P3D Re: Sunny 16 rule, baaaaah

["Grant C. Campos" <gccampos@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just had to respond:)

Tom's method of pointing your light meter at your hand might works pretty well,
but since we're picking nits:) . . .

For those who are relatively new to photography:  I use to take my Uncle Hugh's
old GE light meter and just point it in the general direction of what I was taking
a picture of and set my camera to whatever the meter said.  Sometimes it worked
and sometimes it didn't.  First thing I found out was that my old GE light meter
used a slightly different scale (ASA 100 film was ASA 125 on the meter), and
secondly that a light meter is set up to correctly expose a particular shade of
gray.  For Example,  If I point my light meter at a dark Navy Blue wall and set my
camera accordingly, the picture will make that end up being as bright as that
special shade of gray; the picture will be over exposed.  If I point it at a white
wall, the setting will cause my picture to be that same brightness of that
standard (#18?) gray; it will be underexposed.

So remember, if you happen to have #18 gray skin, you're very lucky.  The rest of
us need to go out and buy a gray card if we want accurate exposure.

However, I'm hoping that the more I do this sort of thing, I will be able to just
point my meter at the the whole area and think, "Is this area brighter or darker
than that gray card, and if so, how much should I deviate from the meter setting
to capture the right mood."

Grant

Tom wrote:

> Any beginner can purchase a $20 meter, and point it at his/her hand.
> Unlike "sunny 16", it works indoors, when it's overcast, before and after
> noon, in the shade, with different speed films.  And you don't need to keep a
> cheat sheet in your pocket to fudge the exceptions.
>


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