How To Use a Light Meter | Mark Wallace | Exploring Photography

[@davecrissinger8967]

The World is better with Mark doing Videos 😊

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Thank you!! That makes me smile.

[@Reason-fg4ik]

I still have and just used my Sekonic L-358 that you recommended all those years ago when i was learning about metering for portraits. Thank you Mark Wallace for all you've taught me over the years of Digital Photography 1 on 1!

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Thanks for watching over the years. What a journey!

[@phynx2006]

Gee Mark, brings back memory's of the good ole days on the Adorama Channel where you did tutorials on all kinds of crazy light stuff 👍😂

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Welcome back! Adorama TV started on this channel in 2010. ;) I'm glad to be back to my original KZbin channel with more fun stuff!

[@klyiu2006]

LOL. It does indeed. And I watched tons of them.

[@faryapirbazari]

Wow, finally after years! It was a long wait for the best, most amazing teacher that we love. Please do not stop again.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Wow, thank you!

[@josephchan4198]

Thanks for latest info on how easy and how to work a light meter if needed. Thanks for the class.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

You bet!

[@jimulder1109]

Wonderful tutorial. Thank you.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

You're very welcome!

[@teejay2483]

Mark---Thanks for your excellent and thorough explanation on using a light meter. Not only is it a detailed instruction for someone new to light meters but it also is a great refresher for the intermittent user. You are a wealth of information and I look forward to watching future tutorials which you produce. All the best to you!

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

You are very welcome

[@photonsonpixels]

Great tutorial, Mark. Thank you!

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Glad it was helpful!

[@SureshKumar-ks9qn]

Sir, I have a small doubt. Can the Minolta Auto Meter IV F be used in place of a Sekonic L308S/Sekonic L-308X/Sekonic L 308X-U/Sekonic L858/Sekonic L-758, etc.?

[@lisapalzer2511]

Great stuff, thanks Mark!

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Glad you liked it!

[@REVELATIONSIXEIGHT]

Great detailed explanation

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DanLab-bw2uf]

Hi Mark , Thank you for all those incredible informative videos … would you do one outdoor with the ambiant light versus flash % … I used to do it with my old L-358 at 20/30% of flash power( 20/25 years ago but just came back in photography after a 10 years break ) and just bought the L-878 and trying to figure out Thank you !

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Yes, absolutely! This is a great idea

[@josephchan4198]

May I suggest a class on a model wearing fashion jewelry also to the jewelry product photography I suggested when you have the time. Thanks for making the classes.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Great suggestion!

[@juliobarkan9529]

Thanks Mark for sharing your insite and knowledge about photography. Beng new and trying to learn as much as possible and understand this new age of photography in the digital age, i'm wonderng about the exposure triangle and white (color) balance. Don't they go hand in hand? I also just watched your video about white balance from Jan 6, 2022 and this one and it made me wonder. What if you over or under expose your portrait, does that not effect the "white (color) balance"? It seems to me that the colors would be somewhat off if the exposure was way off. Please help me understand. Thanks.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Exposure and white balance are two different things. Exposure has to do with luminance: how much light is hitting the sensor, and White Balance has to do with chrominance - how the camera is balancing the waves of light, specifically the mix of red, green, and blue (RGB). I'm working on a more advanced white balance video to explain additive & subtractive colors, and how tint is factored in. It involves a lot of animation, so it may be a few weeks before I'm done with that one. :) If you can't wait, check out Lesson 11 in my Studio Lighting Essentials class on CreativeLive. I cover it there: www.creativelive.com/class/studio-lighting-essentials-mark-wallace

[@AndrewPalmerJazz]

If you're lowering the power on your lights, the next flash will still come in hot a lot of the time. If your readings are weird and you know you just made the right adjustment, just meter again before changing anything. You could be fine.

[@conkyrphoto]

Great video and thanks for sharing. 🙏 QQ: using light meter ensures proper exposing. But what about skin tones ? Shouldn’t the key light first be set properly for reflecting the skin tone accurately?

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Skin tones (exposure) will be correct. You wouldn't make light skin dark or dark skin bright. A proper exposure will keep everything looking as dark or bright as it normally does. In other words, if you have a person with dark skin, don't overexpose to make them lighter. To show more detail on the different areas of exposure you need more dynamic range in your image. Shoot RAW with a large sensor and you'll be good to go.

[@conkyrphoto]

Thanks !! It makes sense !!

[@manolo33440]

the light meter do you use is L-478D-U ? thanks.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

0:22

[@viciwo3396]

Thanks for this lesson!

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

My pleasure!

[@realthoprivate]

I always wondered.. There can easily be a full stop (or more) between a lens' F-stop and T-stop numbers. My old 50mm f/1.4 is close to 1.5 stops darker than my new 50mm f/1.4. And of course primes are always brighter than zooms at the same f-number as there are fewer layers of glass inside. As you rely on T-stops when using a light meter do you just accept these very large inaccuracies or do you manage this in some other way?

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

You can calibrate the Sekonic meters to the camera body+specific lens and then save profiles in the meter. So you always have an accurate reading. If you look closely you can see that I have this meter adjusted by .3 stops. That was just a quick calibration, but there is software from Sekonic and a profile target to dial in your system perfectly.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

At the top of the meter screen you can see it say “adj -0.3”

[@aljawad]

Good introduction to light meters. Does Sekonic now offer a radio module for Profoto? The lack of this item made me migrate to another light platform. Also, besides the wired & radio triggering methods, a light meter could be set to a wireless “click & wait” setting, where it has a waiting period for the flash to fire and then gives the reading.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Sekonic doesn't make a Profoto trigger, but you can use a cable or PocketWizard to trigger the flash, or use the "click and wait" setting. With a PocketWizard you put the PocketWizard transmitter in the meter and a receiver on the flash. Then set any other flashes to use their optical trigger (unfortunately the A1/A1X does not have an optical sensor - you have to use a radio trigger).

[@aljawad]

@@MarkWallaceVideos Yes, I’m familiar with all that, I was commenting on your statement about Profoto in the video. Unfortunately, and for whatever reason there is no radio module for the Profoto platform, which is the reason I migrated to another platform. The “click-n-wait” approach doesn’t have the same freedom of controlling the various lights directly from the meter itself!

[@fountainvalley100]

I’ve always pointed the meter towards the light. Now I’m going to have to experiment and see if it makes a significant difference.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

You'll see the difference in the exposure of the shadows and highlights. When you point toward the light, you measure for the highlights, the highlights will be a bit less pronounced and the shadows will fall into darkness. When you point toward the camera, you measure for the shadows+highlights, shadows will be more "open" but highlights may be a bit hotter. Try it with a single light and then multiple lights to see the difference. Then you can choose how to meter based on your style and wishes for the exposure.

[@fountainvalley100]

@@MarkWallaceVideos thank you.

[@NarutoUzumaki10.10]

Great video thanks a lot! Is there also a way to use the delta EV metering and still choose the aperture myself?

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Since the light meter is always going to show you the aperture value (when metering flash) you'd just adjust your flash power to match the aperture value you want. You always choose the aperture value you want and adjust the flash accordingly. The meter just tells you what you need to do to get there.

[@NarutoUzumaki10.10]

Thanks a lot for the prompt and extensive reply! Please excuse my lack of understanding, but I still don't understand how i'm supposed to set a key to fill ratio using delta EV so that it matches a predetermined aperture on the lens? Cause in the video you first set the ratios and then adjust the aperture on the lens based on the combined exposure of the key and the fill light. But I want to set the aperture of the lens first and then adjust the preferred key to fill ratio. How do I do that? (Sorry maybe my initial question was a little unclear, i hope it's more clear this time)

[@Arripa-777]

Thank you so much ! It is the best video ever about metering flash ! 👍🏽🙏🏽👍🏽🙏🏽👍🏽.............

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

You are welcome!

[@wmbrennan]

Solved a lot of questions I’ve had, great

[@jyoti_das1971]

But ultimately you had to shoot at something different from f5.6 .What can I do if I want to shoot at 5.6 with both the key and fill at their desired ratios of intensity ?

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Just adjust all the flashes proportionally up or down to get to your desired aperture value.

[@4abettaworld]

This was excellent, Thank you

[@junesdreamseller]

Great video, Mark! What mode did you use for the light meter?

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Radio Triggering Flash Mode

[@TiborJager]

There is no Sekonic radio transmitter for Profoto!

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

@@TiborJager That’s correct. It’s something that Sekonic and Profoto need to work out. But it’s been years and they still aren’t playing nice together. :(

[@jtinoco9859]

I’m new to light meters. Is a light meter only used for studio portrait photography?

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Light meters are used for natural light, doing complicated metering on-location, studio lighting, scenic photography, etc. They are used for every type of photography. I'm planning more advanced tutorials in the future to take a much deeper dive.

[@PeterBielack]

Mark, I'm really looking forward to the day when Profoto decides to partner with Sekonic and the L-858D can actually trigger Profoto lights! Unfortunately, in the meantime I have to take the transmitter off the camera, walk up to the model with the meter, trigger/measure the flash, go back to the camera, put on the transmitter, take the picture, assess the situation😅

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

That has to do with a fight behind the scenes with the old US Distributor of Profoto (who controls Sekonic) and Profoto. They don't get along and so we are all paying the price. It's all politics. I don't know who's to blame, but it's just an old grudge and somebody from one of the companies is not giving in. Unfortunately, we pay the price!

[@PeterBielack]

@@MarkWallaceVideos Mark, thank you for your reply! I thought it was a political issue between companies, not a technical issue. I really, really miss being able to trigger my Profoto lights from my L-858D

[@vimalneha]

Excellent video.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Thank you very much!

[@foilpainterfantasyartist1711]

I was wondering how light meter works 😊 thanks

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

You’re welcome 😊

[@Jwitherow1964]

Mark I need your help.heres what’s going on I have the new 308 meter and when I put it in flash mode to read the flash, the meter starts metering before the flash fires.and almost never gives me accurate reading. To the point I bought a second 308! And the same thing what am I doing wrong, literally in tears, grown man crying

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Which flash mode? What lights are you using? How are you triggering them?

[@Jwitherow1964]

@@MarkWallaceVideos I have Godox lights all sizes ad1200 -600-400-and more. I am using the Godox pro trigger today I ordered the flash meter like you use with the trigger build in. Any advice. I am your biggest fan. Thank you for responding to my question. These light meters have me at my wits end. So flustered. In tears 😭 and the flash mode is standard, (Not corded)

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

@@Jwitherow1964 Are the flashes in manual mode or TTL mode?

[@Jwitherow1964]

@@MarkWallaceVideos manual

[@robertthrailkill1368]

Superb presentation

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Thanks a lot

[@shirishpandey3503]

Most Informative

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Glad you think so!

[@jaysmoov4ever]

Thank God I found this video

[@KW86.]

Look how many extensions cords you use, ever trip a breaker?

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

I think there are only two extension cords and they are plugged in to two different outlets. They are just messy. haha. No breakers tripped in the past 25 years.

[@YogueDaddy]

I found it really funny to see Mark trigger the flash each time he changes the power level, probably as an inconscient habit since most old Elinchrom strobes were voltage controlled and required this to drain the capacitors to get the power level updated faster. However, the ELC 500 used in the video are IGBT flash units and don't require any capacitor drain to change power level.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Old habits die hard. lol I also do this because a lot of people don't have flashes that auto-dump the power. So I try to be nice to everyone.

[@YogueDaddy]

@@MarkWallaceVideos 🤣 Damn, I didn't expect an answer about not being offensive to people with old strobes 🤣 I get you man, I don't actually have that habit, but I have a similar habit : I'm often waiting for the strobe to beep to indicate that it's ready after changing the power settings.... and and often realize the ELC 500 ain't beeping after 5 to 10 seconds...

[@blueboy4244]

and of course, be sure to pop the flash after making any changes, so it's not working with the old setting

[@peterleo16]

You set the camera shutter to 1/200 so that no ambient light interferes but a flash meter measures light by controlling the Aperture. So why do you still need to set the flash meter shutter speed to 200 as I don't think this makes any difference as I understand in flash metering, only the Aperture is used to control the flash intensity.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

This meter will meter both exposures simultaneously. The ambient light and light from the flash. When you use this meter it will tell you the percentage of light that is coming from the flash vs ambient light. You have to have the shutter speed set correctly to get those results. That's more of an advanced topic, perhaps it needs a video.

[@peterleo16]

@@MarkWallaceVideos I think if the ambient light is bright like in daylight balanced fill flash outdoors, this ambient light reading is required with the flash reading but if the ambient light is so weak like indoors (candle or bulb incandescent lighting) then I would assume the flash would have over powered the ambient light reading as even if you take a picture without flash, the scene will be in total darkness. My conclusion is as long as the ambient light is too weak, setting the flash meter shutter speed to 200 makes no difference. My old flash meter only has values for aperture and ISO. There was a tutorial video by Gavin Hoey on one of his lighting setup where although he set the camera to 1/200, when he metered the flash, the flash was shown with a shutter speed setting of 1/4000. Looks like he forgot to set the flash to 1/200 which he used to mention and do in all his other tutorial videos and there was no issue and I think the ambient light was so weak to interfere with the flash reading after the picture was taken. Maybe this is just a good practice when using these type of flash meter so that you will not encounter incorrect flash exposure reading when the ambient light is as strong as the flash. I think we need a video on this and will be helpful.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

@@peterleo16 In this scenario I was shooting in a studio with very bright videos lights. You can see at 7:00 that the flash was only 90% of the exposure. I always set my shutter to my camera's shutter speed to get all the info. It takes only takes 2 seconds. But, yes, if you have low ambient light, it doesn't really matter. :)

[@peterleo16]

@MarkWallaceVideos Agree. Looking forward to more of your wonderful tutorials.

[@elbitukraine4060]

Thanks

[@garygalt4146]

3 light meters over 41 years work Wessex and 2 sekonic all 3 still work.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

I still have meters that are 20+ years old, all working as well. They are very well built!

[@jpdj2715]

@@MarkWallaceVideos - the glitch in the video was "all lightmeters that have ever been built". As you trigger the strobe with the 858 meter and it measures the flash, that qualifies the required meter. IIRC, a decade ago or so, you presented a variant of the exposure triangle where you added "flash power" as 4th variable. From a didactic point of view that was brilliant and after such a long time, you may want to repeat it for today's YT-view-generators (AKA viewers).

[@paulmercier358]

Sorry, but I think that this tile you don't start from the right side. It would be more efficient, it seems to me, to start from the "triangle" you like : iso, shutter, and aperture ! For instance you choose 100 iso, 1/200 sec, AND THE aperture you desire for the shooting our are at. Then you simply trigger the light meter and possibly adjust the flash power until you measure the aperture you like.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Yep! That’s exactly right. You got it!

[@paulmercier358]

@@MarkWallaceVideos Thank you !

[@rumorscameras]

Still alive .eeh 🎉

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Mostly alive

[@KW86.]

Confused

[@TeddyCavachon]

Save yourself $700 if using a digital camera with histogram by draping white and black hand towels on a stand representing the extremes of any subject range. Next place set aperture based on desire DOF. Place fill centered above lens of camera. Raise its power until detail is seen in the folds of the black towel in playback. Histgram spike from black towel should kiss the left edge. White towel one will be underexposed with its spike somewhere in the middle with fill only. Turn on key light. Putting it 45° to side of nose and higher than head but not so high the brow shades eye. Nose shadow should cover half the nose and not hang out sideways. Raise its power until the highlights on the white towel are exposed with only specular highlights clipping in playback. Brightest highlights need to be exposed at around 245-250 in order for specular highlights to provide 3D shape clues. What this scenario does is exactly match the range of the black and white towels to the range of the camera sensor via the histogram and via visual inspection of the texture and specular highlights which the lights will create on their texture. I started doing this back in 2004 when I got my Canon 580ex flashes which could not be metered with my Sekonic meter and realized it was actually faster and more accurate than using the meter with manual flash. What is the numerical lighting ratio? It can be measured with an incident or reflection spot meter but does it really matter if you can see the results? Typically a 2:1 incident / 3:1 reflected ratio will record both black and white towels accurately but that varies with the actual DR of the sensor why this method is more accurate if goal is detail over entire tonal range. From that “normal” contrast baseline if lighter / softer shadows are desired just start with more Fill power. For higher contrast where some detail is intentionally lost for a darker, moodier look start with less fill. Fill exposes for the shadows / Key exposed for the highlights. To shift the midtones use the middle slider in LEVELS when editing or move the center point of the curve in CURVES.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Sounds like you found a great system that works for you! Thanks for sharing!

[@vahidamini1863]

✌....

[@HarrySatchelWhatsThatSmell]

This is NOT a simple video. Very early on you introduce terms, "synch speed" which shut down the entire learning process and send us off to find another one of your videos.

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

sync speed applies to many other concepts in photography. So it's in it's own video. Many people are already aware of sync speed and what it is, so there's no need for it in this video. If you don't know, I've included a link so you can learn about it. Just like the Three Light Setup video references this video. They all build on each other.

[@yourlogicalnightmare1014]

Why do KZbin photogs use actual people to demonstrate. Seems like it would be cheaper and easier to use a manequin. The models never do anything but sit there while the photog explains whatever the topic is

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Mannequins don't move and change shadows, or walk off their mark, or pose, or have different skin complexions. They aren't good for final photos and are pretty boring to work with. 95% of all of the video I shoot require a real person. Keep watching and you'll see why mannequins aren't good models. :)

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

A mannequin could never do this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIXJZ5aQZ9yipaM

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Or this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIaTp2l7aJmDpdEsi=P1qNKvtG7M6Tpg3V

[@yourlogicalnightmare1014]

@@MarkWallaceVideos Of course there are scenarios where models are required, but in this video particularly, she spent the vast majority of the time just sitting there while you explain the topic

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

@@yourlogicalnightmare1014 We shot more than one video that day. ;)

[@KW86.]

Slow down,

[@anonymoususer9047]

Thanks

[@MarkWallaceVideos]

Thank you so much!!

[@paulcurtis4188]

Really helpful! Thanks 🙏🏼