[Leica] Metering with the R8

["gbicket" <gbicket@email.msn.com>]

Peter,

For starters, please remember this was an outdoor wedding with thin
overcast, late afternoon light, with some strongly backlit situations.

Metering with the R8 and NHG 800 for close ups [primarily headshots] was
manual centerweighted or spot metered close up for the skin highlights, not
the white dress and white shirts.  With the color neg film the prints were
dead on, and the only the brightest parts of dress and shirts show the
slightest signs of overexposure.  This same technique [centerweighted or
spot readings taken close, off skin] was done when the bride and groom had
bright water behind them, although when framed, the meter was reading big
time overexposure.

Trust your instruments, lad!

The standups, with the standard bridal party entourages was matrix metered
and automatic.  These were shot with glowing afternoon light, and a backdrop
of pine and water oak for color and texture--worked great.

My remark was driven by these prints coming back with the same sense and
level of light my eyes/mind saw when composing the photo, except in the rare
shots I used fill flash.  The little SF 20 was just enough for outside fill
set -1 2/3 stops down, and just enough to help sculpt faces and brighten
shadows.

This satisfaction with the R8's metering has been my sense in shooting
chrome films, too.  Rather than a bit dim, or bright, trusting the reading
from my camera renders on film images very like my eyes saw at the time.
Recent shots of our black Labs with backlight yielded photos on chrome film
that leave backrounds a bit overexposed, but great detail in the dogs' coats
and faces and eye color.

Cutting the image of the subject on film much the way I saw it is a big deal
for me.  Some folks are into bokeh--I like to catch light on film, just so.
I'm burning more film through this R8 and liking it more and more.

Enjoy the light.  Semper R, glass and R8!

Greg Bicket