Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

When using an incident meter, which part of the subject should you also measure aside from the highlights?

1. Background

2. Midtones

3. Shadows

4. Details

The correct answer is: Shadows

When using an incident meter, measuring shadows is essential because it provides a comprehensive understanding of the light distribution across your subject. An incident meter measures the light falling on the subject rather than the light reflected from it, which allows for an accurate exposure setting based on the luminous environment. By focusing on highlights and shadows, you can ensure that the full dynamic range of the image is being considered. Highlights help determine the maximum exposure, while shadows reveal the darker areas of your scene that might be underexposed if not properly accounted for. This dual measurement approach aids in creating balanced exposures that retain detail in both the bright and dark areas of the image, avoiding loss of information. Other options such as the background, midtones, and details, while they may provide some insight, do not directly contribute to the balance necessary for correct exposure when measured in conjunction with the highlights and shadows. Focusing on shadows specifically is key to ensuring that all tonal ranges are captured effectively.