metering

[blinking8s]

ok, so I am now taking intermediate photography and my teacher and the fellow students are all about this whole grey card hardcore metering and stuff...

buuuut...ive never used one, or even seen a proper one till now, and ive never had any complaints about my prints to date when it comes to my exposure. Occasionally the sky is a little white and I need to burn a lot to save it, and it would be nice to just take the darn pic correctly the first time around. Its completely thrown me off, the other day I went downtown with a girl from my class to shoot some pics and I couldnt set my 35mm up to save my life, I didnt have a clue what to do cause so much thought was going through my head.

Some of the students pulled out their grey card and god some random readings, NO WAY it could be correct...I dont have a clue about the grey card though other than its how the camera reads the light

Any advice on metering? What is the best way to use a grey card?

and sorry if this is in the wrong section

[slejhamer]

It is time for you to take "The Gray Card Walk" (starts about 1/2-way down this very informative article):

http://home.nc.rr.com/tspadaro/The_Grey_Card.html

Yeah, this should probably be in "talk about photography" since it's general enough for everyone. :)

[defordphoto]

I agree. :)

[Olegis]

I want to recommend this excellent article from The Luminous landscape - http://luminous-landscape.com/columns/determining-exposure.shtml . It explains how to determine the dynamic range of the camera and how to obtain the best exposures based on that. Very useful.

[stopbath]

All the grey card does is remove any variance the scene or subject might impart on the scene. Imagine shooting a black square, a white square and a 18% grey square (seperate shots). Since the camera only meters for 18% grey, which will be accurate without screwing about? The 18% grey. The white and black cards meter readings would need to be adjusted to how many stops they are away from 18% grey (something the camera can not know).

Rarely is a subject prefectly 18%, but most scenes average out to "about" 18%...

[blinking8s]

i shoot black and white with my 35mm...so the grey card would compensate for the fact that normally my camera is adjusting for the highlights causing the whites (ie t shirt) to be grey when developed/printed....errr...oh well

thanks for the links...i just have to learn how to use it accurately

[scottbergerphoto]

Frequently you either don't have or can't place an 18% Grey Card next to your subject, or they are in different lighting then you are in. If you follow these simple steps you don't need one.

Your camera meter is set up to make whatever it sees, black, white and all shades in between, 18% Grey. That is called a "Normal Exposure". Test it out for yourself. Put your camera on P and fill the viewfinder with a black, then white then grey objects. They will all look grey. You need to get to a "Correct Exposure" or what the image should actually look like.
In a simplified Zone System, you use your camera on partial or spot metering to fill the partial/spot metering circle with a major tone(your reference tone) in the subject. A tone that is the most prominent or most important in the image. Take a reading in Manual Mode. Be sure to fill the partial/spot metering circle with that tone. Then adjust your Normal Reading based on the difference between the reference tone you selected and 18% Grey

Black(4.5%)- Dark Grey(9%)- 18%Grey- Light Grey(36%)- White(72%)

From the above, select the tone your reference tone is closest to. Adjust your "Normal Exposure" based on where the reference tone you selected is in relation to 18% Grey. For Black, reduce the exposure by 2 stops, Dark Grey, reduce by 1 stop, etc. In a simplified Zone System, white is two stops from 18% Grey. To get a Correct Exposure for white, you need to open up your aperture or slow your shutter speed by two stops. Each tone listed represents one stop.
The principle is that if one of the major tones in a subject is correctly exposed, the rest will all fall into line.

Regards,
Scott

[blinking8s]

awesome post!

with my 35mm we are instructed to change the iso speed, if we are shooting 400 speed then knock it down to 200..then over or under develope from there, closing the range of exposure in the picture...its a bit foggy in my head, but it makes sense

Ansel Adams has a lot to do with the zone system...so I've been told

scott i do have a few questions, but I will post them after i get some sleep

[scottbergerphoto]

Thank you. I would be happy to help.
I also suggest you pick up Farzad's, The Confused Photographers Guide to Photographic Exposure and the Simpllified Zone System"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966081714/qid=1095421055/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/102-5799497-8224116
Regards,
Scott

[smudge]

Wow, I've just learned more in one article, than I have in two books.
Thank you Slejhamer, for the 'Grey Card Walk' link.