How do you manage your camera mode and metering mode?

When I cover an event e.g. a wedding, I tend to use the following modes:

Camera mode: Av (most widely used), Tv (for fast moving subjects), M (for flash)
Metering mode: Spot

I have tried evaluative (matrix) mode but I find that spot metering gives me better results especially in very contrasty scenes (e.g. on a beach with very reflective sand background). I spot meter on the subject face. However, it takes a longer time to take shots with spot metering as I have to meter, then re-frame the shot. This is a problem especially in fast moving events.

Please share, from your experience, how you manage your camera mode and metering mode in the field. I hope to learn from your experiences and improve my technique. Many thanks!

In constant lighting, I shoot in M mode.
In dynamic lighting, I am usually in Av mode.

I use evaluative/matrix metering most of the time. I usually know when and how much to under/over expose given the scene.

Nick, in evaluative mode, how do you decide how much under/over exposureto use? Could you give some examples? Thanks

I use AV, I like to control the DOF. Metering mode depends on the lighting. Learning to read the lighting is makes a photographer stand out. Learning to read light take experience, just shoot in all kinds of light and watch the histogram.

Mark

mrmarks wrote in post #10321191
Nick, in evaluative mode, how do you decide how much under/over exposureto use? Could you give some examples? Thanks

It really comes down to knowing how your camera meters in these metering modes. Each camera model meters a little differently in my experience at least.

The basic thought process still applies. In brighter scenes you need to overexpose and for darker scenes you need to underexpose. Those are fundamentals IMO. How much do you under/over expose is up to your experience and how much you know your camera.