These emails come with the intent of helping you be a better photographer. 

And if you want more photography stuff to read, there's a place on the interwebs where past emails I wrote are stored. You'll find 'em in the "Newsletter Hub." 

Remember, I'd like to know what you want to know about photography. So, If you have any questions, ask by sending an email to me at sam@samdamico.com.

Photography Lingo

 If we spend enough time hangin' around photographers, we've probably heard a lot of phrases that have to do with what we do as photographers. 

The problem with these phrases is they're open to interpretation. 

And the meaning is dependent on the photographer using it. 

This inconsistent use from photographer to photographer is confusing at best. 

So, let's develop a visual vocabulary specific to light, camera operation, and compositional intent instead of relying on inconsistent jargon.  

This week's jargon that we often encounter is:

Photography Lingo: Average Metering

Hello , 

We've probably got a device in our cameras that measures the intensity/brightness of the reflective light sources we photograph.

It's called a light meter, and it comes in different modes. 

These modes describe patterns or areas of influence of the meter.

One of the metering modes is known as  "average metering."

And depending on the manufacturer's lingo, it's called something different.

For example, Nikon calls it "Matrix" metering. Canon calls it "Evaluative" metering, and Olympus terms it "Digital ESP."

Whatever it's called, it does the same thing on every camera that has it.

It measures the light intensity from multiple frame areas and then averages the reading from each area. Then we or the camera set our exposure and ISO setting to give us a standard/average mid-exposure, which gives us a standard/average mid-tonality.

Although many cameras have a variety of metering modes to pick from, this is the metering mode that comes set outta the factory as the default metering mode.  

For what it's worth, without a lengthy, written explanation of why, it's not my preferred metering mode.

But this is what I can tell ya.

Let's say we're working in a fully automatic exposure mode. 

In that case, there's no way to work with other metering patterns that I think are WAAAYY better than a full-frame Average Metering pattern because they're more precise regarding the meter's influence area.

If we want to work with other patterns besides a full-frame Average Metering pattern, we've gotta work in the aperture and shutter priority modes or fully manual exposure mode.

The advantages of working in the aperture and shutter priority modes or fully manual exposure mode to access those other metering modes are worth it because they get us more involved in camera operation, composition, and light.

And the more involved we get in camera operation, composition, and light, the better photographers we become.  

The Getting To Know Your Camera class will get you working in aperture and shutter priority modes.

The Introduction To Photography class will get you working in manual exposure mode.

And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture today. 

That's all for now; thanks for reading!

Sam, 

I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me. 

And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? If that's the case, we can schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online private instruction that covers the same things as my group classes. 

Ways to work with me are listed below.  

I look forward to helping you be a better photographer.

Best Regards, 

Sam