Where to take spot meter readings from

Hey all,

 

It would be great if someone could take the time to give me a very simplified

explanation of where to take a spot meter reading in a scene. I understand

what the primary metering modes do and how they work, but just want to know

which area to meter off for spot metering.

 

I understand that when I am not in a hurry I can take say 3 spot readings from

different areas within the scene, and come up with an average - say meter from

the highlights, midtones and shadows - but it's been difficult for me to

determine what these are some of the time. Any advice?

 

Usually I'll be taking shots of people or kids; where I don't really have the

time to take several readings. I've mostly been using evaluative metering, but

I love taking backlit photo's and I know evaluative metering does not always

come up with a proper exposure. I guess what i'm asking is, say if I'm taking

a backlit portrait - I understand I should take a reading from the subject's

face, but where abouts on the face? Should I then compensate for skin tones -

if so, how much should I compensate for? Or should I take a reading from the

grass or another 'grey' object within the scene?

 

In a normal situation, where the subject is not backlit, where would I take a

spot reading from. Say, in these instances - on a cloudy day, under shade or

when the sun is directly above or sidelighting the subject.

 

By the way, this probably sounds really daft, I've never used a grey card

before but how exactly would I use it? Say, if I was taking a portrait, would

I get the subject to hold the grey card and take a reading from there?

 

I'd appreciate any of your thoughts - I really want to start perfecting my

exposures, so any feedback would be great.

 

I have read a million articles on this, but it hasn't sunk in yet and it's

bothering me! I think I just need it spelt out plain and simple by being given

examples so I'd really appreciate your help. By the way, I don't have a hand

held meter so am using my in-built metering systems only.

 

Thanks heaps!

Since you mention a grey card, I presume you are shooting b&w.

I would suggest taking an incident reading and leaving it at that. Seems to work great for me anyways. Spot meters are good for finding the contrast range of a scene...I suppose you can just set exposure in the middle of the brightest and darkest areas although I've never tried this before. You didn't mention if you develop and print yourself. If you do not, I suggest you learn. Getting the proper exposure is only half the effort in creating a good negative. Proper development based on your light and how you envision the final print to look is the other half.

If you're using the grey card, take a reading off the card while its facing the camera. The meter will give you a specific EV value wherever you point it and that value will give you a tone equal to the gray card. So if you put the gray card in your scene, and take a reading off that, you should come out with a properly exposed picture. What the spot meter is useful for is also taking a reading of your highlights and shadow areas to see if they are within range of your gray card reading. If so, then you will have good contrast. If they are out of the +/-2 EVs then you will get overexposed highlights or underexposed shadow detail.

 

If you're taking pictures of people and they are fair in complexion, take a reading off their faces and add 1/2 to 1 stop over exposure.

 

Personally, I would use the incident meter feature if you have one. Its very reliable.

 

All you have to remember is that the reading off the spot meter will give you the same tone as your gray card. If you take the reading off of a person's face and dont adjust, then their face will come out dark (that is if their face is light skin). If you point the meter at something very dark like a tire, the picture will be overexposed cause you've lightend the tire to the same tone as your gray card.

 

Basically, you're going to have to experiment and see what happens and what you like. This is a very basic answer to your questions. Depending on all your tools and film that you are using, you may have to adjust a wee bit.

 

I hope that helps.

OK, haven't read the 2 posts above mine (might be more by the time I actually post), but here is how I finally got this to sink in a few years back.

 

When you are spot metering, the meter/camera will set up to shoot whatever you are metering off of as middle grey (18% grey, the tone of a grey card). So if you are metering off of basic caucasian skin (i.e. not a tanning freak, and not a pasty white ghost), you should open up one stop.

 

In Zone System-speak, the grey card will be Zone V and you will want to place caucasian skin at zone 6, which is doubling your exposure time or decreasing your f-number by one full stop from what the meter tells you.

 

So if you meter off a face and get a reading of 1/125s at f/8, that is the exposure that will render the skin middle grey for B&W. So you can either extend the time the shutter is open and shoot at f/8 and 1/60s, or you can increase the opening that is allowing light to shine through the lens and strike the sensor/film plane and shoot at f/5.6 and 1/125s.

 

Adjust everything I just said based on the skin tones you are shooting. If you are shooting a very dark skinned African American, maybe you want to decrease exposure by .5-1.5 stops from what the meter is telling you. Or if you are shooting a very pale caucasian, maybe you want to increase exposure by 1.5-2.5 stops instead of just 1 stop from the meter reading.

 

You really need to develop a feel for this and be able to pre-visualize how you want to render the skin to do it quickly.

Thanks for all your feedback guys. Gary, you have explained everything so perfectly that I understand it and now am in the mood to do a lot of experimentation! I guess I just needed someone to map out what they do in that situation, and give examples!

 

Further to that, now I am wondering if this varies when I am using my external flash unit. Is it the same procedure? I presume when I spot meter it automatically takes into account the flash as well? Do the examples you provided for compensating for varying skin tones change any when I'm using my flash? Is it still the same principals? FYI - I use a Canon 30D and 580ex flash unit.

 

Also, when compensating, am I better to compensate via the 580ex or on-camera compensation? Any recommendations? I do find it easier to compensate via the camera. I hope this makes sense, and thanks again for your feedback so far!

Metering doesn't apply to flash pictures except for slow sync settings intended to mix a relatively dim background with a bright flash lit foreground subject. Flash is an instantaneous burst of brilliant light that the camera can't detect until it goes off. The flash setting on the camera should override the metering setting. I have not heard of a camera, even a camera designed to stop an exposure when it detects enough light from the flash, that would be engineered to know what area of the subject is brightest during the time the flash lights it.

 

If you set exposure manually for the flash, the distance from the flash head to the subject (when the intensity of the flash is constant) always determines the proper exposure. There should be a procedure that converts distance into a flash guide number that gives you the range of shutter/f-stop settings that would work.

after a quick read, it seems you have a couple of issues.<p>Primarily, what is the best place to read local "values" for portraits, and <p>does the flash influence the meter reading.<p>When you are making portraits, faces, generally and eyes more specifically are critical areas. As was suggested, meter faces and don't worry about the deep shadows or dark clothes. Portraits of people generally concern faces first, bodies next and all other areas are relegated to supporting roles that can be lit or not, according to your aesthetic or purpose. Use wide contrast settings on digital cameras or lower contrast portrait film.<p>In backlit or strongly sidelit portraits, your aesthetic decisions and personal style are as important as your metering techniques. You should experiment and find your own style (or styles) that will help you make quick decisions with confidence. <p>As for the meter, only a flash meter will register the strobe light in it's reading, and ambiant light is factored in by better meters, although its contribution to the exposure is significant only when the shutter is slow enough to allow it... t<div></div>