Photo How To

Modern digital cameras feature very sophisticated light metering systems, but the exact purpose of various modes can be difficult to decipher. All that advanced technology can be for naught unless you understand which setting to use when.

The following tutorial from the Photography Explained YouTube channel uses a somewhat different approach to demystify this essential topic. Our unnamed British instructor explains the dilemma like this: "I used to wonder why my "perfectly" metered shots looked terrible while other photographers got consistently great exposures."

It turns out that he was letting his camera make decisions it shouldn't be making. Aa you'll see, one of the biggest mistakes made by many photographers is to never change their metering mode to match the specific situation at hand. In other words, Matrix, Spot, and Center-Weighted aren't just fancy names, they're the difference between unimpressive photos and compelling images that make people stop scrolling.

According to our instructor, there's a secret about camera metering that nobody talks about: "Your camera is guessing and it's often wrong!" This means that you must not only choose the appropriate metering option, but sometimes it's necessary to intervene with some thoughtful input of your own.

The good news is that once you understand which metering mode to use when, confidence will grow and poorly exposed photographs will be a thing of the past. So go grab your camera, click the Play" button, and follow along as all the practical stuff is explained.

Once you're done watching head over to the Photography Explained YouTube channel where you'll find an assortment of how-to videos and FREE downloadable cheat sheets.

And don't miss our earlier tutorial featuring another British expert who demonstrates how to master panoramic photography, with gear recommendation,s shooting techniques, and post-processing tips.