Metering Modes ???

[detkhedrick]

Is there a general rule of thumb for using the different metering modes? Indoor vs Outdoor? Portrait vs Landscape ? Ive been taking mostly portrait using spot metering but as I look at other peoples photos and review EXIF info I see portraits using something other then spot metering.

[OsmosisStudios]

I use centre-weighted almost exclusively. The trick isn't so much what mode, but how and where you meter. If you're using spot metering, then if you meter from a particular place or another will greatly affect things. Same goes for matrix metering.

Generally speaking, for landscape stuff I'd suggest matrix, though that depends on what you're shooting. If you have a bright sky, then you'll end up with either a blown-out sky or a too-dark land, or a mix of both. But if you're shooting portraits, you want to meter off what you're aiming at (your model), which usually requires either spot or centre-weighted.

[detkhedrick]

Thanks for the response. I appreciate the help.

[candleman]

I use Matrix (TTL-BL) the most.
Spot occasionally, but only in really bad backlight ETC. ETC.

I can't remember the last time I used Centre Weighted

[candidrachel]

I use a canon camera and use Evaluative metering almost always. I find spot metering especially on a portrait blows out backgrounds really bad. Having said the I haven't really practiced enough with the other metering modes.

I've been reading about Spot metering and its really only best to use in situations for example a person lit by a shaft of light that is different to the surrounding light. I find spot metering the most difficult to get right.

This is a good question and one that I was going to ask

[autofocus]

All the info below is mainly for portrait work regardless of the subject...and probably of little value for landscape photography.
For serious work we use a light meter for an incident reading. You may have noticed photographers taking a reading with their meter under a subject's chin..they are taking an incident reading which is reading the light falling on the subject vs a reflective meter reading. Reflective metering is what your camera's meter does. It's averaging all the light it sees including the background light. This method may not always produce an accurate reading for your subject.
Should you not have a hand held meter, there's an old trick to help you get better accuracy with your camera's meter. Once you know where you want to photograph your subject, walk up to, or fill the frame with your subject's face and take a meter reading off the face with your camera. Keeping that setting in mind, use that setting in manual mode and re-position yourself to take the shot. You also can do the same thing by taking a closeup reading off the back of your hand...this'll also work as long as the light off your hand is consistent with the light off your subject.

[candidrachel]

You know what I've just been reading my Sekonic L-358 light meter manual (got this light meter 2 Christmases ago and have NEVER used it). Duh! Why have I not been using it. It could have got me out of so much trouble!

Thanks for the heads up Vince!

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by candidrachel

You know what I've just been reading my Sekonic L-358 light meter manual (got this light meter 2 Christmases ago and have NEVER used it). Duh! Why have I not been using it. It could have got me out of so much trouble!

Thanks for the heads up Vince!

Rach, we have that very one, and it's been a great investment and particularly useful for our outdoor work

[detkhedrick]

Wow! So I finally asked a question that really generated some interest. That means Im starting to think! Guess now its time to figure out how my camera gives a meter reading. Hmmmm?

Thanks everyone!