Photographing white subjects on a white background requires special care. The last thing you want to do is blow the highlights -- i.e. overexpose the vulnerable detail by making certain areas solid white. Many photographers rely on the histogram to indicate any spiking on the right (indicating a complete loss of texture and detail), but looking at the histogram takes time. Even a few seconds can mean the loss of a great shot, especially when you're photographing wildlife. Therefore, I typically underexpose 1/3 or 2/3 f/stop to protect the highlights from become overexposed. The pictures turn out a bit dark, but then I correct that in ACR or Lightroom. A 2/3 f/stop underexposure is not enough to add significant noise, but it's just enough to protect the highlights.
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