Metering - spot all the time?

[NicolaB]

I have my camera set on 'spot metering'. From a quick look at my manual this seems to cover most instances.

I am only learning portrait photography. Should I think about changing my metering at any time? For eg I assume it would be good for backlit or should I change to partial. If the scene if fairly even contrast, would evaluative give a better result? etc etc

tia

Nic

Originally Posted by NicolaB

I have my camera set on 'spot metering'. From a quick look at my manual this seems to cover most instances.

I am only learning portrait photography. Should I think about changing my metering at any time? For eg I assume it would be good for backlit or should I change to partial. If the scene if fairly even contrast, would evaluative give a better result? etc etc

tia

Nic

If you are doing static portraits, just meter manually. You'll get what you want, rather than what the camera wants.

[NicolaB]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

If you are doing static portraits, just meter manually. You'll get what you want, rather than what the camera wants.

Hi Max

When you say manually, what does that mean? Eek sorry to be thick - having a VERY blonde day today!

[RLucas]

I mainly use spot on everything I do. For portraits I will meter off of the face. I will also meter from the lightest to the darkest part of the scene just to see how far the meter will fluctuate from one side to the other. just to make sure everything looks close to what I want. It may be a long way around, but that is how I do it.

[Swisstony10]

I use spot most of the time, occasionally I'll switch to centre-weighted, but generally I use spot. That way I can set my exposure for the part of the scene that I'm particularly bothered about, like a face, or a dress. Sometimes I just go on instinct - and I expect I'm not alone on that one. And when I'm in a nice controlled studio-type situation, I don't use the camera's meter at all, I use a separate light meter.

[SusanH1970]

Spot metering 90% of the time for me (metering off the cheek like Luke).

[RLucas]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Spot metering 90% of the time for me (metering off the cheek like Luke).

▲▲▲▲▲▲▲......Wonder who taught me that?

[bhursey]

LOL I wish my camera even had spot metering.. 20d's did not have it.

[NicolaB]

Fabulous! Thanks everyone.

Ah ha - and the cheek! I have been focusing at the same time as setting exposure on the eyes - lesson learnt - GREAT! Ummm with Rembrant I assume the lightest cheek?

One camera setting I can now forget about - phew.

[Jim Bryant]

I normally use spot metering system most of the time, except when shooting landscapes, then I switch to center weight as the camera will take an average of the light in the scene. While cameras focus on the center of the photograph, you have to take in account of the exposures in the edges of a scene. But normally the focus of a picture is the center of a picture, this will also make a photo with overall exposure.

Sometimes within a building I use the Multi Zone metering system sometimes known as Matrix metering. This calculates the multiple zones of lighting to come up with the best overall exposure from several spots. Then again set you camera on manuel and just bracket your exposures by using a combination of f-stops and shutter speeds