ABSTRACT
It is easy to chase after the ‘correct’ exposure for a shot and lose sight of the purpose of the production. News and factual programmes have the fairly simple visual requirement of ‘see it and hear it’. This usually requires a technique that produces a neutral record of the event with the least discernible influence of the cameraman’s attitude to the material. The choice of exposure is based on the aim of providing the clearest possible image of the action. The ‘correct’ exposure in these circumstances is the one that produces clarity of image. Other programme genres have more diverse production aims. It is not simply a question of finding the ‘correct’ exposure but of finding an exposure that reflects a mood, emotion or feeling.
