how to meter for a scene indoors with two large windows

[nelson_martina]

I've been given the task to photograph a restaurant table which is

located beside 2 large patio doors which will be open allowing in

strong sunshine (with sea views). I've attempted this once with

flash but the outdoor scene was completly washed out. How do I meter

for this scene?

Thanks for your advice.

[jbq]

Sounds like you need 1/250s f/11 to have the sunlit area properly exposed (assuming ISO 100 and a camera that has a 1/250s sync speed), and enough power in your flash unit(s) to light the indoor parts at f/11.

 

If you can get your hands on a camera that syncs at speeds higher than 1/250s, you'll need less flash power.

[jmf]

The basic trick here is to first get the exposure right for the windows, and then bring the interior up to that using your flash. You could also use a reflector to get more light on the table. Whats your max sync speed and the flash you're using? you'll need to be totally manual for this to work.

[Ed_Ingold]

Is the scene through the window important? If so, meter the window and add flash to illuminate the foreground to the same level or brighter. Otherwise, take the picture at night or when the outside light is more manageable.

 

If you use digital, shoot the scene twice -- metering for the window then for the foreground. Then combine the image in Photoshop using the HDR merge action. You get a 32 bit/channel image that you can adjust to cover an enormous dynamic range without the noise you get by merely opening up the shadows.

[skipd]

This is most easily done with studio type flash units and purely manual settings on the camera. Pop the flash unit(s) and meter the light. Figure out the f-stop that you need. Then meter the scene through the window. Figure out what shutter speed that would give the proper exposure with the f-stop for the flash. If that shutter speed exceeds the sync speed for flash, then modify the flash power to get an appropriate calculated shutter speed for the outdoor scene.

 

Another problem that you need to avoid: You don't want the flash unit(s) to reflect off the windows and be seen in your photo. Location of the flash unit(s) will be critical to solve this problem. An on-camera flash will likely NOT be the solution.

[pablovi]

If you don't have enough flash power or your camera doesn't sync with faster speeds, you can always do a double or multi exposure.

[jlemire]

Pablo (or whomever wants to answer)-<br>

<br>

Won't a double/multiple exposure still result in overexposing the outdoor scene since without using a flash anything that gets the inside exposure "right" necessarily will blow out the outside?

[johnny_tergo]

The best way to do this is with neutral density gel. Figure out how much you need to knock off of the windows and then apply the correct amount of ND.

[pablovi]

Jim

 

Not if you cover the windows. I have done that in the past, since I didn't had Flash lights, only continous light. You can also use ND gels, but if the window is to large you'll spend some money.

[jmf]

Assuming a static image, you can take two exposures. One with the correct interior and one with the correct windows. You can then use PS or GIMP to merge the two together. There are various tutorials on how to do this around the web.

[steve_hovland]

If you are shooting toward the window, over the table, the convention is to overexpose the outdoors by one or two stops.

 

With ISO 100 you might be using 1/60 or 1/30 at f16, following the "sunny 16" rule of f16 and shutter speed = film speed.

 

Then you need enough flash power to bring the exposure on the table up to f16 with an incident reading facing the camera. Depending on the distance and light modifiers, this could be 250-1000 watt seconds.

 

I would shoot 4 variations- shutter at 1/30 or 1/60, flash at f/11 or f/16.