Metering Using Palm

[RhiannonPWilliams]

Hey guys,

Really looks for some helps/tips/advice..anything to help with this.
I've recently taken up a photography course and I'm getting myself pretty confused about using my hand to take a meter reading.
The question in my course is:

Try metering off the palm of your hand and opening the lens one stop. Does it
work for you? Has it any useful function for your photography?

I have emailed my tutor several times regarding this but something's just not clicking.

Just wondered if any of you could help?

Thanks,
Rhiannon

[autofocus]

There have been times when dealing with tricky lighting situations and when I do not have my hand held meter with me that I have used this technique. However, being that light can vary so much within a relatively short distance I prefer to walk up to the subject, fill the frame with his/her face and meter off, and use that setting for the shot. As long as the light source remains constant, this will usually yield good results.

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by autofocus

There have been times when dealing with tricky lighting situations and when I do not have my hand held meter with me that I have used this technique. However, being that light can vary so much within a relatively short distance I prefer to walk up to the subject, fill the frame with his/her face and meter off, and use that setting for the shot. As long as the light source remains constant, this will usually yield good results.

Agreed 100%.

[i speak in math]

Originally Posted by RhiannonPWilliams

Hey guys,

Really looks for some helps/tips/advice..anything to help with this.
I've recently taken up a photography course and I'm getting myself pretty confused about using my hand to take a meter reading.
The question in my course is:

Try metering off the palm of your hand and opening the lens one stop. Does it
work for you? Has it any useful function for your photography?

I have emailed my tutor several times regarding this but something's just not clicking.

Just wondered if any of you could help?

Thanks,
Rhiannon

It can work if you're in a pinch. The obviously it won't work for white balance, but should work okay for exposure. Average caucasian skin is around 12% reflective gray, so the camera will meter it as 18% gray, which means the camera will try to darken it. Opening the lens up 1 stop will re-brighten it (probably a little too much).

So there ya go.