Light meters in modern cameras do a wonderful job with exposure, but they will sometimes lead you astray.  You can check the playback image on your camera’s LCD screen, but that’s not entirely accurate, either. If you’ve ever thought you’d nailed a shot, only to find out later that you’d blown out, or “clipped”, the highlights or the blacks, you will appreciate a histogram.

A histogram is a graphical representation of the tones that are present in an image and is another tool to help you set your exposure.  Most of today’s cameras have a histogram feature when you review your photos and many include a histogram in Live View. Checking your histogram is one of the best and easiest ways to ensure you get the exposure you want in the field and help you avoid unpleasant surprises when you get home and start processing your photos.  Read more.