Exposure compensation for very dark skin?

For taking candid portraits in mixed groups; mainly head shots: How do you deal with the different skin shades and especially with really dark, almost black skin. Do you use exposure compensation? If yes, how much?

Very tough issue. Very dark complexions really cause problems. I'd say expose for good skin tone (i.e., accurate) and shadow detail and let white clothing go. Don't turn a black person into a milk chocolate person. It's tough!

Practice practice practice. Also consider taking multiple shots where you expose for different members in the group. One is bound to be close enough to look good for everyone.

How are you intending on metering? Can you meter a gray card or have access to an incident meter? Either should give you the correct exposure. Anybody in the frame, white or black would then be correctly exposed. Heck, spot meter a piece of white paper and add 2 to 2 1/3 stops, that should get you there.

Meter a grey card (or use a hand held light meter) . That should get you pretty spot on, if the lighting is even on your subject.

starlights wrote in post #14260582
Meter a grey card (or use a hand held light meter) . That should get you pretty spot on, if the lighting is even on your subject.

That's exactly the problem in my last shoot. The location was indoors, with light coming from the windows (sunset) and some lightbulbs (colored ones - how difficult can they make it to take pictures!). People were moving and I was taking candid shots. Not even close to even lighting and a very heterogeneous crowed from all over the world. I struggled to capture all different skin tones adequately.
Thanks for all the advice - I really need to practice practice practice....