Re: PHOTO-3D digest 1356

[P3D Gregory J. Wageman <gjw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob H writes:

>If this keeps up I will have to bring up the wonderful Sunny16 rule 
>invented by Jack Tucker of Kodak Research Labs, but named that by the 
>photo press. It (shoot shutter set at film speed with f/16 in full sun 
>at your back) gives perfect exposures if you learn the offsets which 
>correspond to those in the old Kodak guides. e.g. beach, sunny, sunny 
>bright, cloudy, dull, shade etc. The reason it works (much like an 
>incident light meter) is that the sun gives almost constant illumination 
>of the earth if unobscured and when well up (10am to 3pm??). Differences 
>can be figured easily.

First, you're talking about sunlit pictures.  Outside, sunlit subjects
are NOT the only kind I like to shoot!  Second, the midday light you mention
is the least interesting kind of light in which to shoot, IMO.  I love the
late afternoon, shadowy light that gives everything more (dare I say it)
depth.  Finally, call me a quiche-eating photographer, but I don't like
to have to be constantly making mental calculations to compute aperture.
I much prefer to meter one or two spots (more if necessary), "dial in" my
preferred shutter speed and have the "right" f-number pop out.  If God
intended man to do math, he wouldn't have invented the microchip!

Seriously, though, I don't intend any put-downs of anyone who has mastered
the art of reading the light by eye.  More power to you all.  May your
shutters never be slow and may your hands never shake!  I just don't want
any newbies or would-be's to get the idea that *everyone* *should* be
able to do this and get consistantly excellent results.  If it were true,
they'd never have started putting meters into cameras in the first place.

(Next thing you'll be telling me you always shoot on "Bulb" and time the
exposure by ear.  Sheesh. :-)

	-Greg


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