Charles K. Tufuor |
Using a light meter How do you use a light meter to get the right setting for your light? Can you use it for both strobe lights and regular flash? How is each one of these done?
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John H. Siskin |
Hi Charles, The first thing to understand is what light meters were designed for. They were designed to improve the quality of the guess you made about exposure. When I used film I used a meter because it saved me money. I would use the meter at the subject so that I read the light falling on the subject. When I understood the reading, how much light was coming from where, I would take a Polaroid test so that I could see the light. The meter reduced the number of Polaroids I shot, at about $3 a piece. People treat the meter as if it is always right; it’s not. I have seen students turn in shots with bad light, and tell me it is right because they metered it. The exposure might be right, but the light is wrong. You are better off NOT using a meter. Guess at the first exposure, examine the results, and make an improved guess. You will be much better off if you tether your camera to a laptop, so that you can examine a larger image. Strobes make light by running a park through a tube of xenon gas, a flash like an SB900 or a 580 EXII make light exactly the same way, so a strobe meter will read both of them.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Look at it as somebody who makes quality, well designed wood furniture. All the wood has to be measured before it's cut. You have a one meter measuring tape, but that doesn't mean you make all pieces one meter. Or even the same size. You have to know how to make certain shapes, what shapes and angels compliment each other, how have a piece of furniture have a certain look, feel, or mood to it instead of a boxy, funny looking chair made up of same sized pieces of wood. As far as how you actually use a light meter for a flash. You can either attach a cord from the flash to the meter and hold the meter at the location or object that you want the flash to light, and you use the meter to set off the flash. The meter makes a reading of the light. Or if you can't or don't want to connect the meter to the flash with a cord, with some meters(probably all newer ones now) you can push a button on the meter, and the meter will wait for a flash. When you trigger the flash, the meter will make a reading of the light.
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Charles K. Tufuor |
Thanks John and Gregory for your pieces of information. I will try the meter and see how best it helps me.
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