Exposure Bracketing
Bracketing
generally refers to purposefully taking multiple shots of the same scene
with slightly different exposures with the hopes that at least one of these
frames will be properly exposed.
While some claim that this is a work
around for sloppy technique, I disagree. For those photographers
just starting out, bracketing on slide film offers an excellent learning
opportunity when combined with careful note taking. Note taking should
include the following information:
When you get the slides back and compare
them to your notes, you can now see how your predictions turned out compared
to the actual result.
While bracketing uses up a lot of film
at a significant increase in film expense, I find that bracketing not only
ensures a correct exposure in tricky exposure situations (like sunsets),
but it also sometimes reveals a different mood in a scene that I might
not have anticipated.
However, you can bracket for more than
just exposure. Try bracketing for different filter effects (with or without
filter, different amounts of polarization, etc.) or with different fill flash
levels. When photographing
flowers on a breezy day, I'll sometimes even take extra shots at the same
exposure to increase the odds of having at least one shot with a sharp
subject.
To bracket or not to bracket is a personal choice.
I highly recommend it though when shooting in high contrast light or when you encounter
that especially good or rare
photographic opportunity. It's worth the additional film expense to get the
exposure right in such rare situations.
