Lumix FZ8

[annie1931]

A newbie here, and don't see any other posts re the above. I am having difficulties with exposure re white flowers amid darker ones in sunlight. My procedure (following manual as best I can) was:
focus on dark part of garden, shutter halfway, then bring to flowers, depress shutter. I tried this, using the P setting, with a) EV on -0-, and b) EV on -1.
The pics look exactly the same to me, white flowers with almost no detail.
Is there someone who can give me instruction? (please use simple words and consider you are talking to a reasonably intelligent 7 year old - my digital experience is limited to four years of an HP 812 which served me pretty well - but also had a few problems with white flowers). Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[JLV]

If you haven’t tried already, set the metering to spot. Put the spot on the white flower and see what you get for a reading. Do the same on the darker flowers. Try shooting at both of these extremes and then in the middle. See what you get. Then experiment.

[annie1931]

Thank you - I'll find 'spot' first! I did aim the centre box as you suggested, but will try and find the 'spot' business and then experiment again. Ta very much.

[genece]

The advice you have received is very good......but do not be afraid to experiment.
For instance my favorite metering type is center weighted.....but it may not at all be yours.

I believe you should use the viewfinder for composing and checking the focus and exposure (perhaps an eyecup will help if you have trouble seeing the differences)
At the 1/2 press of the shutter what you see is what you get.
You should be able to see the difference in what a slight adjustment of the framing can make.
Although not the perfect solution, I always expose for the highlights and then recover the shadows with PS.

[annie1931]

Thank you, too. I appreciate all this advice very much and will copy the comments so I can have them in hand at my next practice session!