I know I'm using a lot of light - I love it. But some of my images look like this, with parts of them just going off into yellow and white... I'm sure it's something simple, I just can't figure it out. Anyone? Oh, the camera is Olympus E-510 DSLR. 

The way I see it, your photo is only slightly overexposed which could be corrected by shooting at a faster shutter speed or with a higher aperature setting, if you regularly use manual settings. Many people do not. If you are one of those, find the (+/-) button on your camera and make it your friend. A setting of -0.7 or -1.0 would likely make this a perfect shot in my opinion. Let's see what others say about it.

Wayne

Thanks. Actually, I'm trying to minimize my postwork and still learning the intricacies of manual settings. Does faster shutter speed decrease DOF? The shot was taken at shutter speed 1/40 sec and f/3.5 Sorry, I should have clarified it earlier.

As Whaleman says try a faster shutter speed (it works wonders)

Under exposed shots are nearly always easy to postwork, overexposed are hell.

Small tip.: take lots of shots at different settings and note the best one.

the shutter speed has no relevance to DOF - the aperture does... the higher the "f-number" the deeper the field of view.  The shutter speed may need to decrease (ie slower) to account for the fact you are using a smaller aperture (higher f-number) but that is to do with light not DOF.

If your camera has a histogram function then the best thing to do is to look at the image after you have taken it and ensure you dont have a massive amount of the histogram graph which heads onto the right (on a Canon you hit the "info" button when viewing an image on the LCD screen to bring up the histogram). 

Your graph should (generall) look like this:

/***

and not like this:

__/***

If you get what i mean... If your graph looks like the bottom one then adjust your settings (on manual) so that it doesnt overexpose (higher f-number or faster shutter speed).

you may need to set  your white balance too

White balance? No, thanks. I actually like playing with it. I love some of my photos to be shivering cold and others warm and fuzzy. Unless this does something to over exposure, too?

And thanks, Inshala, I'll try to remember this: " the higher the "f-number" the deeper the field of view." There is still a lot to learn for me there but boy, is this fun!

I spent a whole day today in a very sunny weather in the botanic gardens. I guess I shot each flower to death, trying out various settings. Now, the moment I find some time to actually look through them, I might have something to show.

Thanks everyone. Helpful as always. :)

As for white balance, I prefer a natural appearing setting then change as desired in software.  That way I keep the original to do with as I wish otherwise.  To each his or her own methods.   best wishes..it does seem you are having joy in the process.   Tom.

I generally stick to auto white balance..Most times it's pretty close..flourescent light is another story tho..I agree about trying a faster shutter speed..But would also like to suggest you try different metering modes. or at the least where you meter the shot.In the shot you showed..It looks like natural light hitting the yellow part..That just makes it prone to over-exposure..Simple things, like changing your perspective might also help..

Thanks again. The problem is, I do not want to change perspective. Some of my favorite photos are done playing with light and that's the whole point. Usually, I don't just want to shoot a bud. I want to show the light hitting it. Yes, I know it's often difficult to avoid over esposure, that's why I'm asking the questions.

And I'm grateful for the answers. I did my last field trip in pretty harsh sun and for the most part, the effects were better. :D

As for the white balance... I'm with Tom here. I also like to play with it. And yup, tones of fun.

Thank you all, guys.

Does your camera allow spot metering?  This will fairly well take the exposure metering to the area you do not want overexposed. ( Some depends on the camera and how large a spot it has, otherwise center metering with the smallest area allowed will help concentrate meter reading to particualr areas.0

I was doing some strongly back lit roses the other day and wanted light to come through the petals and show ok.  I did all the metering on the darker part of the rose facing me away from the light.  That worked pretty well  on a close shot with mostly cropped out background.  Metering the background gasve me a properly exposed background and a dark rose wiht tinges of light in petal edges.  Somewhere there is a nice balance to show the delicate tranluscent petals better than I have done so far.

I do have an old tutorial on spot metering here.  Some needs updating and I would certainly do some editing and change content if I wrote it today.  Still, you might find a hint or two there to assist.           Tom.

http://backroom.renderosity.com/~photo/Tutorials/thomas_haynes_%20spot_metering%20.pdf

Ah, bingo! Thank you so much, Tom. That was it. I completely forgot about spot metering - tried all the different settings and most of them worked but that's the essential I missed. Yay!. I knew it was something simple that just slipped my mind. I had it set on average metering or center weighted (can't remember what the symbols are right now) and didn't go back there for a long time.

Tom, you're a genius! 

or as i said, if you are consciously trying to take the photo of the light and know what you want - use the LCD screen and the histogram and shoot on manual... for things like flowers you have all the time in the world so why put the decision on how to meter a shot in the hands of a computer?

Agreed...I will on occasion meter a subject using the method I believe best at the time, whether matrix/averaged, center wieghted or spot.   The exposure computed by the camera provides a fine place to begin with manual settings.   There are two variables, f/number and shutter speed(disregarding ISO).

LOL! Nope, I'm only getting there. Right now I have my hands full with either shutter or aperture priority settings. Full manual is still a bit ahead. I'll try it soon, though, since it's beginning to look like my goals are more ambitious than the half- atutomatic setting can provide.

Also, while I love my camera, the LCD display is not my favorite feature. Especially in full sun. But, when I have some time to play, I'll try that, too. 

If your camera has a bracketing mode give that a try. That way you'll get various exposure/shutter settings and see which works best without having to constantly take a pic, look at the image, take another pic, etc.