Metering vs Histogram Question

[R_Fredrick_Smith]

To all. It is not the meter that is really the problem here. It is more about technique in metering. First consideration: if using the built in camera meter, then what mode is it in. If it is in the spot or center mode, then it will meter what ever the spot is on as middle gray. The exposure will then be set to render that part of the photo to that zone. But if you are in an average mode or one of the many super modes of modern cameras, it will do all sorts of gymnastics to get the exposure. They usually do very well in shade with both of these types of meters. The spot meter takes more skill. If used in bright sunlight, then you point the spot at the object that you want to render in the middle gray zone. That object will come out correctly exposed. Supposed you are shooting a model and you want a good face shot. If you put the spot on her face, then the face will be well exposed. That is not to say that the scene will, however. But you can test this in Photoshop, by selecting the face of the model (using the oval selection tool), and looking at the histogram. You'll see your bell curve thing that was being talked about in the original post. But you could end up with blown highlight elsewhere or dense shadows somewhere else where the range was to great to capture in the 4 or 5 stop range you can work with. So what do you do. Well usually you have to modify the highlights (scrim, etc) or enhance the shadows (fill flash, reflector, etc). I usually meter everything with the spot meter. Of course, I use the Photovision target, and it works like a champ in shade or bright light. How? Just photograph the target in the light that hits the subject and fill the full frame of the shot with the target. You should see three complete spikes if the exposure is proper. If you only see 2, or 1 is clipped, re-shoot till you get the three spikes. I then generally re-adjust to move the three spikes as far right as I can in the histogram. That then becomes the exposure for the scene.

Cheers,
rfs

[Mark_Oehler]

RFS: In regards to spot meter you wrote, "If you put the spot on her face, then the face will be well exposed." I think that might be right if you want the model's face to be metered for 18% gray. Most skin isn't in that zone is it? I thought caucasian skin is lighter than that.

[R_Fredrick_Smith]

Originally Posted by Mark_Oehler

RFS: In regards to spot meter you wrote, "If you put the spot on her face, then the face will be well exposed." I think that might be right if you want the model's face to be metered for 18% gray. Most skin isn't in that zone is it? I thought caucasian skin is lighter than that.

Actually it depends on face tones. For most fair skinned models, I use the face for the spot metering and it works well. But keep in mind that usually I don't use the camera meter or an external meter, but rather the PhotoVision Target which gives more precise exposure informaton. But when I just doing point and shoot the spot meter on the face technique works well. But you learn after taking tens of thousands of photos to compensate as needed. And with the LCD we have the instant feedback that lets us do that. That why I always go for Custom White Balance to make my LCD preview as good as it can be. I also keep the brightness value of the LCD set to about 1 step above the darkest setting which gives more realistic results in the preview. Most people keep the LCD to bright and thus get fooled by it.

Cheers,
rfs

[brew]

This is how to adjust exposure compensation with a L-358.

RFS i completely agree with you... however if i shoot a PV target and the white is over exposed on my histogram and my handheld shows the exposure i shot is correct CONSISTANTLY than there is need for adjustment of the meter in my opinion.

[R_Fredrick_Smith]

RFS i completely agree with you... however if i shoot a PV target and the white is over exposed on my histogram and my handheld shows the exposure i shot is correct CONSISTANTLY than there is need for adjustment of the meter in my opinion.

Right. I was a workshop once where there were at least 7 different meters in use. ON a give scene all 7 gave different readings. So much for consistency among meters. I think that whenever someone acquires a meter, they need to calibrate it. The best way, is with histogram target method and Photoshop. Ultimately you want the shot made in the camera to have the best histogram it can have in Photoshop. So you need some thorough testing to work this out.
Cheers,
rfs

[Brennans_Photography]

Originally Posted by R_Fredrick_Smith

I then generally re-adjust to move the three spikes as far right as I can in the histogram. That then becomes the exposure for the scene.

Cheers,
rfs

RFS,
Now I'm a little confused. You want the spikes as far right as possible? So, it's the right spike as far right without touching the end, correct? I was trying to put the middle spike in the middle of the histogram, which would move the right spike to the left a little.

Can you explain why you go to the right?

Thanks again!

Pete

[Stecyk]

Originally Posted by Brennans_Photography

RFS,
Now I'm a little confused. You want the spikes as far right as possible? So, it's the right spike as far right without touching the end, correct? I was trying to put the middle spike in the middle of the histogram, which would move the right spike to the left a little.

Can you explain why you go to the right?

Thanks again!

Pete

Some believe that "exposing to the right" allows you take full advantage of the bits and bytes. That is, more information is contained at the brighter end.

You can read this article which explains it in much greater detail.

http://tinyurl.com/2hebo

So what RFS is doing with his target, which I also use, is two things: 1) setting the color balance (which has nothing to do with exposing to the right), and 2) ensuring that he is getting the best exposure without clipping those parts he doesn't want clipped.

[Brennans_Photography]

Where is the article? I don't see a link or anything.

Pete

[Mark_Oehler]

RFS: you had written that, "ON a give scene all 7 gave different readings." Were all the meters set to meter on the same stop granularity (1/2, 1/3. full)? If so, that seems like in the best case scenerio the meters would have spanned 7/3 (or 2-1/3) stops. That's amazing.

[Mark_Oehler]

RFS: I don't have a target like the one on that photo you provided, earlier in this post. I thought they were set to have the white to be zone (I, V and IX). Is that a bad assumption? If not, why is the middle spike off-center from the highlight and shadow?

Thanks.