The Exposure Myth in Photography.

This week I'm talking about exposure. Under-exposure, over-exposure and whether or not these things really exist. I'm also showing some photos I took a couple of weeks back on a trip to Portugal.
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[@CianMcsweeney]

A lot of people tend to forget that photography is art, not some challenge to create the perfect "HDR" image. Blown highlights, crushed shadows etc. are all just tools to tell the story you want to tell

[@igordmitriv8964]

First you study to place maximum in your camera DD and then cut . So James is here

[@zf1_boi46]

This is something I'm just starting to learn and struggle with a lot.

[@alfseet]

There are people who treat photography as a skill rather than art, they fixate on elements of a photo rather than the intent, message or story.

[@Grumpygrumpo]

​@@alfseetironically those people take the most boring photos lol

[@Peter_Reed_Photography]

@@Grumpygrumpo @alfseet and your comment, describes some of the youtube photographers I watch, particularly in the landscape photography realm. Too many focussed on (pun intended) front to back sharpness through focus stacking or similar and forget their creating art.

[@JamesParkerPhotography]

"Limit distractions and raise impact of our subject." Best take away from any video I've watched in ages. Thanks James.

[@original12310]

Nonetheless, this point of view could tend to produce monolithic pictures. Not that it’s bad. I like the pictures in this video. But I also liked the version of the tramway one with more details in the shadows. I like to « travel » in a photo. It makes me look at it longer. The « monolithic » one is also very pleasing, but it’s a different experience.

[@mewshkin]

This is extraordinarily validating. I'm only a baby photographer, but I've taken to heart the idea that if a photo looks like I want it to, it's 'properly exposed'.

[@jackbarron8880]

EXACTLY

[@RockWILK]

I think this video will set a lot of people free who are always thinking to themselves, "I need to protect my highlights, and I need to protect my shadows", and completely forget that there's a story that needs to be told, and sometimes highlights or shadows need to go away. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@jockturner1547]

There’s a lot of photography and videography ideas that are pushed by inexperienced photographers/videographers that are overall harmful to the art form. One is ISO, so many people are scared to punch that iso up and as result either take, motion blurred photos, terribly under exposed photos or no photo. All of which are worse than a grainy photo. If the story or the subject is interesting and good enough, people won’t care there’s a bit of grain in it. Punch that ISO up! Especially now with all the advanced denoising tools it’s ok!

[@QuicknStraight]

Not really. You still need to know how to control exposure to be able to make that artistic choice. Just mistakenly overexposing a photo and saying it was an artistic choice is trying to mask a technical deficiency.

[@JamesV1]

@@QuicknStraight Except mistakes can still be artistic, and there’s no way to know it’s a mistake.

[@QuicknStraight]

@@JamesV1 The photographer ought to know....

[@RockWILK]

@@QuicknStraight nobody’s talking about making any mistakes. I’m talking about people over focused on making sure the entire frame is exposed as well as possible, and forgetting that there’s an actual subject that they need to put more focus on. Making sure everything is properly exposed is sometimes more an exercise than art.

[@tuhtty]

You can find some really interested things by overexposing. I work as an editor for a sports photography agency and one of our photographers was shooting fencing at the Olympics. He intentionally over exposed the pictures so much that you could see the faces behind their mesh face guards and the rest of picture sat in this dreamy white space! Super creative!

[@joonamato]

I'm interested in seeing these photos. Can you guide me to the right place?

[@thebush6077]

​@@joonamato Same

[@fayed.untitled]

I would love to see this photo! Can you please share the photographer's name? TIA

[@RogerRennie]

Witch photographer?

[@ThyWorshipMetal]

I actually think your tendency to have images edited higher key is a breath of fresh air James!

[@PETERFRITZPHOTO]

I’ve been shooting for 40 years - much of it commercially. This was profound. Thanks, James.

[@Retset]

This is a highly inspirational video. I've always liked your 'crushed' shadows but been left confused by your 'blown' highlights. Right up to the second when you showed the 'properly' developed image of the man by the bridge and I felt an unexpected sadness that the impact had gone. I have taken images I thought would work well but never been able to bring out what I felt, once in Lightroom - now I have an invaluable tool in my arsenal. It also explains why I'd always be knocking 1.0 off the exposure of your presets - what an uneducated heathen - till now!

[@samkirwan3902]

Excellent video - it's making me revisit my Lightroom gallery to see if I can make any 'boring' photos more interesting by making the highlights and shadows work harder. Nice one James!

[@glainagopf]

I've never understood people who comment negatively on artists' artistic choices. One image can be presented in many different ways depending on what the artist is trying to show/say. There is no right or wrong.

[@jremi]

Totally agree! We all can learn from what we see and improve/develop our own artistic choices. We may want to do things differently but what is the point of questioning someone else's choices? James is absolutely right. Some people want to follow arbitrary rules. Artists usually want to break them...

[@Picplosions]

Well put 👍

[@whafrog]

There is no right or wrong, but you can still have an opinion, your own taste. Nothing wrong with saying "I don't like it, I don't like the 'washed out' feeling." People could be a little more careful about how they express it, but likewise, photographers could be a little less butt hurt when people don't like what they do.

[@shaananwalsh7513]

There are people called “trolls” who live for saying negative things. If you going to be a big KZbinr you need to ignore these losers and not let it bother you.

[@trektaco]

Art is subjective! To each of their own! :)

[@oliverstuart]

Absolutely right. A million years ago I studied fine art photography in the UK full time for a couple of years. They taught us how to use cameras, lights, darkrooms etc, but really told you almost the bare minimum to get you going and start shooting. By the second year they had stopped the tech teaching all together, but we were getting a full day every week of art history. Movies, photography, painting, architecture everything. I had a great couple of years and it's been my job ever since... more or less.

[@richardturner81]

I love how your photography has evolved over the years yet still remained really good. A sign of someone who knows what they're doing for sure!

[@SJMPhotography]

This is a fantastic video! Something I've been noticing for a while is the classic 'open up the shadows, pull down the highlights, increase the whites, lower the blacks' style of HDR imagery conflicts with what I'm increasingly finding more appealing - your work and the work of others such as Roman Fox. Definitely going to implement this in my street photography over the winter.

[@zerofoxphotography]

Always enjoy your videos, but I feel like this one one of your absolute best. Normally I love the vids where you wonder and ramble around some beautiful spot in Wales, but this one video helped me to understand your art so much more. I feel like you were able to get thoughts from brain to mouth so clearly! Awesome work!

[@AlexGTech]

Just caught myself saying outloud "I like this channel, have watched so many of these videos before. Thanks KZbin for reminding me" ❤thanks for the discount too!

[@bas2362]

This video is such an eye-opener for me. Previously, I was always trying to balance all the detail in shadows and highlights with the subject which made my images feel over-processed. Now looking back at a few of my own photos I can see what needs to be changed to make them feel more genuine.

[@robertwright8306]

Personally, I love your style. I think it’s pretty obvious why you edit the way you do. And I believe you did a great job of explaining it here. Thank you for the great content!

[@adriandragos8288]

The first photo is really inspiring, and is actually freeing from all the rule's more experienced photographers try to impose. I recently started photography and i love your videos.

[@jenniferroth7824]

There are times when you hear some advice and know instantly that your life is never going to be the same. This video was one of those. Thank you for the affirmation, permission, and art.

[@NGP633]

Thank you, James!!! The "overexposing" is something I've been doing a lot in my editing, and comments like these have been coming at me a bunch. Thanks for your work!

[@stacyegan5719]

Very helpful video about the art of photography. Long ago when I was first learning my new dSLR camera I accidentally overexposed a series of a barn owl eating a mouse (I was shooting JPEG only) and I felt mortified about my mistake until I began to actually enjoy the effect it created. I since forgot that lesson and I appreciate you reminding me!

[@mikeg8335]

I like this video. All that matters is whether you are satisfied with the result. As a photography pro and lecturer over 25 years ago we simply called these effects high key and low key. They can be achieved in darkroom or Lightroom. As you say, ensuring the original exposure (whether with film or sensor) gathers all tones you may need is a technical feat that has always been worth mastering.

[@kurtisca]

Love your 'brighter' images (It really focuses the eye on the composition and the subject). Don't change a thing you do, you're brilliant!

This is actually why I fell in love with your work at first sight. And what is now pushing me to stop protecting all my shadows and highlights, sometimes resulting in a photo looking more like a soup of bad colors and finishing in the trash. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@ronnymfd]

Another great video James. Often, I find people commenting things like "Looks edited" or something along those lines under a lot of great artistic photographs and that is such a limiting way to look at photography. A photograph is not a document (maybe it is a in a literal sense but not artistically). The photographer holds no obligation to show you what they saw. Tuning the images to have the viewer feel a certain way is the goal and the photographer chooses these techniques to create that feel.

[@jsward96]

I've always found it interesting that some people think there's some "purity" around not editing one's photos. I have to wonder if they've ever worked in a darkroom.

[@mgman6000]

Both of you make good points the purists say they have ooc unedited photos then show you a jpeg that was edited in the camera 😅

[@ChrisDN]

As a new photographer, another thing I've picked up on that seems to push people toward there being a 'CORRECT' exposure, is the meter on the camera. Don't get me wrong, I love using it. But getting it to sit in the middle is not a goal imo. I far prefer to under-expose and by differing almounts. Almost always. It allows me to get my colors looking more subtle, pastel, muted, whatever word you prefer. More saturation/vibrance can then be applied to the elements I want. It's far more work to do it the other way around. As for the histogram, I don't use it. I don't care and never will; I have eyes.

[@QuicknStraight]

The point is that you need to understand how exposure works to be able to deliberately manipulate it to create a specific look.

[@Fifsson_]

I honestly hate that histograms exist. Like you really don't need them for anything. I can see when my lights are blown out, no need to tell me what I already know. And "clipped shadows" don't really exist in RAW.

[@heyolly]

This was really good James, thank you. Great to see the thought process as well as the master at work!

[@joshh6395]

I love this I’m teaching photography next year and really want to emphasis the tool for art concept. This is such a good example of the level of subjectivity, and also having an appreciation of what the photographer is communicating! I actually love a lot of your work, I think that your unique use of bright highlights deliberately is actually very clever. Sometime I think a lot of photographers get way too technical!

[@nicolasguillenc]

Btw the way you edit your skies, has always been one of those things that attract me to some of your photos a lot. I hadn’t seen anyone do that before I found your channel, and once I could put my finger on it, I started trying to do the same thing. I really like your photos and edits…

[@chrisjonesfilm]

The first :40 of this video is nearly pure sarcasm and I love, well done man. Everyone thinks they're a photo critic or a creative, now that their little phones have cameras

[@fredriksvard2603]

And most advice and critique online leads to bland photos if followed religiously. Protected highlights yes but also rule of thirds, leading lines, sharpness sharpness sharpness and so on. So you took a correctly exposed, sharp photo of your frontlit cat, big whoop.

[@ianjefferson694]

Loved this. I've been using your pre-sets with my own tweaks and feel that I can highlight my subjects as you describe. Thanks as always, great channel.

[@MicaelWidell]

Keep it up James. You are one of very few photography youtube channels I actually enjoy watching, because you have talent, you talk about the art aspects, and you do it really well. An inspiration for what I want my own channel to feel like!

[@jaughnekow]

The rules are annoying. Just shoot what you like and edit to your liking.

[@nicolasguillenc]

Artisans vs Artists. Artisans obsess over method to replicate a product while an artist creates something different. Everyone can be an artisan, everyone starts as an artisan, but not everyone will become an artist. Specially those that are scared of criticism from other artisans.

[@JC-qd1xg]

I would really appreciate more videos like these that just talk about edeting and the thoughts behind it. Thank you for this great video!

[@TsvetanVR]

Hey James, I just stumbled onto your channel a couple of hours ago and have been going through your videos all this time. I must say that I love your content! I'd probably get bored in a couple of weeks like with everything else and not touch it for months before going back to it, but I'm enjoying it right now and appreciating all the lessons and the large chunk of soul within. It's a breath of fresh air in-between lens reviews and whatnot. This video could not have come at a better moment for me nor been delivered in a better way! It's been several months since I picked photography back up after a decade-long break since my late teens and I've been really enjoying it. But I've been struggling with the fact that (seemingly more experienced) people keep saying stuff like "This photo is bad because there's a loss of detail in shadows/highlights", "this wall/tree is blocking a portion of the image" or whatever. But that's exactly how I want to portray what I'm seeing through the lens. I could easily edit it for "perfect exposure" but that's not my goal at all. At least not always. Thank you for delivering a different perspective and for the reassurance that I may not be doing things completely wrong after all nor walking a wrong path! Cheers!

[@Qwillo749]

I loved this video. Sooo much great information and insight into your thought process. Love it!!

[@johndurham5629]

Thank you, James. This video was, indeed, interesting and helpful. I have been drawn to your images because you make sure the subject is always emphasized, but I thought you made them that way primarily by over exposing - now I get it! Limit distractions in post - brilliant! And, I just love the way you present your videos. Please keep delivery this level of quality!

[@RobertFGardner]

This is my favorite video of yours. Thank you so much for sharing! Something to definitely think about when making images!

[@andrewmckinney3053]

I concur with you fully, James. Thanks for your candidness!

[@danielapeterson]

Truly enjoy your perspectives and willingness to share your views. Thanks for this!

[@nelliel8251]

This is a phenomenal video about photography! I've never heard of an explanation on the art of photography given with so many important pieces of information. Every sentence in this video was worthwhile.

[@streetphotographyguy]

Fabulously insightful as always, James!

[@judilecompte9377]

James, loved this… one of your absolute best videos!

[@TomCalton]

So much truth here. I see this kind of critisim all the time on Facebook groups. This video was actually recommended to me by a friend and I have to say, I absolutely love your work and edits. So clean and beautiful compositions. Great work James.

[@joncothranphotography9375]

Agreed! The science vs the art is truly a balancing act. Your images and your interpretation of them is perfect and all up to you.

[@jjfecik]

Wow!! I love how well you address the situation & make your point all without shaming the people who simply feel the need the be negative for no reason. You are a saint my friend!!

[@cristovaosilva2992]

Amazing James. Very inspiring stuff! Perfectly explained. Thank you.

[@r.c8756]

Wow, this is super helpful. It’s been a while since I haven’t heard something on a photography channel that was actually helpful. I mean, in a way this is just another way of phrasing stuff that many books make pretty obvious (highlighting your subject) but actually seeing you edit your photos live and getting the explanations of how choices are made are actually great inspiration for newbies like me to experiment. I had already used darkness to hide stuff I didn’t want to stand out for example but I never thought as doing the same by increasing brightness. Thanks and count me in your subscribers from now on.

[@Sky-rq1jk]

James, Thank you for this video. I have been a big fan of how you edit photos and always wondered what post processing steps you take to achieve your signature look. You are so right on highlighting the subject by removing the distractions even if you have to blow out the shadows or highlights. Again thank you for your in-site of the science/art of photography.

[@billingalls1940]

Bravo, James. Your videos are always the "highlights" of our KZbin week.

[@conandermidhun1]

This made so much sense to me. Thank you, James for sharing.

[@mockit_rockit]

Love this one James. Thanks man! I learn so much from you, Ted, and Roman!

[@willypaul70]

Great job James, right on point regarding the art of photography and the tools and techniques we have available to go beyond a “snapshot” and create art out of a scene.

[@darkhillduck7389]

love love LOVE when you explain the art of photography and break down your photos

[@davidhuth5659]

Thanks for this explanation! I have always enjoyed your images with the "blown out highlights". Many artists paint in a similar manner and we call them "high key paintings". Keep up the great work!

[@varonosnet]

A great video that brings up so many small but important details on how to approach photography. Thanks James, keep it up

[@lordgodalming]

I loved this video. I'm relatively new to your channel, and I think your photos have amazing mood and artistic focus. There's no confusing a James Popsys photo for someone else's. It's wild that people assume you've made a mistake with your exposure rather than making artistic choices. Keep up the great work!

[@chesterjohnson4504]

A refreshing and eye opening video. I have no background in the arts. Just the school of hard knocks and "expert" KZbin videos. I have it seems always tried to get the image right in the camera when taking a photo, no matter how rushed I needed to be. Always looking for the "correct" exposure. Enhance the clouds, no blown highlights or dark shadows when processing. You have me rethinking my photography, once again!

[@HH60gPaveHawk]

This is the best photography video I’ve watched in a long time. Thanks so much for sharing. I look forward to checking out more of your content!

[@Mikibuzo]

We photographers work with light and have the right to use our tools in the best way our art requires. That's all. Thanks James.

[@ShutterKnack]

Excellent video, James! This is truly eye opening.

[@iankellam6440]

I have watched more of your videos than I really should have but this is the first where my cuppa stayed on the table and I just watched, listened and learnt. Excellent point well made. Fantastic Vlog as always James.

[@marcusmezzano]

Dude you’re changing how I think as a cinematographer in such a great way. Thank you 🔥

[@kevinschole8701]

One of your best contributions ever. Thanks!

[@paulasimson4939]

Brilliant explanation James. It's about the art, the mood, the feeling we want to convey.

[@ves14]

I, for one, absolutely love, love, love your style. It actually inspires me.

[@rlwilhelm1]

Love your delivery and teaching style. Very simple and clear. Thanks for this.

[@orilio3311]

This video is really noteworthy for new photographers! I don't think I've heard anyone talking about hiding detail "so bluntly" as you do in these edits. The tram and stairs photos with those blacks had me shocked with the creative effect of the editing. Love the video man, keep it up 😊

[@chrisstewart6208]

Excellent. I love your honesty and humility

[@billkipper3264]

An excellent explanation into the editing of your photos. I do enjoy your work for its differences from others but I've always felt that you did tend to over expose. Now, with this fresh understanding of why you edit as you do it's given me a new appreciation for your photography. I may even have to try it myself.

[@badactress]

Probably the most inspiring photography video I've seen in ages. Thanks for the insight & inspiration James :)

[@Mike-VR]

Brilliant James! Thank you.

[@dalerobinson8456]

Well said James, keep up the great work.

[@oleglozovoy]

One of the best editing tutorials I’ve ever seen on YT. Thanks a lot!

[@shirishpandey3503]

A very focused approach, thanks for the clarity

[@demgem2430]

this is probably the best ad for photo editing software i’ve seen

[@lyndapassey2752]

Brilliant video. I learned so much from this. Thank you James.

[@user-fh7df6gq4f]

Dude! Great tips and thoughts! And BTW, the stair photo blew me away.... such an epic edit!

[@RetroPlus]

You illustrated your point so well, i love the idea of using exposure this way

[@FerencBirosam]

One of your best videos yet ❤

[@paulanderson24]

One of your best videos in a long time. Really useful stuff.

[@johncastle95]

As a person who always was into protecting highlights and all sorts of things, this video is perfection! I’ve never found a way to protect the story. Now I can explain it better. Thanks James. Absolutely bang on video and topic.

[@ddki9094]

I may be looking at my RAW photos again after watching this. It is great content and just another reason why i subscribe to this channel. Thank you!

[@Nico-bc4ir]

James, of the 5-6 photographers I still have subscribed to, you have become the only one I occasionally watch. Really interesting content and you have a natural way to talk and to blend coaching with humor. Thank you!

[@JamesKerwin]

Who are the others out of curosity?

[@Nico-bc4ir]

Nigel Danson, Mads Peter Iverson, Simon Baxter, Thomas Heaton. Who are yours?

[@alvakrus]

Love this video and your images. Thank you!

[@martinsoboliferum9365]

I recently revisited super-black shadows in my pictures and it looks great, like a bit underexposed Velvia back in the 90s. We don't need details everywhere. Thanks so much James for this clarification.

[@polskat6226]

First video I have watched of yours James and can safely say it won’t be the last. Absolutely fantastic, from the production, to the information provided and your character tops it all off. I can already tell this is going to be one of my favourite channels after just returning to photography after life made me take a 4 year hiatus. Well done and thank you 🙂

[@californiahiker9616]

Same here, my first video of this channel, and I subscribed. James is putting into words some things I’ve been doing but couldn’t really say why, it just felt right.

[@polskat6226]

@@californiahiker9616 completely agree, it’s feels different then a lot of other photography content

[@yiorc]

Thank you for making this video!! This definitely gives me a new perspective on how to edit bright sunny day photos, which is something I struggled with a little bit. Because of cloudy days or moody shots or shots with lots of shadows, I do something similar to what you are doing, enhance the shadows basically make the subject pop. It never occurred to me that I could go the other way for the sunny days!! So, again, thank you for this video!!

[@geraldundone]

Love this video! 🤓💜👍 Great shots. I enjoy a bright sky. People who complain about highlights on other people's photos are deranged. Keep crushing it, dude.

[@Toschi23]

Absolutely love these kind of videos!!

[@CONGKAMAEL]

The photos at the beginning are truly extraordinary and handled perfectly. Thank you for sharing.

[@callya5ify]

Thank you, this is a very important video for all photographers and puts the need for the latest and greatest tech into perspective.

[@philippr8600]

Great explanation - I always like to follow the thought process behind pictures that catch our interest. Thanks for your work!

[@martinlemke4440]

Very cool approach! I absolutely agree... I'll try this method in post in the next times. Thank you!

[@yccmo]

Love what you're saying about the art of photography vs. the science of it! Thanks so much for this video!

[@DizzyWombat]

A great video which encapsulates what I always tried to convey to people when I worked in photography sales and teaching.

[@gregscott2330]

Hi James, for the record I have enjoyed your compositions and your style of editing. Now that you have explained what you are trying to convey more people will appreciate your photographs. I look forward to your videos. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Thanks for sharing.

[@lucian5194]

One of the best videos on you channel , this one.

[@faithfitnessandfatherhood]

I love this video. Photography is completely open to interpretation as in any art form. There are so many comments, or people in general who feel like it should all reflect the same style…which completely takes artistic interpretation out of it!