I have been using my Canaon 30D with a Sigma 70-200 f2.8 and a 1.4 teleconverter to take pics of my sons marching band. I am using the evaluative setting for exposure and sutter priority. When I take the pics on a bright sunny day they are all underexposed by at least 1 to 1.5 stops. I have tried zooming in close to meter off their uniforms or props but get the same problem. I don't think it helps that their uniforms are white tops and black pants. I plan on using a 1 stop exposure compensation the next time they preform but was wondering if anyone had any other ideas of how to solve this problem. Should I be using spot metering?
Try this: use the same setup you mentioned and take some pictures of "normal" things (i.e.: not too bright or not too dark). Do it in the same light as before. If those pictures come out OK, your camera is functioning normally. I suspect the white uniforms are the problem. Spot metering will only make the problem worse unless you only meter off something neutral. You could either use exposure compensation or manual exposure to solve the problem.
Definitely try Scott's suggestion. I had the same problem photographing my sister's band (black jacket with white pants). I was always messing with the exposure compensation to make it come out right. I have Nikon cameras, so the names of my settings are different (maybe Roger could translate), but I found that setting the contrast setting to "less contrast" helped.
When I use the teleconverter I lose one stop so the max speed is 4.0. I think the camera is OK since other pics I take are coming out good. I too suspect the color of the uniforms. These are new uniforms this year. Should have talked with the person who ordered the uniforms so they would get something that was easier to photograph. Right, like that would have happened. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try them and get back as to how they worked. I think there is a setting to adjust the level of contrast for the pics. The next chance I have to take pics of them is in two weeks and I'm not sure if I can get onto the field since it is a state competition and they like you to have a press pass. (Make a note - official band photographer? Shouldn't that title deserve a press pass?). I have been faking it as being part of the pit crew who carries the equipment onto the field and that has worked so far. Not sure that will work the rest of the season.
you would want to meter off a skintone rather than a uniform. spot metering only exposes that particular group of tones at the sake of all others. you want the people to look good more than the uniforms.
That's exactly how I did it. If the pit crew stays on the field, stay with them and try keeping the camera in the bag until just before the band starts playing. Everyone will be too busy watching them to notice you taking pictures. That's how I did it the last two years and no one said anything to me about it, including at nationals.
Tim, thank you for your suggestion. Most of the time though tis hard to see their faces because of the hats they wear. Tis an interesting challenge. Wonder what would happen if I metered off their faces before they went on the field since it would be essentially the same light?
