Light Meters

[droyz2000]

I have been working at a photo studio for about 3 months. I would say that it is a step up from JC Penny's or similar but it is no where close to a private studio in terms of quality. While I have been there, not once have I seen or been able to use a light meter, which can make for some crappy shots. I was wondering it is common practice in studios to not use a light meter and just use the screen on the back of the camera to see if your lighting is good?

 

[Sideburns]

they probably never even change their exposure unless the background changes...
and the settings are probably written down on a card somewhere.

 

[droyz2000]

You may think that and while that is a good idea, they do not have anything written down. We are told that 1/60 and F11 are what we are to shoot at all the time and just adjust the lights to fit those specs. I have started to shoot and am left taking a picture looking at it on the camera and trying to adjust my lights so that I get the correct exposure for 60 and 11. Because the screen is so small it is difficult to tall how off the lights can be.

 

[Big Mike]

If nothing changes, as far as position of the subject and lights...there would be little need to change the exposure settings.

I have a light meter, I use it to get a base reading when I set up my lights...but after a few test shot, I just use the LCD screen to see what I'm getting and adjust accordingly. Note that I don't necessarily use the image to evaluate...I use the histogram.

 

[JerryPH]

I've used the histogram here and there to see where to make minor changes, but since I have started to practice more with studio strobes, I've come to better know and understand the kind of histogram that I can associate with a properly exposed pic as I see it in the camera's LCD.

Another vote for the histogram and LCD method.

 

[Garbz]

Note that I've never worked in a studio before so this is just pure opinion of an ignorant fool, but I no longer see a use for light metres. Even studios these days shoot with digital backs what's wrong with setting up the light pushing the button and checking the results? People who use light metres probably come from a non-digital background where it was necessary but this isn't the case today unless you're still shooting some form of film.

 

[droyz2000]

I completely agree with what Big Mike is say however, we move the lights and the people all over the place in the studio. Everything is constantly changing as we change what backgrounds we use. I guess it would not be such a concern but the people who have worked at this studio for years still do not get consistently proper exposures.

 

[Flash Harry]

Then a light meter would be a big help, yes meters were indispensable when shooting film and Big Mike with his setup and knowledge will adjust accordingly for a good exposure but I doubt he transgresses much from the metered reading, but in the situation you describe with changing backdrops and moving your subjects you should still use one for your base exposure, now you can chimp till you get it right, but whats the point, a $200 flash meter, plug in, press button and you'll get a reading from your subject or whatever for a correct exposure, bang these settings in the camera and off you go. H

 

[droyz2000]

That is all I am trying to suggest. A light meter would save time for everyone because with one push you can get spot on what you need to shoot at, instead of narrowing down with a couple of shots.

 

[Flash Harry]

correct, you cant teach your granny how to suck eggs, as they say. H

 

[Alpha]

A flash meter with a 1 degree spot attachment is absolutely freakin killer for really precise portraits.

 

[Digital Matt]

Digital has less latitude than film. It's crucial if you want a high quality portrait to have a flash meter, and to have it calibrated to your camera. You need a precise exposure when dealing with faces and skin, if you want the end product to be high quality, especially when factoring in retouching and other special effects. Professional portrait photographers do not use the back of the camera, or a laptop screen to take portraits. They use a well calibrated flash meter, and check their metering often. It's a very simple process, and once again, getting things correct in camera is always best.

As a side note, a histogram is useless in a portrait setup with multiple lights. There is no substitute for metering each light and setting up correct ratios.

 

[JerryPH]

In the film world you had to set the ISO based on the specific ISO film in the camera, therefore a lightmeter (set to the ISO of your film) was a good investment and needed all the time.

Even if you had a newer film camera with an integrated exposure meter, it was needed for when you used a flash.

Todays dSLR cameras can meter light very well... and we can do one thing that the film camers cannot easily do... and that is to change ISO based on our needs with a simple flick of a switch. The film people could "push" the ISO +1 or -1 but if they went more than that, they introduced quality issues.

Last night at a party I was going from ISO 100 using a flash to ISO 800 in a semi-dark part of the club where I did not want to use the flash. You cannot do that successfully unless you swap to a different roll in film.

 

[Helen B]

I find it a lot faster to set lights up with a meter. You decide beforehand what ISO and what aperture you want, then you adjust each light relative to that, then you fine tune them. You don't need a spot meter for portraits using flash, just an incident meter.

Best,
Helen

 

[Alpha]

I never said you need a spot meter. I said I think it's great for portrait work b/c you can really precisely meter different parts of the body, or particular skin tones.