using the spot meter

I spend a lot of my free time lately reading photography blogs and websites. Last night I read about how to spot meter and I couldn't wait to try it out. Metering is the camera trying to gauge the amount of light in the scene so it can set the correct exposure. There are three types of metering on the Canon Rebel (Evaluative, Center, and Spot). The default meter is evaluative which takes in the entire frame and exposes for all of it. Center meters for a smaller sample, and Spot meters for the smallest and most precise sample. Normally if you take a picture of a subject in front of bright light the subject will appear dark. But if you use the spot meter and highlight a lighter sample of your subject you will end up with a clear shot of your subject and blow out the background.

Keep in mind this was my very first time trying this, these are not edited, and it was a pajama day around here:)

And I had to get a shot of him snuggling his blankets.

This is what would happen without using the spot meter.

So much better!

Again, no spot meter.

If I wasn't just playing I would have moved him to a different window to avoid the distracting lines in the background.

More playing with the meter.