Let's hear how you meter with your GND.

[grizzy]

Pretty much what the title says...for those out there that use a Graduated Neutral Density filter how do you meter the scene.

What's your technique?

Thanks!

[jdizzle]

I usually meter for the foreground.

[karfeef]

generally you would take a reading from the forground, and the sky, work out how many stops difference there is, and choose a ND grad to suit - and then use the settings for the forground. that should give you a perfectly exposed image all across.

[Jim G]

I use manual mode and meter off the histogram - I use the foreground as a starting point.

[grizzy]

So are all you obviously metering without the GND on?

[jdizzle]

Yes meter without the GND first. Than do the reading for the sky and foreground and determine the number if stops. If it's apporximately 2 stops, use a 2 stop filter. If it's 3 stops use a 3 stop filter. I usually use a 2 or 3 stop GND most of the time.

[argyle]

I use manual mode and meter off the histogram - I use the foreground as a starting point.

Ditto. After a while, you'll get pretty adept at just metering the scene in your head...it becomes second nature.

As far as figuring the number of stops difference between foreground and background, and then selecting a matching filter...be careful when doing this. The sky is always brighter than the foreground...using a 3-stop filter with 3-stops difference will end up with the fore/back looking the same as far as intensity goes. I'll generally pick a filter that's one stop less than the difference to ensure that the sky stays brighter (as long as I don't blow anything out).

[wallybud]

Ditto. After a while, you'll get pretty adept at just metering the scene in your head...it becomes second nature.

As far as figuring the number of stops difference between foreground and background, and then selecting a matching filter...be careful when doing this. The sky is always brighter than the foreground...using a 3-stop filter with 3-stops difference will end up with the fore/back looking the same as far as intensity goes. I'll generally pick a filter that's one stop less than the difference to ensure that the sky stays brighter (as long as I don't blow anything out).

+1

I'll generally pick a filter that's one stop less than the difference to ensure that the sky stays brighter (as long as I don't blow anything out)

- I am learning little things like this as I go along...;)