If you can understand the concept of middle gray then you are going to find using your camera and photography in general a whole lot easier.
Middle gray is THE center piece of photography in terms of exposure for both color and black and white photography. John Strazza
If you think of a scene (that you might photograph) in terms of the lightest tone to the deepest tone, then middle gray would be in the middle of those two extremes. It is also known as zone 5 and 18% gray. It’s important to know that middle gray will vary from scene to scene. You may have extremes in highlight to shadow in one scene compared to another, so middle gray will be different for each scene. In the real world of light middle gray is not usually the exact middle tone between pure black and and pure white, rather it’s the middle tone of a particular scene under a particular light. Knowing how to meter for middle gray is super important for your exposures to be perfect for each varying scene you photograph. What is important to know is this – that your camera (your camera’s meter to be more precise) “sees” only middle gray.
Try pointing your camera meter at a white wall in bright sunlight. Meter only the white wall and nothing else and take the shot – you will most likely get a gray looking shot of a white wall. Why? Again, because your light meter will only provide you with middle gray setting based on what it sees. You can point your camera at your friends deep black snow coat, and meter only the coat, you will see the same thing happen, a middle grayish looking black snow coat. (BTW, this will not work if you have set your camera to override your meter by over or under-exposing all your shots. Set the camera to zero over/under exposure.)
Why this matters! This is so important because if you understand what your meter sees, then you can finally take creative control of your photographs, and at the very least not get gray photographs of white barns, or snowy scenes!
Your camera meter (or hand meter) wants to average all the light it sees in a scene and give you the most usable setting to get a “correct” exposure based on middle gray. Middle gray is THE premise of all the metering modes that your camera has; averaging the light and determining the correct setting so your picture will not be too light or dark. The idea … finding middle gray!
And Then Some?
The “And Then Some” section of the book, and this site, is about the newer technologies that digital has to offer. Histograms and Live histograms for example. If you add these technologies to the premise of middle gray you then a have a powerful set of tools from which to draw.
Can I learn this stuff??
You bet you can! My easy to read book titled Finding Middle Gray (and then some) teaches how you can get great exposures by using techniques that I have used for decades successfully and newer techniques that I am using in conjunction with the traditional techniques.
My methods are easy to understand and implement even if you are a beginning photographer. These techniques can be used for film users and digital users. Reading this book will get you started on the right track, even if you are already a photographer, but never learned this concept.
Why Listen to me?
Experience, 40 years of it. Simply look at my photographs and see for yourself that I know what I am doing. See if my exposure and tones look like something you would like to achieve. If you don’t agree, don’t listen … but if you do agree, then by all means listen.
If you would like to see my work goto: www.johnstrazza.com
© John Strazza – All content, imagery and photographs on this site are fully copyrighted to John Strazza and can not be used, reproduced or otherwise duplicated in any manner without permission.
