Example

There are seven exposures, below, of lichen growing on a tree.

Go to the photographs.

The seven exposures are:

0.0   +0.3   +0.6   +1.0   +1.3   +1.6   +2.0

At 0.0, the JPEG file looks good.

However, there's "unused space" on the right side of the histogram for that exposure.

You can fill this space with data by using exposure compensation to overexpose the scene.

The additional data can be used when you process the raw file.

This is especially evident if there's important detail in the shadows.

For an explanation of why the additional data is beneficial, go to Raw v. JPEG > 4 - Editing Advantage.

Caution

When photographing, you're basing your expose-to-the-right exposure decisions on JPEG histograms.

Be somewhat conservative as you expose to the right.

You don't want to shift the exposure so far to the right that you get clipping.

One or Two Exposures

Up to now, you may have been saving both JPEG and raw files—at the same time.

However, if you now optimize the exposure for the raw file, the JPEG file will be overexposed.

If you need a well-exposed JPEG file, do one of the following.

• If the scene isn't changing, take the photograph twice.

For the first photograph, set your camera to save files as JPEG files, at the best exposure setting for a JPEG file.

For the second photograph, set your camera to save files as raw files, at the best exposure setting for a raw file.

• Save the processed raw file as a JPEG file.

More Information

Raw Capture, Linear Gamma, and Exposure (PDF) Adobe

Lichen on Tree

Back to the text.

0.0 Blue Clipping	+0.3 Blue Clipping	+0.6 Blue Clipping
+1.0	+1.3	+1.6

+2.0  Yellow Clipping