Exposure in mist

[grant_lupton1]

Today, I took a few shots (slide film) of a grassy valley with heavy

mist (no sun); visibility around 300 yards. The (reflected light)

meter reading was f8 at 1/60 (50 ASA); I also shot at f8 at 1/30.

 

My intention was to register the mist as appeared but also the valley

floor (grass). Any suggestions re better exposure method would be

appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Grant.

[SCL]

I have better results in mist shots using incident light readings...even then I usually bracket shots just to be sure. Mist is a challenge, but with great rewards.

[fwstutterheim]

Grant, <br><br>

You did not say exactly how you have metered. I suppose you are talking about reflective

metering of the whole scene. You could meter just the mist and add about 2 stops to

make it white instead of "medium grey". Then you could meter the grass. It often is about

"medium grey" unless the grass is very dark. In that case correct -0,5. Hopefully the two

meterings would not be too far apart. In that case I would average. If they do a

"courageous decision" has to be made. Or a series of exposures half a stop apart. In that

case I would have made the decision at home after development of the film. Well, that is

what I might have done. <br><br>My Rollei 6008i has multi-zone auto exposure with

emphasis on the lower half of the frame, so I would also have made an exposure by just

pushing the shutter release .... <br><br> Ferdi.

[simonpg]

As said above you have not given much info. But the answer depends upon what the subject is etc..

 

I did something similar last year but the mist was only 20 meters in front of me and the subject was trees which detail I wanted to preserve (not block up the shadows). But I was shotting with a Leica M7 usind its meter.

 

The wider angles shots were taken as metered and the closer images were compensated +1 stop to open the shadows - all exposed perfectly.

 

If I was shooting 6x6 with my VC II meter and not my Sekonic incident meter, I would have bracketed 1/2; 1; 1.5 stops to be sure especially using positive film. to avoid the risk the mist may make the reflected light meter under expose to much as mist can be very bright. But you don't expalin much about the light itself - so some mist may be even causing overexposure causing highlights to burn out.

[simonpg]

As said above you have not given much info. But the answer depends upon what the subject is etc..

 

I did something similar last year but the mist was only 20 meters in front of me and the subject was trees which detail I wanted to preserve (not block up the shadows). But I was shotting with a Leica M7 using its meter.

 

The wider angles shots were taken as metered and the closer images were compensated +1 stop to open the shadows - all exposed perfectly.

 

If I was shooting 6x6 with my VC II meter and not my Sekonic incident meter, I would have bracketed 1/2; 1; 1.5 stops to be sure especially using positive film. to avoid the risk the mist may make the reflected light meter under expose to much as mist can be very bright. But you don't expalin much about the light itself - so some mist may be even causing overexposure of the subject your are concentrating on causing highlights to burn out .

[grant_lupton1]

Dear Stephen, Ferdi, Simon,

 

Thank you for the suggestions � all noted.

 

I took the reading from the mist, judging it to represent a reasonable grey tone and thus (hopefully) achieving the balance between mist and valley. Sunlight was totally absent, therefore an incident reading was not possible (I couldn�t tell where the sun was).

 

I considered a reading from the valley (very dark green) would have produced over-exposure of the mist, if that is possible; lack of experience. We�ll see.

 

The increased exposure � 1/30 vs 1/60 � may produce a better result (as suggested by Ferdi). Not really relevant (?), the lens was a 55mm on a Pentax 6x7.

 

Even if the shots fail totally, it would not represent a waste. I discovered the location by accident and will be revisiting when weather improves.

 

Regards,

 

Grant.

[wharridge]

"I took the reading from the mist, judging it to represent a reasonable grey tone and thus (hopefully) achieving the balance between mist and valley. Sunlight was totally absent, therefore an incident reading was not possible (I couldn?t tell where the sun was)."

 

The idea of an incident reading is to measure with the dome pointing back to the camera along the lens axis - doesn't matter (for the reading) which direction the light is coming from.

 

...Wayne

[grant_lupton1]

Dear Wayne,

 

Thank you for the info.

 

Regards,

 

Grant.