A method of eliminating a hot spot of a digital photograph. A light recording
area
for receiving a light reflected from a scene to be photographed is segmented into
a grid of a plurality of squares. Each of the squares is identified with a coordinate.
An exposure value of each square is defined. The exposure value of one of the squares
is selected as a key exposure value. A neutral density or color with a certain
degree is applied to any square that is over-exposed. The over-exposed square has
an exposure value larger than the key exposure value with at least a predetermined
number of stops.