Brittany |
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How to Meter Studio Still Lifes/Portraits
I'm usually using a white or black background. I want to blow out the background to either full white or full black or if I'm not even using a backdrop but I want to blow out the background. I meter for the subject, yes? Gray card, light meter with the bulb or light meter without that white bulb? I just want the subject to be perfectly exposed, I don't care about anything else.
October 08, 2004
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Brittany |
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Oh yeah, and I have been using a gray card. Just proping it up in front of the still life and taking a reading with a handheld meter (without that white buld, and I just aimed toward the card). All the pictures made the black background look grey...
October 07, 2004
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Bob Cammarata |
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If the subject is coming out properly exposed, you may have to get more distance from the subject to the background and re-position your light source(s) to hit the subject at an angle.
When a black background turns gray, it means that too much light is hitting it.As far as metering goes, you can use a gray card propped up against your subject where the light is hitting it and take a reading with your camera's meter...OR, use the hand-held meter with the bulb attached. Hold the meter at the subject and take a reading with the bulb facing the camera.
(I see no benefit in using both together.)
October 07, 2004
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Jacques G-L |
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In addition, it is a bad idee to use the white bulb for reflection calculation, this is for direct (incident)light only. if you want to use a 18% gray card you need the special light meter tip with a small hole in it (or remove the dome)then you face that hole too the card, if its a suggested application from the compagny.
November 09, 2004
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