Metering, Exposure Compensation & RAW vs JPG Explained
Metering refers to how your camera evaluates light across a scene to calculate exposure. The best baseline setting for candid portraits is Center-Weighted Averaging, which measures overall light while prioritizing the subject in the middle of your frame.
Exposure Compensation
When subjects appear too dark (underexposed) due to bright backlighting or too light (overexposed) on bright days, use your camera's dedicated Exposure Compensation dial (+/-):
- Plus Exposure Compensation (+): Brightens subjects when shooting against backlighting, sky, or bright beach sand.
- Minus Exposure Compensation (-): Darkens the exposure when subjects are caught in bright spotlights against dark backgrounds.
RAW vs. JPG File Formats
Modern digital cameras allow you to capture images in RAW, JPG, or both simultaneously:
- JPG: Processed directly inside the camera. Files are small, sharp, and ready to share, post, or print instantly without editing software.
- RAW: An uncompressed digital negative storing raw sensor data. RAW files require computer processing but allow you to rescue underexposed shots and adjust color temperature effortlessly later.
Recommendation for Parents: Shoot JPGs when starting out. You get immediate, hassle-free images to share with family. As your technical confidence grows, switching to RAW gives you maximum editing latitude for high-contrast outdoor lighting.