[@billbarraclough9653]

Brilliantly eloquent as always, Alister. Thank you

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you kindly!

[@sylvaindion8419]

Thanks Alister, I am indead from old school film photography and this video really open my eyes regarding exposure. THANKS Sylvain

[@Alister_Benn]

Delighted to hear that ❤️

[@ewanmackenzie6777]

Alistair, that was a great video and clarified snippets of info what were floating around in the atmosphere, you brought it all together and made sense of it. You Rock! Thank you.

[@Alister_Benn]

Much appreciated! Many thanks

[@JonathanTrueman]

Thank you, I found that most instructive, beautifully expressed as from the heart of an artist!

[@andy_an_outdoors_guy]

Man -- i've been fooled by the camera's viewfinder and back-screen so many times - ironic really. I've learned to trust the exposure meter. As a side note - I kind of like not truly knowing what things look like until I get home - allows me to enjoy the scenery a bit more.

[@iaincphotography6051]

Another interesting talk, and haven't you got a good neighbour. I am in agreement about getting those highlights in amongst dark shadows, always amazing.

[@Hirsutechin]

I've read this approach elsewhere about "harvesting data" but your video makes the case more eloquently and rationally. Usually, unfortunately, I've blown the highlights, but practice will get me there.

[@Alister_Benn]

Well, dynamic range is still a consideration. Multiple exposures can be necessary in extreme cases. I’d still watch those highlights though ❤️

[@melissam731]

Thank you so much for this video and your thoughts on exposure. I really like dark photographs and am always told to lighten up. Ugh! This video really helps in letting me know to create the way I see my landscape photography. This is the only way to stand out from the crowd, print to please yourself. Thank you and I hope to attend one of your workshops soon. I love your work. It's incredible and true fine art. Thank you!

[@Alister_Benn]

You are so welcome! Don't let idiots tell you how your photos should look!! It's like letting them decide what colour to paint your bathroom, or what music to listen to. The aesthetic police have no place in creativity or the pursuit of individuality... Be you.

[@joanneabramson2645]

This video is exactly what I needed now. I came back from a frustrating day of shooting birds where I had it exposed correctly for the birds on the ground, but when they took flight I was underexposed. I am shooting raw, manual with auto ISO and using exposure compensation. This reminds me to look at the histogram more than the photo. Any videos on EC would be welcomed.

[@Alister_Benn]

EC doesn’t work in manual mode, the shutter speed and aperture determine the exposure. EC will work in aperture priority which is what I shot birds at most of the time.

[@alandouglas4612]

Spot on Alister, I have heard it so many times from fellow photographers who have looked at any particular image I have made and express the comment "That's done in photoshop, Thats cheating I get it right in the camera like a proper photographer does" Then you spend half an hour trying to explain to them the concepts of digital photography and the modern darkroom, use of the histogram etc. For some the penny drops and they step out of a comfort zone to rediscover there photography and creativeness which is great. I guess we are all on a journey of discovery and personal development, drop the barriers and open the mind and see where it takes you. (:

[@Alister_Benn]

Yes, old adages are hard to drop for some people

[@SimonPhillipsPhoto]

@@Alister_Benn I have actually noticed this with some young photographers as well. I think there's two types really those who are creative and expressive with their work and then there's those who basically document the world around them for what it is and leave it at that.

[@clairebrooksphotography]

Thank you so much Alister. And thank you to Jen Spiers who shared this and led me to you. A well known photographer taught me last year to underexpose in camera to see the image in the way you want it to finally be - I can see the point in that but won’t be pressing the shutter button now until I’ve re-exposed to harvest the best of the light that is there. Thank you.

[@Alister_Benn]

@@clairebrooksphotography I cry myself to sleep every night reading things that "so called" experts say to people as if it is the law!! I encourage people to ask questions and work out for themselves if something makes sense or not. It is a dreadful state that photography education is in! I try to be an objective voice in all of this and hope enough people listen.. Thank you so much for enjoying the content and the great feedback.

[@stevethompson8154]

Very great advice. I am starting to understand this lesson working with nightscape images. Thanks for the way you explain this.

[@Alister_Benn]

My pleasure Steve

[@mustafaarif7140]

Very good advice which I agree 100%. Thank you very much.

[@normjames4451]

That was wonderful! I am one of those that mistakenly exposes for the back of the camera no matter how many times I’ve told not to. This really helped me understand the concept of exposing to the right so much more. Thank you!

[@agapyearish9982]

This was eye opening and made utter sense to me. I’ve never heard this explanation before. I have a new camera and I was disappointed by the noise I was seeing. Now I see it was the numbskull operator - me. A problem that you have corrected. Yes indeed to this type of video

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that. It’s not really that obvious. It seems more logical to make it look great on the back of the camera. I’m glad I helped you

[@ClintonFerrara]

This is such an eye opener. Finally a valid reason to use the histogram.

[@charlessummers7381]

Excellent analysis, Alister! I have been insuring better exposures by checking live view/histogram before taking the actual photographs. It is working very well. "ETTR" allows me the latitude to get moody if I choose an underexposed image in post processing. Thanks

[@RiccardoPareschi]

Great video. It's true, often when captured by the moment or from the scene, I forget to "expose to the right". Photographing flowers or mushrooms isn't a great mistake and I can get good photos with a "low key" mood, but on landscape is a disaster. Thank you !

[@sergenicolas3571]

Très intéressant je vais essayer de mettre en pratique pour ma photographie 👍

[@boatman222345]

When I made the transition from film to digital 15 years ago I had a very difficult time unlearning the tricks of the photographic film trade that I'd spent decades learning. This video would have made my transition far easier and more enjoyable had I watched it back then. Still, it's great to be reminded that digital exposure technique is drastically different than that demanded by film. Thanks for the reminder!

[@dentom1954]

Excellent video as always!

[@furbs9999]

Talk about nailing a subject and explaining it better than any other I've watched about exposure. This is my number one issue I run into. Thank you. I hope this sinks in next time I'm in the field.

[@NakedInSeattle]

Give the highlights a stage to perform on...what a wonderful way to express it!

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that

[@leelindemann7729]

So appreciate this view

[@grahamjones9888]

Getting it right in camera (when it is a digital camera) - ignoring this mantra is one of the harder things for beginner's to understand. There is a still feeling amongst many outwith the photography community that altering an image in post is somehow 'cheating'. If more photographers followed the example of Adam Gibbs - he shows his raw files and then the final worked image in his videos then some of this stigma would be banished. A digital image is a means to an end - harvesting data.

[@Alister_Benn]

Yes, I agree. I often show raw files too. The more you cheat the less you show 😂😂😂

[@svendrastrupandersen5866]

What a relief to see your video! I came from the music business, and began to photograph six years ago, and without thinking of it I took my creativity from the music into the photography. But I had a hard time finding inspiration, that stresses the thing you do: to get good data in order to make your creative thoughts come through. I photograph insects and often I work in environments with two little light, and here this video is spot on. Of course I’ve tried to expose to the right and I even overexpose the way you have showed, but I haven’t seen anyone showing to the full extent how to do it to reach your creative goals. Furthermore different discussion forums are full of people showing that they are afraid of noise, and instead of taking well exposed pictures, they use a lot of noise reducing software in post. Thus getting plasticy pictures that make a shallow impression. Thank you!

[@Alister_Benn]

Delighted to hear the content is helpful and resonates with you. I think about photography far more in musical terms and gain so much inspiration from my favourite artists..

[@mikebyrne8420]

Very insightful and helpful. Thanks!!

[@Alister_Benn]

Many thanks

[@artsilva]

I began my photography journey as a teen in the mid 70s, with film obviously. Mostly black and white where I could play with exposure and certain film stocks of choice. I quickly learned once I had my own darkroom as well as using my high school's darkroom that proper film exposure was everything. It pre-determined how I was going to process my film with what developer and temps/times, push or pull. Then once I went in to make prints it was paper contrast selections and how to dodge and burn what I have on the film. When I went digital in the 2000s I brought those habits to mt DSLR photography, but except with a developing drum & reels and a darkroom printing setup, we have Lightroom/Photoshop. I still believe we need to get it right in camera in order to develop what we want in out final image. Also a very big reason is at times I tend to re-visit those old files and decide to change up the "look" or "feel" of the image. Without getting a dynamic raw capture, none of that would be possible down the road.

[@geo4844]

Thank you! Well stated! I am also a guitar junkie!

[@johndobson1957]

I have a friend who was always telling me that you need to get it right in camera. I would ask him, "Why? What does that mean?" I never got a satisfactory answer. Even now 10 years later I still don't know what "getting it right in camera" means. I think it limits creativity as you so eloquently say in the video. Thank you for this Alister.

[@Alister_Benn]

There you go, it’s amazing what answers we can get when we look at evidence ❤️ I’m really pleased the video makes sense and helps.

[@roddaniels1809]

Thanks for a superb lesson. I'll try to remember to think more about exposure in future.

[@grahamslight9359]

A great explanation of how and why we should pay attention to our exposures. Modern cameras are very “clever” but we must ensure that they don’t take over, we must be in control of how we expose our RAW files so that we achieve the results that we want.

[@Alister_Benn]

Absolutely agree, an artist should retain creative control ❤️

[@havardkvangarsnes9461]

I love your different approach to all they other landscape photography channels out there. Your channel is for sure one of the top 3 channels in terms of value to me personally.

[@Alister_Benn]

Great to hear that, always good to great positive feedback

[@SimonPhillipsPhoto]

Great video Alister! I wasn't sure what I would think while watching this but a lot of the time I was nodding and agreeing with what you where saying... I actually thought it was going to go down a different path of what a correct exposure is for a end product. I have noticed since joining a couple of photography clubs that I have liked quite a few of the photographers work but then they are told by the judge it is to dark or to bright when it is a wonderful photo that has a mood and focus to the creative story and self expression. I don't like clubs for this reason of everything having to look 'correctly exposed' anyway I got a bit off topic there haha. When it comes to me taking photos in the field I try and make sure I have plenty of file info while not going to far that I am clipping the blacks or the whites. I have just done this naturally over the years going by what my histogram says rather than what my screen shows me. I have been out with other photographers who mainly go by what the screen image looks like rather than using the histogram, most don't really know how to read it even some pros I know not you though haha. I hope you enjoy getting back out and creating some more images. With your book will it always be available or is there a limited time frame on it?

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks again man. Ignore camera club judges!! The book should be available for a while, subsidised shipping during presale.

[@tmeeten3195]

I so need to work my settings to better advantages. Thanks for the chat about proper exposure. I do need reminding about these things as there is so much to think about when lining up a shot especially if it is a fleeting moment in time you want to capture

[@nickshepherd8377]

Looking forward to next week with Adam! Useful reminder today about exposure. Many a time I have come back with beautiful low light images (on the screen) only to find they were vastly underexposed. I guess most of us have a tendency concentrate on composition to the sometimes detriment of exposure. Looking at bringing home a file to work with as opposed to one that looks good on screen is as you say the best approach for many of us. Now to put it into practice!

[@Sir_Grumpalot]

The best explanation I have seen of why "getting it right in camera" means something different when you are using a modern digital camera than it did with a film camera. Different technology and tools requires a different method of working. I took on board the idea of exposing to the right very quickly after changing from film to digital, probably because I worked in a technological world and was therefore more open to learning new ideas, but I still get it wrong sometimes and expose for what it looks like in camera. That just proves that I am the weakest link in producing good images, whatever good means, and that spending limited funds on new gear is often a waste of money and will not necessarily give you better results. Better to understand your kit and how it works, in this case the sensor, and then concentrate on composition/light/texture/mood etc.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for the great feedback Martin. I really appreciate that. It’s a hard lesson to learn that better gear usually won’t make the massive difference we hope. Of course specialised lenses etc can, but camera bodies lass so.

[@gailmager4147]

Great thoughts and tips for exposure

[@SubiTrekker]

The best essay on the difference between shooting with film versus digital that I have come upon. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Just as a side note: It seems I am not the only one commenting here that learned photography back in the film era and has struggled with digital.

[@esanford]

😆I now see a basis for your comment about my image in the forum. I assure you that it was a well exposed raw file... You are absolutely correct about exposure. Having shot film most of my life, I arrived at the same conclusion regarding raw files. In answer to your question, I believe that having a background in film photography "can prepare you" for being a good photographer in the digital medium. Getting it right in the camera required a sense of discipline in order to capture the information to make a print. Switching to digital with all of its exposure flexibility is like removing a heavy weight. Why? Because as you point out so well, it enables you to focus on being expressive rather than being correct. Thanks again for another enlightening video. I am really enjoying the forum, especially the other members... It is so much more refreshing than the "photographic social media community".....

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks again, we all evolved as the tools have. I’m glad the content resonates ❤️

[@stewartlogie]

Very good advice. I would add the importance of testing your own camera at the ISO levels that you use with over and under exposure, as different models handle highlights and shadows differently. In contrast to film "ISO" in the digital world "ISO" isn't that standard. You may find that above a certain ISO setting it might not make any difference whether you increase the ISO and expose in the middle or leave the ISO alone and underexpose - the aperture and speed alone determining noise.

[@andrewherbert9938]

Good advice Alister , I fall into the trap of exposing for the highlights but forget to check that the shadows aren’t clipping , will take more care in future😊

[@eileenconragan1064]

Fantastic content, Alister! Learning this early on in photography could have spared me much disappointment at the computer. I had to get a good grasp on understanding the histogram. Explaining the why we expose to the right is so helpful. Also I won’t sweat it so much using a high ISO knowing if I shift to the right I should be ok versus the left. I don’t know if others realize but the finished image on back of camera is a Jpg and the histogram is of the jpg NOT the raw. Just throwing that out there.

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, that’s true, always just a JPEG preview on the back of the camera. Thanks for the great feedback

[@davidsauer8072]

Great topic, very meaningful to me! Would appreciate more along this line!

[@tiptop9909]

Yes ETTR is the way to go, but start first with accurate white balance. Try to put the white balance to a extreme value for example 2500k and then look at your live view histogram and expose to the right, see what happens with the exposures when trying different kelvin values

[@Alister_Benn]

That’s certainly true in either very blue light or very warm light. That does have an impact on clipping

[@andrewsimpson5436]

Well put, now you just have to explain that digitally we have electronic devices to see the finished image to the "it's not complete until you print" brigade 🙂

[@martinoberstein8431]

Good advice, thank you very much, Alister. I`m one of those guys taking the display to serious. I improved a little bit as I often take nightscapes, for example of NLCs. On this occasions I learned that underexposed RAWs that look quite well on the back of the camera are very often real junk.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks again for the great feedback. At night it’s even more crucial to expose well.

[@davidmill7289]

So glad I watched this Alister. You explained this so well and capturing the maximum amount of data seems so obvious now, otherwise why bother shooting in Raw? Thank you.

[@Alister_Benn]

brilliant, happy to hear that

[@peterreber7671]

To get it right in camera for me is to get to a balance between taking a photo and processing afterwards. To get it right in a digital camera it must conform to the camera's characteristics. For me the editing in the pictures here was too heavy, too dark. I am more for happy, action pictures, that's why I shoot street photography where I try to capture the essence of life itself. This photography only lends itself to get it "sort of right" but with very little editing I end up with pictures i am happy about.

[@draughonc]

Always a good video

[@GillesQuennevilleGQ]

❤Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I agree so much with you. I am an old fashion 69 yo photograph having the same thinking.

[@Alister_Benn]

Excellent, happy to hear that.

[@craigmantle5362]

I used to make this mistake early on, especially with my woodland scenes. After a while realized my photos looked a lot cleaner when I would expose it as bright as possible and then darken the image to taste after.

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, for sure, it’s just one of those things to remember when we’re in the zone

[@NickPage]

Bang on Alister

[@Alister_Benn]

Awesome, cheers man. We have lots in common

[@BentRasmussen]

We should have an exposure aetting for always capturing an ETTR exposure regardless of the currently “chosen” exposure. Then, opening the file in LR it will have maximum IQ but not showing the technical exposure but rather the expressive exposure chosen in the field. I want to “lock in” the expressive intent in the field. Why should we have to compromise between technical IQ and artistic expression in the field - even if we completely change our expressive choices afterwards.

[@melissahall7009]

I’m confused about exposing to the right with sunsets. I expose all the way over until highlights aren’t clipping, but a lot of time it ends up with no shadows at all. I have a hard time processing & balancing them a lot of the time, and they end up looking awful.

[@Alister_Benn]

Shooting directly into sunset gives a scene of extreme dynamic range. The different exposure between the highlights and shadows is too large for a sensor to record in a single photo. The images you see shooting into the sunset with great foreground detail are taken by making many images with different exposure values to gather detail in all the tonal areas. These are advanced techniques and it takes a great degree of skill to make them.

[@magicalwishlist6616]

If we expose for the highlights, then necessarily we darken the shadows... Clipped highlights have no details. Its also a question of what in the composition matters to the photographer is it not?

[@magicalwishlist6616]

I have re-watched your video a few times and I found your commentary a bit confusing. The Scott's pine tree - you exposed for the highlights - the image has plenty of bright mid-tones hence the moody look is easy to achieve while maintaining the shadows. If there were deeper shadows, then you would have a different image and editing challenge. Your comment of over-exposing the shadows - conflicts with the desire to preserve the highlights, its a balancing act - I am finding that carefully watching the histogram and the 'real-time' display of a mirrorless camera makes this balancing act a lot easier.

[@tjmanou6422]

Amazing. but I have a question (maybe it's just me) but when I'm shooting a moody scene and overexposing to get the full range, as you say, then in post when I bring the exposure down it changes the colors to less natural and not too close to what I saw. however, when I expose close to the real mood in the camera the colors are very accurate. I use great gear so I know it's not a camera issue. any thoughts? thank you

[@chrisjames1924]

Pink or Pink Floyd? I think we know the answer. Definitely Pink.

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha!! Yeah, that’s my thing 😂

[@genegustafson715]

When I shot film (starting in ‘71) I never heard ANYONE say “get it right in camera”. Why does anyone HAVE to be told that? Has the digital industry led to stupidity? I know, I’m asking the obvious. My point is not to be rude, but when did getting it right in camera become different than when we shot film? Garbage in, garbage out is still true.

[@daviddyephotography]

I'm thankful for your thoughts on this subject which is not as easy to master, which I'm currently trying to accomplish . at the same time I'm trying to better understand the relationship to exposing to the right and use of exposure compensation and by what amount. It is like a pool of muddy water

[@Alister_Benn]

This is an excellent idea for a video ❤️ thanks for the inspiration