With spot metering, the camera will measure only a very small area of the scene (1–5% of the viewfinder area). By default this is the centre of the scene. The user can select a different off-centre spot or recompose by moving the camera after metering. Certain models support a mode which allows averaging of multiple spot meter readings, and some support metering of highlight and shadow areas.

Another example of the use of spot metering is photographing the moon. Other metering methods will increase overall exposure in an attempt to lighten the dark sky area, resulting in overexposure of the moon. Spot metering gives correct exposure of the moon and underexposes the rest of the scene which was dark already, so the low exposure is not noticeable. Spot metering may also be used for theatre photography, where brightly lit actors appear in a darkened auditorium. Spot metering is a method upon which the Zone System depends.

What ismetering

This mode meters a larger area than spot metering (around 10–15% of the entire frame), and is generally used when very bright or very dark areas on the edges of the frame would otherwise unduly influence the metering. As in spot metering, some cameras can use variable points for readings or use a fixed point in the centre of the viewfinder.

In this system, the meter concentrates on the central 60–80% of the scene. The balance is then "feathered" out towards the edges. This mode of exposure is less influenced by peripheral areas of the scene and is therefore well suited for photographs with subjects or objects of interest in the central part of the image. Some cameras allow the user to adjust the weight/balance of the central portion to the peripheral one. If the camera allows a user to move the focus point off the image center, metering will occur around the new focus location. Although promoted as a feature, center-weighted metering was originally a consequence of the meter reading from the focusing screen of SLR cameras. Light scatter from the focusing screen and proximity of the meter cell caused less sensitivity at the edges.

Next month, I’ll show how to manipulate your light and subject to remove glare from eye glasses. At the end of the series, we’ll compare each of the Elinchrom light shapers to each other. See you next month!

Meteringmodes

There is one constant rule of light that never changes, no matter which light shaper or light you use: the Inverse Square Law of Light. This means that the intensity of your light is inversely proportional to the square of the distance. In simple terms, if you move your light closer to your subject, you will overexpose the image and if you move your further from your subject, you will underexpose it. If you double the distance, you get ¼ the light; if you triple the distance, you get 1/9 the light. Doubling your distance requires adding two stops of power to your strobe whilst tripling the distance requires about 4 1/3 stops more power. Inversely, if you move your light closer, you are cutting power.

Some cameras allow the option of locking exposure when autofocus is achieved. In other cameras the AF point is not used for exposure calculation, and in such cases it is common for metering to default to a central point in the viewfinder, using a pattern based on that area. There is considerable variation among different manufacturers how multi-zone metering is implemented–even in the model range of the same brand–and how much priority is given to the AF point itself. Some "Scene" modes, such as sunset, sports and night exposures also often affect the calculations of this metering pattern.

Special thanks to Phil and RevPrint Studio (https://www.revprint.com) for the use of their space. Phil hosts workshops featuring Elinchrom gear via West Toronto Photography Group (https://www.wtpg.ngo/)

This month, I’ll demonstrate how distance between your light shaper and subject affects your images. I’ve often seen photographers set the position of their incorrectly for the type of image they want to create. For these images, I used one FIVE with the Silver Beauty Dish. As I moved the light further away, I also raised it so the light angle was consistent.

Share some of your favourite images where light distance affected your decision of where to place it on our Facebook page or tag us on Instagram #photonewscanada #elinchromlightshaper.

Clipping is reduced by using a high resolution metering sensor and analyzing each area for washed-out ("blown") highlights or underexposed shadows.[3] Although there are some similarities with multi-zone, matrix, or evaluative metering, this mode uses a high-resolution sensor for detailed detection and gives more weight to reduce clipping.[4]

Light meteringapp

In photography, the metering mode refers to the way in which a camera determines exposure. Cameras generally allow the user to select between spot, center-weighted average, or multi-zone metering modes. The different metering modes allow the user to select the most appropriate one for use in a variety of lighting conditions. In complex light situations professional photographers tend to switch to manual mode, rather than depending on a setting determined by the camera.

Will teaches photographers of all skill levels how to improve their craft – from creative photo projects to picking the right gear for their needs to flattering lighting to getting the best expressions to creating final images for screen and print. His unique style of highly detailed images with perfect tonality, wide dynamic range and stunning colour is instantly recognizable. Commercial clients rely on Will’s creative eye and mastery of lighting.

How do I determine how close I want my light? If it’s a headshot, I’ll opt for having my key light closer to soften the shadows and have the eyes pop more. This is especially helpful when you need to reduce the appearance of blemishes and shadows – a touch of fill light finishes this look. I’ll add a background light if I want to illuminate the background and also add rim and hair lights. I’ll show examples of these in future issues. If I’m photographing full length images, I’ll move my light back and out of the way. If I’m photographing low-ley images where I don’t want spill onto my background, I move my lights in. For high key images on white, I’ll move my light back.

Matrixmetering

A portrait, fine art and commercial photographer for 30 plus years, Will Prentice is not just a contributor to PHOTONews magazine, but also host of PHOTONewsTV, owner of Captura Photography+Imaging and Technical Support/Brand Manager for Amplis Foto, Canada’s largest distributor of photographic equipment.

Doesmeteringmode matter in manual

Many manufacturers keep their exact calculation methods confidential as proprietary information. A number of factors are taken into consideration, including: autofocus point, distance to subject, areas in or out of focus, colours/hues of the scene, and backlighting. Multi-zone tends to bias its exposure towards the autofocus point, thus ensuring that the point of interest has been exposed for properly. A database of thousands of exposures may be pre-stored in the camera, and the processor can use that information to determine what is being photographed.[2]

This will be easiest if we look at all three distances at once. To keep things simple, I measured out 2.5 feet from Maya’s face, then doubled that to 5 feet and doubled again to 10 feet.

Thankfully, strobe lights have a power range so you can adjust your light output appropriately to ensure consistent exposures no matter the distance from light shaper to subject. This is where having more powerful strobes, such as FIVE, comes in handy.

The first thing we notice is the fall-off onto the background – there’s very little light hitting the background with the FIVE so close to Maya but at 10 feet away, there’s fairly even illumination around the frame. This is to be expected as the beam of light is narrower near the FIVE and spreads predictably as the FIVE is moved further away from Maya.

What islight meteringin photography

The reason for this is your light shaper becomes a smaller light source as you move it away, from the perspective of your subject.

Welcome to the seventh installment of our new monthly that highlights a different Elinchrom Light Shaper or Lighting Technique, with sample images (full length and cropped headshots) and lighting diagrams. All the images were photographed with the same model and outfit (standing in the same spot on the background – about 3 feet away), the same day in the same blacked out studio, with the same strobes at the same height (forehead height) & distance (about 5 feet) from the model and the same camera setup. I tried to remove as many obstacles as possible so we can compare light shaper effects.

Light meteringcamera

When he’s not behind the camera or in front of a class, you’ll find Will outdoors in any weather – usually on one of his bikes or enjoying time with his grandchildren.

Center weightedmetering

Spot metering is not influenced by other areas in the frame. It is commonly used to shoot very high contrast scenes. For example, in a backlit situation a rising sun may be behind a person whose face will be much darker than the bright halo around the body and hairline. Spot metering allows the camera to measure the light reflected from the person's face and expose properly for that, instead of adjusting exposure for the much brighter light around the hairline. With the face properly exposed, the area around the back and hairline will become over-exposed. In many cases spot metering will over or underexpose a portion of the scene, so that the point of interest will be correctly exposed.

The reason I talk about this first is that often I won’t re-meter my light. If I’m bringing my light closer, I lower the power appropriately and vice versa if I move the light away. This comes in handy if you want to make slight adjustments to power output without changing the actual power output from the light – just slide it towards or away. But you have to understand how your image will be affected by these movements.

In this metering mode, the camera uses light information from the entire scene and creates an average for the final exposure setting, giving no weighting to any particular portion of the metered area. In some situations, such as a snowy landscape, this mode will result in underexposure by 2 f-stops or more, because the metering system attempts to darken an excessively bright scene.

Another benefit of having your light closer is that your model light is closer so your subject’s pupils close more to show more of their colourful irises. Catchlights will also show more detail of your light shaper.

I used an Elinchrom FIVE battery monolight triggered by the Elinchrom Transmitter Pro. My trusty Gossen Digisky light meter ensured consistent exposure values – it has an integrated Skyport transceiver to remotely trigger the FIVE. My Nikon D810 had a Tamron 85mm f/1.8 lens and all was mounted on a Vanguard VEO 3+ 263CB tripod. Camera settings are ISO64, f/8, 1/125s We used an Easiframe backdrop system with the Grey Texture backdrop. I tethered my camera into Capture One on my laptop with a Tether Pro USB-C to C cable and connected my laptop to a large screen TV with a TetherPro HDMI cable so we could review images on the big screen.

A portrait, fine art and commercial photographer for 30 plus years, Will Prentice is not just a contributor to PHOTONews magazine, but also host of PHOTONewsTV, owner of Captura Photography+Imaging and Technical Support/Brand Manager for Amplis Foto, Canada’s largest distributor of photographic equipment. Will teaches photographers of all skill levels how to improve their craft – from creative photo projects to picking the right gear for their needs to flattering lighting to getting the best expressions to creating final images for screen and print. His unique style of highly detailed images with perfect tonality, wide dynamic range and stunning colour is instantly recognizable. Commercial clients rely on Will’s creative eye and mastery of lighting. When he’s not behind the camera or in front of a class, you’ll find Will outdoors in any weather – usually on one of his bikes or enjoying time with his grandchildren.

This mode is also called matrix, evaluative, honeycomb, segment metering, or esp (electro selective pattern) metering on some cameras. This metering mode was first introduced by the Nikon FA and was termed Automatic Multi-Pattern metering. On a number of cameras this is the default or standard setting. The camera measures the light intensity in several points in the scene and then combines the results to find the setting for the best exposure. The method of calculation can be different from camera to camera. The actual number of zones used varies widely, from several to over a thousand. The design concept behind multi-zone is to reduce the need to use exposure compensation.[1]

Unfortunately, you can see my light and stand in the full-length image at 2.5 feet – I would have to remove this in post by cropping or healing.

It’s in the cropped headshots where we can really see how light distance affects our images. With the light closer, the shadow transitions are noticeably softer whilst they get much crispier at distance. As you move your light closer, not only is it softer but contrast is lower. The highlight on Maya’s nose is also softer. The illumination on the background is more apparent, as are the flyaway hairs.