Hello Reader!

I am sitting here typing this newsletter as Ohio gets hit with one of the biggest snowfalls we have seen in quite a while. My county actually went to a Level 3 snow emergency, meaning no travel unless it is truly necessary, something that has not happened since around 2008.

So what better time to write this week’s newsletter than while snowbound and watching the snow fall outside? Let’s get started.

Exposure Control for Landscape Photographers

I mentioned in a previous newsletter that I had been experimenting with highlight weighted metering on Nikon cameras, and I released a video last week diving deeper into that setting. While highlight weighted metering is an interesting tool and very useful in certain situations, I still prefer shooting in matrix metering combined with manual exposure and the histogram.

With metering and exposure top of mind lately, I thought it would be helpful to do a quick histogram refresher and share why it became such a transformative tool for my own landscape photography once I learned how to use it properly.

What the Histogram Tells You

The histogram is a graph that shows the distribution of tones in your image.

• The left side represents shadows
• The right side represents highlights
• The middle represents midtones

Instead of relying only on how bright or dark an image looks on the back of your camera, the histogram gives you a more objective view of how brightness values are actually distributed in the photo.

This becomes especially helpful in challenging light when your camera screen, or even your eyes, can be misleading.

Using the Histogram

On mirrorless cameras, the histogram can typically be enabled in live view, making it very easy to use in real time. As you adjust shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, you can immediately see how those changes affect the histogram.

For example, if the histogram is heavily weighted to the left and shows lots of shadow information but plenty of unused space to the right, you might slow your shutter speed to let in more light. This shifts the histogram to the right and makes better use of the available tonal range.

I do not aim for a perfect looking histogram. Instead, I use it as a feedback tool to place tones intentionally based on the scene and the light.

Why the Histogram

So why use the histogram instead of relying only on the camera’s light meter?

The key difference is this. The histogram shows you what the camera is actually capturing, while the light meter shows you what the camera thinks the exposure should be.

Most camera meters are designed to expose scenes toward an average value of about 18 percent gray. This works well in many situations, but it can struggle in scenes dominated by very bright or very dark tones.

For example, in snowy scenes, the camera often underexposes because it tries to make the snow appear middle gray, resulting in dull, gray looking snow. In very dark scenes, the camera may overexpose as it attempts to brighten everything toward that same middle gray.

Once you understand how to read the histogram, it becomes a far more precise exposure tool. It gives you direct feedback about highlight clipping, shadow detail, and tonal distribution, allowing for more intentional exposure decisions in the field.

Exposure Refresher Guide

If you would like to dive deeper into exposure fundamentals, including shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and histogram use, I have a simple exposure guide you can download here.

​👉 Guide to Better Landscape Photos​

No sign in required.

Online Mentoring. Discount Opportunity.

While procrastinating on a few other things I should probably be doing, I realized my 1 on 1 workshops page was not doing a great job of explaining what I offer in that area. So I rebuilt the entire page this weekend with more clarity around online mentoring and how I help photographers improve their landscape photography.

To celebrate the update, I am offering a small number of discounted Zoom mentoring sessions exclusively for newsletter subscribers.

60 minutes: $100 (normally $125)
​90 minutes: $140 (normally $175)

I am opening just 5 spots at this pricing.

If you are interested, you can learn more here.

When you reach out, just mention Newsletter Zoom in your message so I can apply the subscriber pricing.

2026 Workshops

I sent an email a few weeks ago, but registration is now open for all 2026 workshops. From West Virginia and Hocking Hills to the workshops I am co-leading with Michael Rung in the Great Smoky Mountains and Death Valley, registrations are officially open.

Until the next newsletter!

Know someone who might enjoy this? Please feel free to share this email with them.

~Jeffrey