Using a Photographic Light Meter

How to use your hand-held light meter in digital photography. Specifically created for beginners.

Created byDon Giannatti

Last updated 1/2013

English

What you'll learn

In this course you will learn the difference between reflective light meters and ambient light meters
Students will learn which meter is best for different situations
We will discover the powerful ways a light meter can help a photographer pre-visualize the image before exposure
Students will gain more confidence with the use of their meters, and gain more confidence with their lighting
Learn to use Photoshop to visualize tonalities and begin to see the world as a photographer

Course content

1 section • 17 lectures • 2h 3m total length

Introduction to Light Meters4:07
Welcome to this free series of classes on using a hand held light meter. While we will touch on "exposure" our main focus is on the use and handling of a hand held meter.
An Introduction to Why I Use a Meter15:09
Why I like light meters, and why I think photographers - especially new photographers - should be familiar with them.
What a Light Meter Does2:53
Light meters measure light. Whether reflective or incident (ambient) the main function is to give a photographer a starting point for basing their exposure.
Setting the Meter Up for YOU4:43
Making sure the meter will respond to the way you photograph is one of the first things you do when setting up your meter.
Finding Exposure Values with an Reflected Light Meter8:23
Photoshop Discussion of "Target" Shoot6:56
Using a Meter to "Place" the Exposure13:00
"Finding Middle Gray" an Exercise to Develop Seeing Tonality21:41
"Placing" the Exposure: Forest in Deep Overcast3:16
Paige in Natural Light with Camera Meter4:53
Ambient Light Meter Introduction3:28
Ambient Light Meter Introduction Part Two5:31
Dome to Camera or Sun: In Photoshop3:02
Incident Light Meter and Photos: A Discussion18:34
Incident (Ambient) Light Meter in Studio6:55
A few techniques for using an incident meter in the studio with lighting.
First... Find the Ambient Light: Part One5:11
Figure out what your meter is telling you when you "First - Find the Ambient"

We look at the ways that finding exposures when using flash outside are accomplished.
Ambient and Flash - a Discussion8:38
A discussion on ambient light as the foundation for adding strobes or flashes to the shot. It is your decision how much to include the ambient light into your flash photograph.

Requirements

Camera and Lens
Basic knowledge of their camera operations in Manual Mode
Light Meter (reflected and ambient)
Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, GIMP
Working knowledge of Photoshop Layers

Description

NOTE: this class is given freely to all photographers who want to know how to use their light meter in digital photography... it is simply produced and is more informational than glossy. It will be continuously updated when new materials become available.

This course is designed for those photographers who have just begun using a hand held light meter or who may not know what to do with their meters. or why they are important and useful tools for making images.

The light meter is a device that measures the intensity of light, whether that light is being reflected from a subject (reflected light) or falling upon the subject (ambient or "incident" light). The light meter is a tool that helps a photographer create more accuracy in exposures.

We take a very close look at all the ways a light meter can help a photographer develop a stronger understanding of the light, as well as learning how the different tonalities are expressed through a light meter.

Real world examples and some simple and fun exercises will help the beginning light meter user develop good habits, and stronger lighting.

From reflected light readings to "placing the exposure" for maximum artistic presentation to using the ambient dome for flash in studio, this course is a simple to follow discussion of meters.

NOTE: We do not discuss the operation of any specific (Brand) kind of meters. You will still be required to read your manual to find out how to set your specific meter up, and the specific ways it works. But all meters DO the basic same things, and that is what we discuss on this course.

We use video and a few PDF's to show how to use a light meter in both reflective and ambient modes. There are three exercises to be done by the student that will help them learn their specific meter.

The course should be done in order, and there is over 2 hours of video content as well as PDF documents for your files.

If you are ready to learn to use a meter, to take control of your exposure this course is for you. Many photographers will tell you that 'chimping' is all you need to do. I disagree... there are far more reasons to use a light meter than merely exposure... and we will discuss them in this class.

The class is free... enjoy and keep shooting.

Thank you,

Don Giannatti

Who this course is for:

Beginning Photographers with a Light Meter they do not know how to use
Intermediate Photographers who want to take more control of their images
Photographers who may have a light meter and are not familiar with how it works