spot or eval metering? outdoor portraits

[photomatt8]

Should I use Spot or Evaluative metering when shooting outdoor portraits. Some close up head shots, head and shoulders, and full body.

[egordon99]

Yes

[photomatt8]

which one, in which cases?

[egordon99]

OK, in all seriousness, finding the perfect exposure is usually a compromise since a typical scene's dynamic range often exceeds the sensor's dynamic range. So if you spot meter on your subjects face, you may very well blow out the rest of the scene (or underexpose the rest of the scene), so you really need to evaluate each scene on it's own and determine the best way to "properly" expose the important elements in the scene.

[egordon99]

Me, I just keep it on Evaluative. Seems to work fine for me, if I'm dealing with a subject in shade and a bright background, I'll expose for the background, and use fill-flash at -1/3FEC on the subject.

[rral22]

Me, I don't like Evaluative. Evaluative seems too complex for me to understand and predict. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. So I tend to use Center Weighted Average most of the time, and Spot the rest. It boils down to knowing what I will get in advance. Evaluative tricks me too often.

The more complex and contrasty the light, the more I use Spot.

[photoguy6405]

For me, with close-ups and head shots I prefer spot metering.

[airfrogusmc]

I only meter in the spot mode.

[bobbyz]

Use a light meter and based on that use manual exposure.

[Moppie]

Should I use Spot or Evaluative metering when shooting outdoor portraits. Some close up head shots, head and shoulders, and full body.


There is no "Best" only what is best for YOU.

Your own understanding of metering, your own shooting style, your own way of interpreting a scene, and calucluting the "correct" exposure to achive your vision will determine which metering mode you feel most comfortable using.

Once you understand all of the different modes, and how they work, and what thier strengths and weakness are, then you can better deciede which one you like the most.



I find the spot meter works best for me.
I tend to meter the whole scene, and then find an exposure that best shows the elements I am interested in. By using the spot meter I can meter those sperate elements on thier own.

[robsk8ter247]

I always use spot metering.

[DanteCaspian]

I have been using spot on 80% of shot as of late. Started doing this so I can understand complex or mixed zones.
Using the zone system manually, I meter several areas myself and "figure out" the balance to get what I want... well, sometimes, but I am getting better, and quicker. Other 20% is centre, my old comfort zone.
The smaller the area of metering, for photos with various zones, the more intuition through understanding you need.

[AndreaBFS]

Haven't been out of spot metering since my 40D arrived 7 months ago. :)