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How to Do Spotlight Photography

A professional photographer has photographed enough events and assignments that he will have pretty good idea how to handle most situations. Tricky light conditions like those created by spotlights requires a photographer to be able to understand how the spotlights will affect his camera's meter and how to compensate for them. Spotlights are generally used in concerts and some sporting events. They are usually used in conjunction with other stage lighting. The photographer needs to be able to adjust his exposure quickly.

Instructions

- 1
  Turn your digital camera on and set the exposure mode to manual. You need to control the exposure of the camera, rather than letting the camera adjust to the lighting conditions.
- 2
  Before the event begins, set a baseline exposure by metering the scene with the existing light. Set the ISO, shutter speed and aperture and take a test picture. Remembering that if it is concert or sports setting you will need a fast enough shutter speed to capture the action and not have any motion blur.
- 3
  As soon as the event begins and the spotlights are turned on, take a meter reading and set your exposure so you are over exposing the scene by one full stop. Spotlights create very bright white light that will cause the camera to underexpose the scene. Over exposing by one full stop will give you a good exposure and should still provide detail of other lighting during the event. Check and recheck your exposure whenever the lighting changes. Make changes to your exposure as needed throughout the event.

Photography