PI Module 3 - Greyscale Test Setup
Assignment 3 of the Diploma in Professional Photography course, from The Photography Institute, seems to get a lot of students feeling frustrated and it's got a reputation for being difficult.
I used to teach on that course, and I agree that it's a technically-based assignment. However, photography is a lot more technical than some new photographers care to admit.
But, I don't agree that it's an impossible assignment, and not even one that is as difficult as it may first appear. All of the answers in are in the module, they may just take a bit of reading.
I have offered many students some additional guidelines in terms of photographing the grey cards - and I thought I would share them below.
I guarantee that if you follow them to the letter you will be through that part of the assignment in no time.
It's not really anything you won't find in the module and it's not a "cheat sheet". But it may help some students clarify this aspect of the assignment.
First of all...the zone V position and whether it favours highlights or shadows question....
This is much easier than it seems. You just need to know if your zone V numbers are lower or higher than the exact middle of the zone ruler range (the module tells you what that number is).
If your zone is lower than the middle the sensor favours the shadows, meaning that it may under exposure average tones. If they are higher than the middle values, than it favours highlights, and the sensor may over exposure average tones - very practical information to have at your disposal.
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1. Before taking a shot, pin or tape the grey card to a wall and try to make sure that the light is soft, but not too dull (maybe a thin cloud cover if outside but inside in a room with daylight is probably best). It's best not to use a wall with bright colours that may reflect onto the card. A white or grey wall is best (also the same for the ceiling if you are inside).
2. Make sure that you set the camera to "spot" (or "partial") metering and ensure that you fill the frame of the camera with the grey card - look through the viewfinder and not the screen to do this as it gives more accuracy, and meter from the centre of the card. Keep the camera on a tripod if possible.
Turn off "auto ISO" and set it quite low to 100 or 200 ISO. If your numbers are too high at the darker end of the zone, this could actually be causing a lot of the over exposure problems.
Set a custom white balance - your camera manual will explain how to do it if you're not sure.
3. To set up the first exposure, set the camera to manual and then set the aperture to f8. Then, while looking through the viewfinder, move the shutter speed dial - probably DOWN - until the exposure meter (a scale in the viewfinder) is at zero (usually in the middle of the scale.)
4. This is your first "correct" exposure reading. Take a note of these settings (f8 for the aperture - and whatever shutter speed is showing when you half depress the shutter button). Take the first shot of the grey card at these settings.
5. Then turn the shutter speed dial (not the aperture dial) UP - slower speeds - by 3 clicks (one full stop) and take another shot of the grey card. Do this for 6 shots and then go to step 15.
6. Then reset the aperture and shutter speed to the numbers you wrote down.
7. Then click the shutter speed DOWN - faster speeds - for 3 clicks (one full stop) and take another shot of the grey card. Do this for 6 shots in total.
You should now be at step 18.
If zone 0 is still too high (above 0) go back to step 3 and set the aperture to f11 - or f16 and try again.
I used to teach on that course, and I agree that it's a technically-based assignment. However, photography is a lot more technical than some new photographers care to admit.
But, I don't agree that it's an impossible assignment, and not even one that is as difficult as it may first appear. All of the answers in are in the module, they may just take a bit of reading.
I have offered many students some additional guidelines in terms of photographing the grey cards - and I thought I would share them below.
I guarantee that if you follow them to the letter you will be through that part of the assignment in no time.
It's not really anything you won't find in the module and it's not a "cheat sheet". But it may help some students clarify this aspect of the assignment.
First of all...the zone V position and whether it favours highlights or shadows question....
This is much easier than it seems. You just need to know if your zone V numbers are lower or higher than the exact middle of the zone ruler range (the module tells you what that number is).
If your zone is lower than the middle the sensor favours the shadows, meaning that it may under exposure average tones. If they are higher than the middle values, than it favours highlights, and the sensor may over exposure average tones - very practical information to have at your disposal.
******************************************
1. Before taking a shot, pin or tape the grey card to a wall and try to make sure that the light is soft, but not too dull (maybe a thin cloud cover if outside but inside in a room with daylight is probably best). It's best not to use a wall with bright colours that may reflect onto the card. A white or grey wall is best (also the same for the ceiling if you are inside).
2. Make sure that you set the camera to "spot" (or "partial") metering and ensure that you fill the frame of the camera with the grey card - look through the viewfinder and not the screen to do this as it gives more accuracy, and meter from the centre of the card. Keep the camera on a tripod if possible.
Turn off "auto ISO" and set it quite low to 100 or 200 ISO. If your numbers are too high at the darker end of the zone, this could actually be causing a lot of the over exposure problems.
Set a custom white balance - your camera manual will explain how to do it if you're not sure.
3. To set up the first exposure, set the camera to manual and then set the aperture to f8. Then, while looking through the viewfinder, move the shutter speed dial - probably DOWN - until the exposure meter (a scale in the viewfinder) is at zero (usually in the middle of the scale.)
4. This is your first "correct" exposure reading. Take a note of these settings (f8 for the aperture - and whatever shutter speed is showing when you half depress the shutter button). Take the first shot of the grey card at these settings.
5. Then turn the shutter speed dial (not the aperture dial) UP - slower speeds - by 3 clicks (one full stop) and take another shot of the grey card. Do this for 6 shots and then go to step 15.
6. Then reset the aperture and shutter speed to the numbers you wrote down.
7. Then click the shutter speed DOWN - faster speeds - for 3 clicks (one full stop) and take another shot of the grey card. Do this for 6 shots in total.
You should now be at step 18.
If zone 0 is still too high (above 0) go back to step 3 and set the aperture to f11 - or f16 and try again.
Thank you so much for this information! I have been struggling with this assignment and have searched online for input. I looked in Flickr and people commented how hard it was to get through this exercise but no one really put up any helpful information. I appreciate your additional information-it confirms what I have been doing right and wrong.Thank you:)!!
ReplyDeleteHi and thank you for your kind comment. Please bear in mind that it is some time since I wrote that post as I stopped tutoring for PI over 2 years ago. You may want to check that the assignment has not been updated since then, or at least be sure, in your own mind, I am addressing the current question. If so, I hope you have success with your assignment, and please free free to share this page - and the blog. There are some free gifts on the home page! :)
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