RE: [Leica] Re: meter's shmeters..step away from the meter!

["Austin Franklin" <austin@darkroom.com>]

Gee, Jim, now you REALLY stuck your foot in it ;-)  I completely agree with
what you said!  Even the part about disbelieving my meter...

I've also learned to not just take one meter reading, but take a few...if
the situation allows it.  I also typically keep a hand held meter with me
(little Gossen Luna-Pro Digital F...which has this really cool scene
evaluation mode that works quite well if you have the right buttons
pressed...) just so I can stick it in the 'scene' (usually someone's face).
I prefer to get my exposure right on film, and not have to make up for it
when printing...which you most never *really* can.

If in doubt, film is cheap...bracket.  I also always take multiple images of
the same scene...especially with people.  It is inevitable that someone has
a 'funny' look when the others look fine.  I suggest telling the people you
will be taking a few pictures, since people tend to disband after the first
shot, unless you tell them...and even then, they might start to walk away
anyway...

> You will NEVER see a professional photographer, someone who makes their
> living at "real" photography and has to "deliver the goods" to the
> customer, NOT use a meter. The key to the highest quality photographic
> image IS, exact exposure followed by exact development, producing a
> transparency or negative that will be perfect for the job or produce a
> perfect print for the job.
>
> You screw up a job, you won't get a second chance.
>
> Even with a meter, most professional photographers bracket (when possible)
> just because there are no second chances.
>
> A meter is of utmost importance. In many many situations, all of the
> experience in the world, will not be enough. After doing this photography
> thing for 50 years, many as a commercial/illustrative
> photographer, I still
> religiously use a meter AND I cannot tell you how many times I take
> readings at/of a scene and think "is my meter broken?" Only to
> realize that
> my eye/brain is seeing differently than what the light value reality is.
>
> Also, learning how to interpret what your meter is telling you is just as
> important as having and using a meter.
>
> Jim