A grey card exposure is used to set the true tone of the subject as which of the following?

• A. The true tone of the subject's highlights.
• B. Shadow detail
• C. Midtones
• D. Specular highlights

Answer: (A)

Using a gray card exposure centers the camera’s exposure on the subject’s midtones. The card is designed to reflect about 18% of the light, which is the standard reference many meters are calibrated to. When you meter a gray card and set the exposure from that reading, you establish a baseline that makes the midtone range of the scene render as a neutral, balanced tone. That keeps the overall image from being too dark or too bright and helps preserve detail in both shadows and highlights because you’re starting from a properly exposed midtone reference. So the true tone you’re aiming to capture with a gray card is the midtones. The other options refer to specific bright or dark areas that aren’t the primary reference point for this technique.