[part of the Monday for Moms blog series – small tips and tricks that will make big changes in photos of your children]

In the past, I’ve had a problem taking photos on the beach (or anytime there was bright sunlight BEHIND my subject).  I’m sure you can picture it.  A kiddo jumping waves with the bright summer sky behind them.  Snap the shutter and the sky and waves look perfect, but you miss the perfect smile of joy on the child’s face because he is so dark in the image that he almost looks like a black blob.

In short, your camera can only expose for one light level at a time.  The following images are good examples and were taken within seconds of each other.  If it exposes for the bright sky in the background, your subject will turn out very dark.

If it exposes for your subject, then the bright sky in the background will be blown out (pretty much all bright and white).

In these instances, though, it is the child we are really worried about, so here’s how to fix the problem:

First, many cameras have four metering modes.  Metering is how your camera measures the light in the scene, and then adjusts the exposure accordingly (or allows you to adjust, if you are in full manual mode).

1. Evaluative – The light in the whole scene is evaluated.

2. Center-Weighted – The light in the whole scene is evaluated, but more emphasis is placed on the center portion.

3. Partial – Only the light in a circle in the center is evaluated (about 10% of the center).

4. Spot – The light in a small spot of the center of your scene is evaluated.

So, to expose for your child in the beach scene, choose “Spot Metering” and have the brightness of just your child measured.

I love to hear from you! Comment below.

– Nikki