Basic Daylight Exposure Guide (BDE) Cheat Sheet
I recently tried to access http://www.garageglamour.com/tips/bdeguide.php in order to check out their Basic Daylight Exposure Guide (BDE) but I was quite disappointed when I found the site down (404) and unavailable to traffic. I took the site's cached HTML from Google and uploaded it to this blog to help out any users that may need this reference chart for taking pics. I hope this doesn't offend anyone. It's a great "Cheat Sheet" for users that may not have access to a Light Meter or similar equipment. Exposure is relative to the distance from the BDE which remains constant. Computation of Exposure is easy, the proper f/stop will be f/16 (sunny 16 rule) when using a film speed approximate to your shutter speed. As an example:
Film Speed is 200, your shutterspeed will be 1/250 at f/16. Film speed rated at 64, your shutterspeed will be 1/60 at f/16. The same would apply to a film speed of 125, your shutterspeed will be 1/125. As another example, take the later film speed of 125, and these exposures would be the equivalents: 1/125 @ f/16; 1/250 @ f/11; 1/500@ f/8; 1/2000 @ f/4; 1/60 @ f/22
| Sunlight with a normal subject in the sunlight. | Basic Dayight Exposure (f/16 rule) |
| Sunlight with a dramatic effect or silhouette effect shooting directly into the sun. | Basic Dayight Exposure minus two f/stops |
| Sunlight with bright snow or sand. | Basic Dayight Exposure minus one f/stop |
| Sunlight, backlit subject, exposing for the shadows | Basic Dayight Exposure plus two f/stops |
| Overcast with weak, hazy light, soft shadows | Basic Dayight Exposure plus one f/stops |
| Overcast with normal, cloudy bright light | Basic Dayight Exposure plus two f/stops |
| Overcast in heavy or open shade | Basic Dayight Exposure plus three f/stops |
| When shooting the Moon for a lunar exposure | Basic Dayight Exposure (f/16 rule), open 1/3 stop for 2/3 moon, 1/2 stop for 1/2 moon, 2/3 stop for 1/3 moon |
| When shooting skylines at a distance at night | Basic Dayight Exposure plus thirteen f/stops |
| When shooting Neon signs or lighted signs | Basic Dayight Exposure plus five f/stops |
| When shooting stage shows with bright light | Basic Dayight Exposure plus five f/stops |
| When shooting stage shows with average light | Basic Dayight Exposure plus seven f/stops |
| When shooting Ice shows lit by floodlights | Basic Dayight Exposure plus six f/stops |
| When shooting circus shows lit by floodlights | Basic Dayight Exposure plus seven f/stops |
| When shooting areas like Las Vegas, Times Square, etc. | Basic Dayight Exposure plus six f/stops |
| When shooting fireworks displayed on the ground | Basic Dayight Exposure plus six f/stops |
| When shooting buildings lit by floodlights, fountains, monuments, etc. | Basic Dayight Exposure plus eleven f/stops |
| When shooting Indoor/Outdoor Christmas Lighting at Night | Basic Dayight Exposure plus ten f/stops |
| When shooting Churchs, Tungsten lights | Basic Dayight Exposure plus nine f/stops |
| When shooting plays on school stages and auditoriums | Basic Dayight Exposure plus nine f/stops |
| When shooting store windows at night | Basic Dayight Exposure plus six f/stops |
| When shooting candle-lit close-ups | Basic Dayight Exposure plus ten & 1/2 f/stops |
| When shooting home interiors at night, brightly lit | Basic Dayight Exposure plus eight f/stops |
| When shooting home interiors at night, average light | Basic Dayight Exposure plus nine & 1/3 f/stops |
| When shooting swimming pools, indoors, tungesten lit, above water | Basic Dayight Exposure plus eight f/stops |
| When shooting fairs and amusement parks at night | Basic Dayight Exposure plus eight f/stops |
| When shooting baseball, hockey, bowling, etc. | Basic Dayight Exposure plus seven f/stops |
| When shooting football, baseball, races, etc., at night | Basic Daylight Exposure plus six f/stops |

