1/100 sec at f/11, ISO 200.
Nikon D200, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens, Circular Polarizer.

One of my favorite activities on Sunday afternoons is to go walking back in the less-traveled parts of the spacious ALERT campus. I have a few “special spots” that offer tranquility, peace, and seclusion. Ever since the summer of 2005, I’ve enjoyed going to these spots for prayer and Bible study.

I usually take my camera and photograph while I’m out hiking. Yesterday, I opted to also bring along my Sekonic L-508 light meter and practice some of the metering techniques I am learning in Jim Zuckerman’s excellent book “Perfect Exposure.”

For this shot, I used the reflective, 1 degree spot meter to meter off of the darker clouds at the top. I then subtracted the 1 stop of light blocking that the circular polarizer adds, and set my camera manually. In metering, I went for Tv-priority, since I wanted a crisp sharp image.

Most people don’t have handheld light meters, but you could still accomplish roughly the same effect using the in-camera meter. On the D200, you would set the metering mode to “Spot”, set the camera on ISO 200, and Shutter priority mode. By aligning the middle “focus point” in the viewfinder with a middle-toned cloud you would get the right settings. Press and hold AE-L (to the right of the viewfinder), and then recompose, focus and take the photo.