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Charles K. Tufuor		Using a light meter How do you use a light meter to get the right setting for your light? Can you use it for both strobe lights and regular flash? How is each one of these done? To love this question, log in above February 22, 2011

John H. Siskin		Hi Charles, The first thing to understand is what light meters were designed for. They were designed to improve the quality of the guess you made about exposure. When I used film I used a meter because it saved me money. I would use the meter at the subject so that I read the light falling on the subject. When I understood the reading, how much light was coming from where, I would take a Polaroid test so that I could see the light. The meter reduced the number of Polaroids I shot, at about $3 a piece. People treat the meter as if it is always right; it’s not. I have seen students turn in shots with bad light, and tell me it is right because they metered it. The exposure might be right, but the light is wrong. You are better off NOT using a meter. Guess at the first exposure, examine the results, and make an improved guess. You will be much better off if you tether your camera to a laptop, so that you can examine a larger image. Strobes make light by running a park through a tube of xenon gas, a flash like an SB900 or a 580 EXII make light exactly the same way, so a strobe meter will read both of them. Let me suggest a plan for seeking the right exposure: 1) set the shutter speed to the sync speed, 2) set the aperture to your middle aperture, whatever that is on the lens you are using, 3) take a picture, it will be wrong, 4) move the aperture dial to let in more or less light based on test exposure 1, you can look at the histogram to help determine how much to change the aperture, but the proof image should tell you if you need to change a lot or a little. If you are using more than one light consider the balance of the lights. 5) more test exposures and changes of light placement and light power until the strobes are right, 6) change shutter speed to balance values between existing light and strobe light, this will require more test pictures. This same technique will work if you are mixing strobes and daylight. This was why the Polaroid bill was so high with film cameras, but with digital these test exposures are free, so we should not be afraid to make them. If you practice this you will actually end up being able to find the right exposure quite quickly. Thanks, John Siskin To love this comment, log in above February 23, 2011

- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery		Look at it as somebody who makes quality, well designed wood furniture. All the wood has to be measured before it's cut. You have a one meter measuring tape, but that doesn't mean you make all pieces one meter. Or even the same size. You have to know how to make certain shapes, what shapes and angels compliment each other, how have a piece of furniture have a certain look, feel, or mood to it instead of a boxy, funny looking chair made up of same sized pieces of wood. As far as how you actually use a light meter for a flash. You can either attach a cord from the flash to the meter and hold the meter at the location or object that you want the flash to light, and you use the meter to set off the flash. The meter makes a reading of the light. Or if you can't or don't want to connect the meter to the flash with a cord, with some meters(probably all newer ones now) you can push a button on the meter, and the meter will wait for a flash. When you trigger the flash, the meter will make a reading of the light. To love this comment, log in above February 24, 2011

Charles K. Tufuor		Thanks John and Gregory for your pieces of information. I will try the meter and see how best it helps me. To love this comment, log in above February 24, 2011

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