READING LIGHT LEVELS & METERS

When taking images that require special effects and techniques, taking a light reading can become essential in your preparation, especially if using film as you need to get the effect right first time.
There are various ways to read light levels.

Reflected Meter Reading

REFLECTED READING - (right) This measures the light reflected off your subject, and to do this you use a light meter without an invercone in situ. This type of reading works best in average lighting scenarios, such as landscape work.

Incident Meter Reading
Note the White Invercone is in place

INCIDENT READING - (left)
This uses the light meter with the invercone in place, and measures the light falling onto your subject. This works best for high contrast subjects and when using colour transparency film as you need a very accurate reading.





The third way to take a light reading is to use a GREY CARD (below). A Grey Card is set at 18% grey colour, which is how the camera sees light, so placing a grey card facing the camera will measure the light being reflected onto it.

18 % Grey Card use

TYPES OF LIGHT METERS
There are different types of light meters available. The one being used above is a DIGITAL Light Meter which houses its own invercone, and is good for ambient,cord or open flash and good fro incident and reflected readings. Other types include ANALOGUE Light Meters which are good for Black and white photography and landscape work where there may be ambient light to measure.
SPOT Meters are expensive, but very effective as very precise tones may be metered individually. These should be used with a grey card for accuracy.

YOUR CAMERA ITSELF ALSO HOUSES IN CAMERA METER MODES including: AVERAGE, CENTRE WEIGHTED, SPOT, MULTISPOT, MATRIX & EVALUATIVE.