Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/02

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Subject: Re: [Leica] The M6 Spotmeter
From: Allan Wafkowski <allan@sohogurus.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 15:41:05 -0400

The problem with a back lit portrait is that the meter reads the much 
brighter back lighting and renders the face dark because it doesn't know 
the main subject, the face, is much dimmer. To get around this, you need 
to either take a spot reading or a close-up reading of the face. If you 
are able, you should then open one stop for caucasian skin tones, or 
close down one stop for black or dark skin tones. A spot meter is useful 
because you can take the reading from afar, as you would want to if this 
was a candid shot. If it's a posed portrait, it doesn't matter. Walk up 
to the subject, take the reading, and then return to your shooting 
position.

I think more often a back lit portrait should be considered as a special 
effect. Depending on the intensity of the back lighting, you may run 
into flare problems or complete washout of the background tones. Both 
can led to dramatic portraits or dramatic failures, depending on what 
effect you wanted.

Allan


On Tuesday, July 2, 2002, at 02:54 PM, DFangon@aol.com wrote:
> Is it advisable to use spotmeter on the face of a subject with a strong
> backlight for portrait outdoors in the shade?  Just using my M6 
> metering and
> sometimes I underexpose the subject, sometimes I get it right.  What 
> am I
> doing wrong or should I just have to avoid lighting situations like that
> altogether?
>

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