So today I figured I’d finally tackle this “Go Extra Mile Photography” EMT thing everyone kept buzzing about. Sounded fancy, maybe too fancy. Honestly, my first thought was “Great, more complicated photo stuff to learn.” But curiosity got the better of me.
What’s This EMT Anyway?
Just dove in headfirst, no clue. Saw EMT and thought emergency medical services – wrong hobby! Took a minute to realize it’s just a catchy way some folks package up Exposure, Metering, and Technique. Basically, how your camera sees light, how you tell it to see light, and then what you actually do with that info. Simple enough, right? Yeah, felt like I needed a decoder ring initially.
My Gear Situation
Grabbed my trusty, kinda beat-up DSLR – not the newest, not the shiniest, but it works. Dusted off the kit lens it came with ages ago. That’s it. Decided right then that I wouldn’t touch the fancy, complicated settings yet. I’d been burnt too many times trying to play pro. Just stuck the dial on Aperture Priority mode. Baby steps.
Focusing Down
Started super small. My target? A gnarly old coffee mug sitting on the kitchen counter. Figured it wouldn’t complain. Pointed the camera. Clicked. Looked flat and lifeless. Obviously.
So, I took a breath. Remembered the “Exposure” bit. Just twisted the main dial to see what changed. Made the picture darker, then lighter. Okay, got the brightness thing.
Then came “Metering”. Found the button, pressed it, switched modes. Pointed at different parts of the mug – the dark handle, the bright rim. Saw the exposure shift wildly. Lightbulb moment! That’s how the camera decides what’s bright or dark. Stuck mostly with center-weighted metering; felt easier to guess where the camera was looking.
“Technique”? That meant how I took it. Tried moving closer. Leaned on the counter for steadiness since my hands shake like a leaf sometimes. Clicked again.
Looked slightly better? Maybe. Not amazing. But I started seeing the connection between fiddling the dial (exposure), telling the camera where to measure light (metering), and keeping the darn thing still (technique).
Taking It Outside (The Real Test)
Mug mastered (sorta), I needed a real challenge. Headed out back late afternoon. Sun was low, throwing long shadows. Spotted a rusty old garden gnome hiding in some bushes. Much more interesting than a mug!
Set up again in Aperture Priority. Metered off his faded red hat. Wanted him bright against the darker background.
First few shots sucked. Either the bright sky blew out completely white behind him, or the gnome himself turned into a dark blob. Cursed quietly. Kept playing with that exposure dial. Brighter? Gnome looked okay, sky gone. Darker? Sky looked kinda cool, gnome vanished.
Tried a different metering mode, switching to spot metering. Really focused that little circle right on the gnome’s cheek. Tried adjusting exposure again. Still blown sky. Deep sigh.
Then I moved. Physically stepped to the left a bit. Found a slightly darker patch of leaves behind him instead of that blinding bright sky. That simple move changed EVERYTHING. Told the camera again to meter off his hat. Adjusted the dial just a tiny bit brighter. Leaned against the shed. Clicked.
The gnome was sharp. His colors popped. The background was nicely out of focus and darker, not distractingly bright. Yes! Suddenly, the EMT dance – Exposure (dialing in brightness), Metering (spot on his hat), Technique (moving position, holding steady) – clicked. It wasn’t about perfect settings; it was basic stuff working together.
Fumble & Learn Moments
Plenty of screw-ups happened, trust me:
- Forgot I was in spot metering, pointed at something way too dark, and ended up with a super bright, totally washed-out photo. Whoops.
- Moved my finger and accidentally nudged the shutter speed in Aperture Priority mode, making everything blurry.
- Got obsessed with getting the “perfect” shot standing right where I started instead of moving my dang feet.
- Tried adding a cheap flash too soon – made the gnome look like a cheap plastic toy. Trashed those shots instantly.
So… Did “Going the Extra Mile” Work?
Honestly? For a beginner like me right now, “going the extra mile” didn’t mean buying new lenses or cracking dense manuals. It was literally:
- Twisting that exposure dial after choosing my spot.
- Pressing that metering button to tell the camera where to look.
- Stepping left. Stepping right. Getting low. Leaning on something. That’s the “extra mile” – those tiny physical adjustments.
This whole EMT focus forced me to slow down. Think about why the picture looked bad before I pressed the button. Check the meter, tweak exposure, hold still. Rinse, repeat. My old gnome shot now? Still not gallery-worthy, but a world better than before. Felt satisfying.
The main takeaway for me starting out: Don’t get intimidated by acronyms. Strip it back. Exposure is brightness control. Metering is telling the camera what to measure brightness on. Technique is mostly just standing somewhere smart and not shaking. Get those basic things right together, and you’re already miles ahead of where I was with my sad coffee mug.
Still need to practice remembering to put the lens cap back on afterward. And maybe bring gloves next time it’s cold.
