Attitudes towards exposure

[hiorgos]

Bump for this thread, really interesting.

Started to use a Rolleicord, such a wonderful thing!, but I'm finding it weird to use it with a lightmeter. It feels like it's all about guessing your exposure, compared with the precision you get with digital cameras, where you can even "fine tune" that extra half stop later on with the computer.

I fairly understand the light zones, but that brings me more doubts. 🙂 I do bring a notebook along to record all what I'm doing with each picture..

How do you "fine tune" your values when using a lightmeter? Is bracketing really needed or is it ok to miss the exposure for 1 stop with negative film?

 

[anitasanger]

I'd like to say that this is an extraordinary photo. Well done!

Most of times, I just set exposure when I get out of building, get into a shade, subway stations, etc and point & shoot. Even when I carry a camera with built in lightmeter, I set exposure beforehand and often ignore what lightmeter says when I actually aim (if I aim) and shoot.

I usually don't carry lightmeter although I have one. I use lightmeter when I'm shooting medium format for still life or portrait. If I'm in doubt, I tend to go over exposing side to be safe.

I wouldn't have captured something like this if I was metering.

M2.

 

[taskoni]

I am guesstimating my exposures but carry a spot meter and light meter most of the time.
Regards,
b.

 

[Chris101]

I never voted in this poll, because the choices are too limited. My answer would be:

I use the technique that is appropriate to the photo I am exposing.​

For example, using an un-metered Leica for spontaneous street shooting, I rely on memory and quick analytical guestimation. For portraiture, architecture and landscape, I take a couple meter readings and shoot until the scene and/or light changes. In the studio, I meter carefully to be sure exactly what each light is contributing to the total exposure.

Lately I have been shooting pulled delta film with Program mode, so it comes out, no matter what. With digital, I rely completely on Nikon's Matrix Metering system. With compensation as needed.

 

[thegman]

With my AE cameras I shoot exclusively AE and generally get very accurate exposure. With my unmetered 'blad, I meter as accurately as I can as I tend to shoot slide film. I never "guesstimate" except for long exposure, and my eye for Sunny 16 is nowhere near good enough, probably not even for negative film.

 

[starless]

Depends on the situation, where you are, what you are doing.

But basically I would estimate the correct exposure under the current lighting and from it I would derive the exposures for all possible situations under the same condition.

Let's say I am on the beach, sunny day:

I know that if I am shooting with the sun behind me (subjects lit from the front) my exposure with 200iso film would be 1/500 f11. So from this I know if the light falls from the side at 90 degrees, I need to open up one stop, or if shooting against the sun, open up 2 stops.

Sometimes I would want to adjust +- 1/2 stop depending on the angle of the light or something in the shot.

The good thing about film (especially Trix) is that even if you are off by a stop or two, you would still get usable negatives.

 

[ajmartinez]

I went with the least common of the options because none of them really fit me. I've gone backwards, I suppose. Starting with a camera lacking a meter (none of my film cameras have built in meters), and going only on Sunny 16. This was sufficient, even for slide film, in the majority of situations in which I found myself. Eventually, I traded off some equipment I never used for some more equipment I figured I'd never really use (extension tubes traded for a light meter). I've used the light meter, but it's only confirmed what I thought the exposure should be in my head.

 

[paulfish4570]

i run the r2m without meter batteries, so exposure is sunny 16.

 

[Stuart John]

I just guess based on sunny 16. If it is nice weather not burning sunshine 1/100 F8 seem to be good enough with ISO100 film reduce development by about 20-30% from manufactures recomended time. It all just kind of works good enough. I don't really worry about it the film have more than enough latitude.

 

[n5jrn]

Depends. If the camera has a meter, I generally trust it, unless there's something in the scene that's obviously going to fool the meter into recommending a bad exposure.

If the camera has no meter, I'll guess based on the ultimate exposure calculator if the lighting isn't too strange or difficult, or if I have no meter handy. It the lighting is strange or difficult, out comes the meter (assuming it's with me).

 

[umcelinho]

I started shooting without a meter when I began using TLRs which had no meter. I used a sunny 16 exposure guide and read it before every shot. With time, I started paying more attention to the light conditions and the settings I was using, and with practice I can now shoot an entire roll with very different light conditions and not miss a shot due to bad exposure. Of course sometimes it's a bit over or under, but not enough to compromise. It's pretty rewarding. I've started shooting meterless around 9 months ago.

 

[Vics]

I used to be in the middle category, then noticed that lots of people made better-looking pictures than I did. Boy, was I surprised! After some research on my own, I began "exposing for the shadows" and taking care of the highlights by shooting in better light. That has made a big difference in my pictures, but there still seem to be one or two photographers who are better than I am.

 

[Brian Puccio]

I use my M6's built in meter to meter off my hand and leave it until I think the light changed. I would love an incident meter one of these days. I shoot almost exclusively slide film.