How to Use a Light Meter for Outdoor Portraits

[@clarkconway8796]

@SalCincotta1 Hey Sal! Want to hear something funny? I thought you were some stuck-up, rich Italian guy when I first found your videos and began watching them. LOL!!! But I have been enjoying your videos long enough now, that I actually understand your fast-talking and can follow along and learn without rewinding. I live in Evansville, Indiana which is only two hours from the Gateway to the West! I really need to drive over and join in the Shutter Fest Fun soon! Merry Christmas! 🎅

[@SalCincotta1]

haha... well im glad you are enjoying it!! :) and yes - you need to get to shutterfest. you will love it.

[@Keith80027]

Glad you are teaching how to use a light meter. I used to shoot everything with a Hasselblad that required the use of light meter. One of my friends asked how I was able to get 24 perfect exposes on each uncut roll over hundreds of rolls. It was simple, just use and understand on how a light meter works. The light meter is a forgotten art.

[@carolinamaristad9369]

Awesome!! Wish I knew how to use it❤

[@lensman5762]

You are correct 100%. Sadly, due to the automation and computerisation of the skill of photography by digital cameras the art of getting the right exposure, how and where to focus, etc have been lost to the digital brigade.

[@TressaShaw]

I do the same. I just straight up set the ambient to my liking and then take the meter reading to expose for the subject. The concept works great when going for a dramatic sky and popping the subject with flash. :)

[@SalCincotta1]

agreed!

[@hectorespino3740]

What a cute model!!

[@ohnoflicks]

My first meter was a Gossen Luna Pro 😮 Yes, I’m a dinosaur 😂 But it was the best tool ever when it came to learning about Light in general. When I got the thing, I metered everything in the house LOL. Then a few years later I got my first Flash Meter and that changed everything. Still have the Gossen. It is still useful for cinema. Have the Sekonic 858. Love it.

[@brianreed5791]

Thank You Sal. This is something i have been curious about for a REALLY long time as well. I have only used my light meter in studio only ... until now. ;-P I haven't done a whole lot of outdoor portraits but now I have the information I need to pull it off. I can say that I am probably going to go just a wee bit darker in the background myself. I want my model(s) to REALLY POP (aka, IN YOUR FACE!!!!!) in the frame. (Evil Cackling)

[@SalCincotta1]

lol love it.

[@shimondarkgamer4720]

❤

[@Cheese-Head]

I’m a little confused. So 2.8 is the perfect exposure. You went down to 5.6 on the camera to get the darker background. Did you set the flash to ETTL to figure out the power output?

[@SalCincotta1]

yep you got everything right. but no - i dont like using ettl on the flash - i find it to be unreliable. i just set the flash to manual and adjust distance and power as needed.

[@charliegreen1989]

Hey Sal great video, just want to check when you were taking the shots at the end with the darker background at f/5.6 with flash did you meter the flash for f/5.6?

[@SalCincotta1]

yes. i knew ambient was at 2.8... and then adjusted from there to get the look i want.

[@richwoodham3296]

Nice work Sal... I am really enjoying your videos... Can't believe I just found u on YT ... 😞

[@SalCincotta1]

glad youre enjoying it! welcome to the channel!

[@carolinamaristad9369]

Hey I love your content❤❤ How do you use this flash meter to setup hss? A big hug ❤

[@SalCincotta1]

ty so much. you would change the mode on the meter to give you the shutter speed at the select iso and aperture. its much more efficient process.

[@carolinamaristad9369]

@@SalCincotta1 thanks a lot dear🙂🙂🙂

[@eoslove2022]

got it! Thank you.

[@SalCincotta1]

You're welcome!

[@NOTHING-790]

Hey saul i gave u first comment first like and first view bro ❤❤ Love ur videos

[@SalCincotta1]

on point brother!! :)

[@NOTHING-790]

@@SalCincotta1 ❤️

[@JakeThesnake-k1n]

You changed your shutter speed from one stop to the next?

[@PeterBielack]

Hi Sal! I watch your videos with great interest and this one in particular caught my attention! Sal, please tell me how you use your light meter when you want to balance ambient light with flash light but want to keep the aperture at f/1.2 as your lens allows?

[@SalCincotta1]

@@PeterBielack you need to use high speed sync. There is no other way.

[@ac4pres310]

Or you could also try ND filters if the flash does not support HSS (or you do not want to use that function). It is a matter of „cutting down” on the light the camera is seeing (as a wider aperture changes the background blur but also lets in more light) and an ND will just „dim everything” by the amount of stops it has in its specs ☺️

[@mikel5094]

Damn I like this 👍🏽

[@SalCincotta1]

ty ty

[@na-zu2ey]

Why did you set the shutter speed to 1/250 on the meter when metering the ambient light if you knew you were going to set your camera's shutter to 1/200 when using your flash?

[@urirojas]

Awsrme, what are the other settings for in the light meter? I have this same exact matter

[@SalCincotta1]

what do you mean by other settings?

[@shaneburgess5590]

Hey sal is there any workaround to r6 and HSS Ive updated firmware. Can’t use my fj400 the way I like to

[@SalCincotta1]

not sure what you mean. there are no issues im aware of with R6 and HSS. is there something more specific?

[@shaneburgess5590]

@@SalCincotta1 when I go in camera flash menu on R6 mark ii ( sorry I didn’t specify which R6 i was using) I only get ettl option no manual or hss option i did firmware update still nothing was wondering if I need to purchase a adapter for electronic hotshoe mount. My trigger will trigger my strobe but I cant control sync functions (1st curtain 2nd curtain HSS)

[@SalCincotta1]

@@shaneburgess5590 hss is not controlled on the camera. It’s the trigger and flash.

[@shaneburgess5590]

@@SalCincotta1 IM aware there must be something going on between trigger and hotshoe works flawlessly on my R but won’t engage on my R6 mark ii cant go above sync speed 1/250

[@amadorivasphotography474]

I notice you keep the lumisphere down. Would keeping it up make a difference?

[@SalCincotta1]

yes - great question. it does make a difference with it out - its measuring about 180 degrees - which is not what i want. im looking for a direct light at a specific spot on someone. next question might be where would this be useful?? prob for people doing landscapes or wider scene work?? personally ive always kept it down since im measuring direct flash at a focused point. HTH.

[@BrianKellogg1]

I noticed that as well. I read the light meter manual and you should only have the lumisphere retracted when photographing flat objects like a painting or documents. You can do what you want but the it should be extended when photographing 3d objects like people.

[@amadorivasphotography474]

@@SalCincotta1 Makes sense since you only want to measure light coming from a specific direction or strobe. Great video, by the way!

[@jhenry248]

I'm more paralyzed by the prices 😅😅 But seriously I have the basic Sekonic L 308 I love using it. It challenges me when I guess wrong on the exposure settings.

[@SalCincotta1]

lol no doubt, but it really does help you get to the results quickly.

[@shaneburgess5590]

So you leave the dome closed on your light meter

[@SalCincotta1]

correct.

[@nycks1]

Butta!

[@SalCincotta1]

haha YES!!

[@shatrughanphotography9119]

Hi Ram Ram ji

[@SalCincotta1]

?

[@51hondarc]

To be sure, the flash is set at 2.8 and your camera is set at 5.6...

[@thetraveldelites]

Shoot is auto mode in camera😂 no need costly flash meter

[@SalCincotta1]

Yeah. Ok.

[@newessencephoto9339]

If you shoot in Auto, you lose all your creative ability to actually say that you are a photographer. You won’t create anything, you’ll be stuck with what the Camera wants to do for you. I for one respect his knowledge, and Auto won’t give you the same look. You have to understand the look he’s going for. He isolates his subject by under exposing the scene or ambient light. If you don’t understand manual scene setup I advise a photography course. @thetraveldelites