09/12/2013 1:00 PM EST - Using a Light Meter for Better Portraits
Metering 101: Back to Basics, Part 1
“Why should I bother about using a light meter? My camera does all that for me!”
All photographers are story tellers. And our stories are told with light. Your camera can often get the exposure right, but that has nothing to do with the story you want to tell. We are going to explore how light works. How to shape it, control it, and how measuring it makes this all possible. You might be surprised to find out that it is really simple to do. We’ll show you how to use a light meter to unlock the secrets to crafting a great image.
In this first of two sessions, host Joe Brady will show you how to use a light meter to get the best pictures with both available light and studio strobes. The following session will focus how to use a light meter for Landscapes and the challenges facing any photographer who wants to capture the best possible digital file.
With this focus on portraiture, Joe will show you how to correctly set up and position a light meter. Learn when to raise or lower the incident reading dome, how to measure multiple lights, how to craft lighting ratios and how skin tone and reflectance will affect your exposure decisions.
A light meter is always a benefit when shooting available light. It’s a necessity when shooting with flash and studio lights. If you want to produce consistent professional results, learning how to use a light meter will help you to get the gear out of the way and allow you to focus on capturing beautiful photographs.
If you’re interested in crafting better portraits, join us for this free presentation sponsored by Sekonic - it will be time well spent!
Equipment list
Sekonic L-478DR
Sekonic L-308S
Sekonic L-758DR
Sony a-99 Camera with 24-70mm
X-Rite ColorChecker Grayscale
X-Rite ColorChecker Gray Balance
X-Rite ColorChecker Passport
1 Bowens Gemini GM400RX strobe light
1 Bowens Lumiair Softbox 80x100cm
2 Bowens streamlite 330s (CFL bulb)
PocketWizard PlusIII w/ pre-release trigger
