Exposing for a light beam

[darryl_roberts1]

Hi,

 

Please explain what to expose for in a light beam shot.

 

Thank you,

 

Darryl

[matroskin]

what kind of light beam and in what conditions? <br>

if you have a light beam in complete darkness with some dust or vapor or whatever that makes the beam visible in the air, it's mostly trial and error. start with 3-4 second exposure at say f/2.8 and go from there. if it's extremely clean environment it might be hard.<br>KN

[darryl_roberts1]

Outside from a street light, shining down on people. I shoot film, not digital.

[Matt Laur]

How do you want the people (under the light) to look when you're done? Meaning, do you want them to be properly exposed, appear blown out / hot, or to appear dark and under lit? Is it the beam (as seen by the way it catches particulate stuff in the air) you want to see, or the puddle of light that it creates on the subjects below it?

[mike_earussi1]

Meter off the people just like any other shot and then bracket like crazy.

[darryl_roberts1]

Matt, good question. I want them to be properly exposed. Thank you (all).

[Matt Laur]

Your camera's meter might have a tough time making sense of a shot like that. Walk right up, into that puddle of light, and spot meter off of your hand, or one of your subjects' faces. Note the exposure setting, and then back off to make the shot... and then (like Mike says!) bracket a bunch, just to cover your bases.

<br><br>

An incident light meter, used under the street light, would be your best bet. You can (pretty much) convert your camera into one by using something like an <a href="http://www.laurphoto.com/prdr/expodisc" target="_blank"><b>ExpoDisc</b></a>. But at around $100, you're almost half way to a much more useful <a href="http://www.laurphoto.com/prdr/sekonic_l358" target="_blank"><b>incdident and flash meter</b></a>. It's made a big difference for me on oddball lighting situations like that, so I'm sort of on a crusade this month! Good luck - sounds like an interesting shot you're dreaming up.

[leicaglow]

If you're trying to get the beam, you probably need some atmosphere thrown in as well: smoke or fog.

[darryl_roberts1]

Thank you. I have a one degree spot and and incident and flash meter, Sekonic.

[tim_ludwig2]

Darryl,

 

If you are saying that you want their faces well exposed you've got problems unless you raise their faces toward

the light. If you do that, take an incident reading of the light coming down from the lamp. That will be the

most accurate and certain overall exposure.

 

If you have the faces pointed in another direction, you will have severe shadows that may take you totally out of

gamma range for the highlight to shadow film latitude to record. Will you be close enough to try a reflector?

If so, that may help enough to get a usable negative. Again, take an incident reading, but this time of the

bounce light coming into their faces from the reflector. Bracket to be sure you get something usable.

 

If you are after an 'atmosphere' shot of the scene like the great old film noir movies, still do an incident

reading of the light and bracket a bit on either side of the indicated exposure. Print from the best neg.

 

Good luck. This sounds interesting.

[darryl_roberts1]

Tim, everyone thank you. Yes, I presume it'll be like the sun at it's daily apex which could cause raccoon eyes. I will certain bracket.

[andrew_gale]

take plenty of film...

[Ed_Ingold]

Night scenes are supposed to be dark. If you expose "normally", the subject will look as in daylight and any light sources will be blown out and possibly cause flare. You might take an incident or spot reading and close down a stop or two. Experiment a bit and find out what works.

[matroskin]

even though you shoot film, take any point/shoot digital camera and take a few photos. it'll give you some idea for exposure settings for your film. then bracket. also, unless you're doing like f/2 with high iso i doubt you're gonna have faces in your images. at least the walking people.<br>KN