Steve Milligan Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 I've got my first S16 shoot coming up, and am wondering how to translate my light-by-eye/expose off the viewfinder experience to film. Below is something I did on video, I wonder if someone could help me with how I would have used an incident meter to find the proper exposure for it. If I meter from the faces toward the camera, I will be overexposing...so how much under should I go? Is there a better metering technique for this kind of scene? Stock is Fuji 250T, destined for Telecine, shooting with Superspeeds wide open or nearly so. Thanks! Steve Milligan http://www.ghostmap.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Stephen Williams Posted March 13, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted March 13, 2006 I've got my first S16 shoot coming up, and am wondering how to translate my light-by-eye/expose off the viewfinder experience to film. Below is something I did on video, I wonder if someone could help me with how I would have used an incident meter to find the proper exposure for it. If I meter from the faces toward the camera, I will be overexposing...so how much under should I go? Is there a better metering technique for this kind of scene? Stock is Fuji 250T, destined for Telecine, shooting with Superspeeds wide open or nearly so. Thanks! Steve Milligan http://www.ghostmap.com Hi, Meter the highlight on the faces this should be 1 to 1.5 stops over and I guess the ambiant light will be about 2 stops under. FWIW the superspeeds are much sharper by 2-2.8 split. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Milligan Posted March 13, 2006 Author Share Posted March 13, 2006 Hi, Meter the highlight on the faces this should be 1 to 1.5 stops over and I guess the ambiant light will be about 2 stops under. FWIW the superspeeds are much sharper by 2-2.8 split. Stephen Many thanks Stephen, precisely what I wanted to know. Except...if you will forgive my obtuseness, you mean aim the meter from the subject at the light to measure the 1.5 over highlight, and at the camera to measure the ambient, correct? I'm sure I can get 2-2.8, thanks for the tip. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dan Goulder Posted March 13, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted March 13, 2006 If you're going for a similar look in terms of film, you may want to reconsider your decisiion to shoot with 250T. That will make it harder to maintain facial detail without throwing more light on the faces. If you prefer to light that scene the same way you did with the video, then a 500T stock will probably get you closer to the look you want. You'll have more latitude in the 'underexposed' areas of the frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Laurent Andrieux Posted March 13, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted March 13, 2006 What I would do is to meter toward the source that is 3/4 back on the left. I then would read to the camera as to make sure I am not too underexposed, considering you still want some details in the toe, from the picture you posted. It looks to me that it's like 2 stops under, (as Stephen says) but that is typically you to do that choice, since the guy's back seems to be like 3 stops under. You can also meter with a spotmeter and make sure the details in the face don't fall under may be 2 stops under the keylight (remember the skin is about 2/3 of a stop over KL) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Stephen Williams Posted March 13, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted March 13, 2006 you mean aim the meter from the subject at the light to measure the 1.5 over highlight, and at the camera to measure the ambient, correct? Steve Steve, Yes, aim the meter at the light you are reading. Shield the highlight from the meter for the ambiant. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stoop Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 If you exposed the face normally, not two stops under. Could you then bring it down in post to re-create the same look? Or Not? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Laurent Andrieux Posted March 13, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted March 13, 2006 Depends if you go the Di or the traditional route... With the traditional route, it's always better to go as close as possible to the result you want, when shooting. With the DI route, I think it would be okay posing normally, and then underexpose in post, but the highlights (in the hair for instance) may be to high. Also you don't always control the post production... May be a 1 stop underexposition could be okay, but I wouldn't bother, my self and just get the look I want at the shooting, basically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Stephen Williams Posted March 13, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted March 13, 2006 If you exposed the face normally, not two stops under. Could you then bring it down in post to re-create the same look? Or Not? Thanks Hi, If the face is exposed normally, the highlight is 3.5 over. A spot meter would read 4.5 over, many meople then overexpose 2/3 stop! At 5+ stops over your highlights will start blowing. The final image will not look as good IMHO. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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