Mailinglist Archives:
Infrared
Panorama
Photo-3D
Tech-3D
Sell-3D
MF3D
|
|
Notice |
This mailinglist archive is frozen since May 2001, i.e. it will stay online but will not be updated.
|
|
Practical outdoor use of light meters
I've been reading all the comments in the last several digests about
the need, or not, of light meters to judge exposures for shooting
stereo slides with 50's stereo cameras. Here's my two cents:
Most of my photos are taken outdoors. I rarely have problems with the
envisioned results, when the existing light is Sunny bright (reflected
sand/snow), Sunny (Sunny 1/16 rule), Hazy sun, Bright overcast or open
shade. I don't need a meter to help me under those conditions.
When I enter the Twilight Zone of exposure (below open shade), I NEED
A LIGHT METER! My eyes get accustomed to the shaded environment
(usually a wooded area, for the places I like to be), and my meterless
judgment, as to how much light exists, goes awry. I am jealous of
anyone who can say they can still evaluate lighting under such
conditions. I simply can't do it. And that's why I carry a
relatively inexpensive Gossen Scout II meter in my camera bag.
Anyone viewing Expo 2 will see a stereo slide I took of a deer just
into the edge of a wooded area. My judgment would have been to shoot
at f/5.6 at 1/25 sec. using Fuji Velvia (ISO 50). My meter indicated
at least 2 stops lower. I trusted the meter and still bracketed a
stop above and below the meter reading. The result was that I got a
shot I deemed worthy enough to include in Expo. Without the meter,
the half dozen or so slides I took would resulted in all toss outs.
Going back to the Sunny 1/16 rule - if you're going to be critical on
your exposures, you probably want to bracket or use a meter under the
"easy to read" conditions at times, e.g., I'm thinking of that 8 to 10
AM period when you're tempted to shoot Sunny 1/16 because you are
obviously in a sunny cloudless situation. The correct exposure you
(actually "I") envision is typically a stop or more over the Sunny
rule.
I'm sure I haven't told any of the experienced meter carrying or "I
don't need a meter" experts anything they didn't already know, but I
believe the original post (now lost in antiquity) was from a newbie
wanting to know "Why a meter"? I hope my post is something that is
useful to him and others with the same question.
Allan
------------------------------
|