spot metering

Modern cameras have extremely accurate built in light meters to make sure your exposure is also as accurate as is possible.

There are a few metering modes you can use.  As a landscape photographer I usually use average (or evaluative) metering. The camera will meter the light levels across the whole scene.

But, sometimes, I like to get artistic and use spot metering instead. Here, the camera looks at a tiny portion of your composition (you decide where by moving your focal point).  So, if you meter on a bright part of the image, any darker parts will be made even darker as the camera will choose or indicate a faster shutter speed thus letting in less light.

In this image of a white flower against a darker, blue background, the faster shutter speed resulting from focussing on the flower has rendered the image as one of stark contrast.

I probably haven’t explained this very well, so here’s the picture instead!

Fujifilm X-T3. Fujinon 55-200 f3.5-4.8

1/800^thof a second at f11, ISO 160

handheld