anyone who doesn't use a light meter with off-camera lighting?

[paraau]

how do you do it? i can't afford a light meter.... my lighting equipment includes a monolight and two flashes (not canon, no communication with camera). what i do is a first guess at the lights, then i keep adjusting and taking test shots until i get it where i think it's "right". not efficient at all ehehehe anyone here have tips for me? help!

[craiglee]

sounds fine to me

[Mr_Bester]

You could tie a string to the light stand, figure out the exposure and then repeat in the future. That would keep the distance from light to subject the same every time.

[Papa Carlo]

You could tie a string to the light stand, figure out the exposure and then repeat in the future. That would keep the distance from light to subject the same every time.
It does work in a professional studio where you want to take a picture of a subject always in the same pose, and the same lighting. Passport photos for example . Once you have to divert from the usual route ( for example a subject has blonde hair) all your previous measurements are of no use.

[Brett]

The Strobist blog has some great tips for manually setting flash and balancing ambient with flash. (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-balancing-flash-and.html)

[simply amazing]

i dont use a light meter either. i just fire test shots and look at the histogram every time until i feel that the exposure is right

[Perry Ge]

Chimp your histogram.

What I also do is take an image, download it, and then look at it on both my monitor (which is calibrated) and the LCD, and I adjust my LCD brightness and repeat, tweaking picture style until the image on the LCD is pretty close to what I get on my monitor.

[Papa Carlo]

i dont use a light meter either. i just fire test shots and look at the histogram every time until i feel that the exposure is right
Lightmeter is not always about the exposure, it is more about setting your lights right.

[Mr_Bester]

It does work in a professional studio where you want to take a picture of a subject always in the same pose, and the same lighting. Passport photos for example . Once you have to divert from the usual route ( for example a subject has blonde hair) all your previous measurements are of no use.

Though, if you know that this light at 8feet gives you f7.1, then that light at 8 feet in any direction will give you f7.1. It's not strictly for position. If you have 2 of the same light, set one at 8 feet and the other at about 12ft and you have a 2:1 ratio.

Once you do it enough, you can get a good ball park on your first shot.

[GenuineRolla]

You'll get used to chimping man. You don't need a light meter. Just take a few test shots and adjust as needed. After a while you'll be able to guess it pretty well and it won't take you long at all to figure things out.

[paraau]

thanks everyone!

[Trusted Images]

I have to ask what may be a stupid question...what does chimp mean? Sorry I'm new to photgraphy and strobes at this level.

[DDCSD]

I have to ask what may be a stupid question...what does chimp mean? Sorry I'm new to photgraphy and strobes at this level.

It means to check your image and/or histogram on your camera's LCD.

Welcome to the world of photography and to POTN!!! You've come to the right place to learn.

[Big Mike]

I have a flash meter but usually only use it to get close to start with (it's old and cheap and I don't trust it 100%). I primarily use the histogram for exposure checking and the image to see the ratio I'm getting.

The 21st Century Light Meter (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml)

[Papa Carlo]

I have to ask what may be a stupid question...what does chimp mean? Sorry I'm new to photgraphy and strobes at this level.
"Chimping" ( loking at the LCD screen after you took a picture) is a word used by some photographers to somehow show their superiority. Literally they consider themselves so good that they know exactly what is there and there is no need for it. Basically it is the same as saying "I can speak on a cellphone while driving so I am a better driver" :-)

[DDCSD]

"Chimping" ( loking at the LCD screen after you took a picture) is a word used by some photographers to somehow show their superiority. Literally they consider themselves so good that they know exactly what is there and there is no need for it. Basically it is the same as saying "I can speak on a cellphone while driving so I am a better driver" :-)

I say chimp because I'm too lazy to type out or say "reviewing the images and histogram after taking my shot" every time I want to convey that thought. Not because I think I'm better than anyone else because I keep my chimping to a minimum.

[hawk911]

another option, better than chimping the 2 or 3 inch screen is to shoot tethered and look at the images on a calibrated monitor.

[sdipirro]

Another thing I do is have several different setups for specific types of photos. When I have everything the way I like it for those types of shots, I use my trusty pencil and paper to write down some notes! What a dinosaur, I know. So I have several of these configurations I can set up. Then it's only when I want to experiment with lighting do I need a meter or the histogram (and several attempts) to get it right.

[fredlef]

Chiming? That's because you look at the image on the camera LCD and go - oo oo oo

[DDCSD]

Another thing I do is have several different setups for specific types of photos. When I have everything the way I like it for those types of shots, I use my trusty pencil and paper to write down some notes! What a dinosaur, I know. So I have several of these configurations I can set up. Then it's only when I want to experiment with lighting do I need a meter or the histogram (and several attempts) to get it right.

They still make paper? ;)

[nadtz]

They still make paper? ;)

In tehcnospeak that would be 'and I take notes on my laptop/netbook' =)

[Papa Carlo]

Though, if you know that this light at 8feet gives you f7.1, then that light at 8 feet in any direction will give you f7.1. It's not strictly for position. If you have 2 of the same light, set one at 8 feet and the other at about 12ft and you have a 2:1 ratio.

Once you do it enough, you can get a good ball park on your first shot.
Not good. You should never change the ligth intensity by moving the light closer or farther, there is a power regulator for that. You should move the lights only to achieve a desired lighting effect, such as softness, coverage, etc.

[Chris&jess]

It may help for you to know your guide number since GN=Distance x f-stop. Although, by mixing up strobes with different GN, or including your monolight, your situation will be more complicated.
Chris