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Exposure and Metering Flashcards

7 cards from real Photography practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Exposure and Metering flashcards as text

  1. Which metering mode measures light from the entire frame and calculates an average exposure?

    Answer: Evaluative/matrix metering

    Evaluative (Canon) or matrix (Nikon) metering analyzes the entire frame and uses algorithms to calculate a balanced exposure.

  2. When shooting a subject against a bright window (backlit), which exposure adjustment typically produces the best result?

    Answer: Apply positive exposure compensation

    Positive exposure compensation brightens the subject by overriding the camera's tendency to underexpose when the background is much brighter than the subject.

  3. What does the term 'ETTR' (Expose To The Right) mean in digital photography?

    Answer: Intentionally slightly overexpose to maximize shadow detail and reduce noise

    ETTR means exposing so the histogram is pushed toward the right (bright) end without clipping highlights, capturing maximum data and reducing noise in shadows.

  4. A photographer uses spot metering on a gray card placed near their subject. What is the purpose of this technique?

    Answer: To ensure the camera exposes for a true 18% gray reference, giving accurate exposure

    A gray card reflects exactly 18% of light, which is the neutral tone cameras are calibrated to expose correctly, giving a reliable exposure baseline.

  5. In bright sunlight, the Sunny 16 rule states that the correct exposure at f/16 is approximately:

    Answer: Shutter speed = 1/ISO, ISO 100 → 1/100s

    The Sunny 16 rule: set f/16 and shutter speed to the reciprocal of the ISO (e.g., ISO 100 → 1/100s) for a correct daylight exposure.

  6. What effect does halving the ISO have on exposure if all other settings remain the same?

    Answer: The image becomes one stop darker

    Halving the ISO reduces the sensor's sensitivity by one stop, producing a one-stop darker exposure without changing aperture or shutter speed.

  7. A photographer exposes for the sky in a landscape, causing the foreground to appear very dark. Which tool is MOST commonly used in-camera to balance this exposure?

    Answer: Graduated neutral density (GND) filter

    A graduated ND filter darkens the bright sky while leaving the foreground exposure unchanged, reducing the dynamic range challenge in the scene.