getting up to speed with metering

[rince]

Hi,
I am still fairly new to film photography and especially to metering anything else than flash exposures in a studio. I find myself struggling a lot with the meter in my camera and therefore would like to use my Sekonic L-358. Again, I have not much clue about what I am doing...yet... therefore I am looking for some books that help me get a better understanding of metering ambient light. So if you have a favorite book about metering you would like to share, I would be very grateful!

Thx in advance
Dennis

[CGW]

Visit the Sekonic site and click on "Classroom."

[David Brown]

I truly appreciate your asking for a book recommendation. In this case, however, I don't have a specific recommendation other than what might be found in a basic photography text. However, Google is your friend: (try: "light meter technique")

http://www.sekonic.com/Classroom/Met...Reflected.aspx

http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/...f9/index.shtml

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/guide-to-using-a-hand-held-light-meter-4748

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tu...s/meters.shtml

et al ...

[Sirius Glass]

The most common problem that I have seen people make with light meters [I worked in camera stores for a few years], is that people would meter the sky or too much of the sky. That will make the photographs under exposed, and so they would lower the ISO [ASA, DIN] to compensate. But that type of compensation just leads to less accurate exposures in general. Aim the light meter down to avoid taking a light reading of the sky instead of taking a light reading of the scene.

Steve

[rince]

I truly appreciate your asking for a book recommendation. In this case, however, I don't have a specific recommendation other than what might be found in a basic photography text. However, Google is your friend: (try: "light meter technique")

http://www.sekonic.com/Classroom/Met...Reflected.aspx

http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/...f9/index.shtml

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/guide-to-using-a-hand-held-light-meter-4748

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tu...s/meters.shtml

et al ...

Thank you David, those links look very promising!

[rince]

The most common problem that I have seen people make with light meters [I worked in camera stores for a few years], is that people would meter the sky or too much of the sky. That will make the photographs under exposed, and so they would lower the ISO [ASA, DIN] to compensate. But that type of compensation just leads to less accurate exposures in general. Aim the light meter down to avoid taking a light reading of the sky instead of taking a light reading of the scene.

Steve

Thank you Sirius, I will try and follow that advice

[Newt_on_Swings]

The trick is to spot meter parts of your subject that are close to 18% grey in light reflectance (if you have the time). I also started to use my meter less taking one incident reading an area where my subjects would be and working the exposure compensation for bright sunlight, or shade, this speeds up your reaction time much more, and makes you less dependent on a meter and more on your eyes and brain (you dont have to whip out the meter every shot). Another helpful hint is to meter concrete sidewalks, they are about 18% grey as well.

[Sirius Glass]

The trick is to spot meter parts of your subject that are close to 18% grey in light reflectance (if you have the time). I also started to use my meter less taking one incident reading an area where my subjects would be and working the exposure compensation for bright sunlight, or shade, this speeds up your reaction time much more, and makes you less dependent on a meter and more on your eyes and brain (you dont have to whip out the meter every shot). Another helpful hint is to meter concrete sidewalks, they are about 18% grey as well.

When I use a spot meter I take three measurements

• The brightest that I want to be darker than pure white
• The darkest shadow that I want to be lighter than pure black
• The part that I want to be my medium gray in the print

If I am pressed for time, only the last measurement.

Steve

[markbarendt]

Dunn & Wakefield Exposure Manual.

[Lee L]

Dunn & Wakefield Exposure Manual.

A little outdated where equipment is concerned, last edition 1981, but very sound on the fundamentals, and technical but readable. A British publication that didn't see wide distribution in the US. I'd recommend it as well. Don't know where rince is but Amazon USA used prices are highly inflated (near $60 and up), but Abe Books has some from US and UK dealers at reasonable prices.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sear...manual&x=0&y=0

Lee