My best tip for light metering on the street

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[@bkillbe]

I saw Super Eduardo flying @ 4:08 :D

[@edpavez]

this comment made my day

[@andrewwilkin1923]

Sound advice, spent years photographing weddings back in the 80's and 90's. Weston light meter reading off the back of my hand, never failed. Never got sunny 16 to work in the UK, sunny 8 was nearer :-)

[@sararici47]

Very interesting comment, thank you:)))))

[@JakeTheBear1]

Yes, finally! A metering tutorial! Immensely useful, thank you! 😆

[@songchangeun]

skin tones vary , but the palm of your hands vary much less... making it easier to measure light based on the palm of you hand rather than the other side

[@TheKilonzi]

Great video! Always inspiring to learn from other photographers. Your solution is quick and brilliant. Since I started shooting film again, I invested most of my time into learning how to expose correctly. I will definitely try your approach. Thanks!

[@dnzrdm]

concrete sidewalk also works as a pretty good grey card.

[@Johnybulletproof]

This video is an answered prayer for me hehe . i normally shoot 35mm SLR with lightmeters for street , so when i get my Hasselblad 503cx or my Mamiya RZ67 I Think TWICE when the sun starts to drop or pull my bulky Lunar Pro II . Gracias Eduardo ! Saludos desde Tijuana Mexico .

[@saorirf7222]

Was always wondering how you measured the light in your videos. Very explanatory thank you!

[@MicheleCaivano]

The hand trick seems really useful, thank you

[@kafka1787]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge man. This is really helpful. Also I've been enjoying your podcast with Fran, you both are inspiring people. Good luck.

[@Rendiermans]

Where can i find this podcast?! @Juliette Kafka

[@kafka1787]

@@Rendiermans SoundCloud.

[@yurizubaha997]

Dude thank you so much for your videos! watch and enjoy, but the last glasses were the best!)))

[@thegreatvanziniphotos5976]

Very good vid. I find things that meter close to a gray card. Like you said a mid tone person, certain shades of asphalt, even lawn grass. You have be careful as the there can be a lot of shades of grass & such. But you can get it down & along with sunny 16 you get very close.

[@emanuelmartinfernandez4710]

Excelente consejo, utilizo habitualmente sunny 16, ya que molestaba tener que sacar a cada rato el movil pero con tu consejo, creo que se facilita la tarea. Gracias. Abrazo querido

[@andresdiaz2578]

Generally i prefer the sunny 16 rule As its much quicker than using a light meter. The sunny 16 rule is good for outdoor shots. But if your in the shade I would go 2 to 3 stops over to adjust for light. I wouldnt reccomend using the sunny 16 rule indoors I would use a lightmeter insted to get the proper exposure for my camera. But defentely the sunny 16 rule teaches you how to read and approxamate light. But if you wan the surest way to measure light use a light meter then.

[@lebrigand4115]

Absolutely! When outdoors, sunny 16 is way easier and quicker. Everyone should learn how to use it.

[@snapsnappist4529]

I could not agree more. Exposing for incident light will always give the correct exposure, regardless of what you are photographing, or the skin tone of the subject. The great thing about using Sunny 16 in daylight is that you only have to be aware of 5 exposure values (or 6 if you plan on shooting in snow or sand). On an average day, unless the weather is constantly changing, I will only have to use 2 EVs at most. I used to be a bit scared of working without a light meter and thought that unless I used one my shots would all by incorrectly exposed. In fact, the opposite happened - I trusted my light meter too much and often exposed for the wrong part of the scene. Since I learned Sunny 16, I have almost never exposed incorrectly. I've even managed to perfectly expose countless rolls of slide film using the method. Every photographer should check out the Ultimate Exposure Calculator. Learn it, and you'll be able not only to work in daylight without a meter, but in indoor light, and even at nighttime.

[@alexandermoreira2859]

Thanks for the tips man!!

[@Valentiono87]

Very informative, thank you very much!!!!

[@weerapatsuksri3262]

Love this bro!

[@jackmatthews8062]

Two years too late in the comment section for possibly the most helpful photo advice I’ve ever gotten - Thank you :)

[@sliob]

Thanks, .cool idea, I will try it!

[@tcc300892]

Useful video. Thanks! By the way, what brand are those glasses? Really like em.

[@tinytac1797]

Thank you so much for this

[@zapallalla]

great video! what do you think of constantly overexposing negative film by 1 or 2 stops? johnny patience has good article on this.. are you always using the correct speed or do you easily overexpose on purpose?

[@danwambo365]

Haha love this video! So honest and by the way, where did you get those glasses?!

[@BigBolt100]

Nice episode! What's your go-to film at the moment?

[@guenin]

I've been too white my whole life. Thanks for finally providing a solution for my problem!

[@lanxu6279]

where can i get the same case you have on your leica m3, that looks sooo good

[@davyboyo]

I fall into the region of too white. I just just stuck a piece of middle grey on the back of my camera to meter with my phone. Happy days

[@spyratekodaks7494]

What's the camera you will never let go?

[@dimiutube]

Oh, that's a good idea, Eduardo! Sometimes life can be so easy. I'll try it the next time. Using sunny 16 never worked for me... Thanks!!

[@nickfanzo]

Sunny 16 didn’t work for you because you didn’t take a year of using it and calibrating it to your regional geography. Sunny 16 wheee you live may be sunny 8 or sunny 11 etc

[@HJN67]

Sometimes, just sometimes you fall over a youtube video that actually teach you something that is so blatantly obvious, you wonder why you haven't thought of that yourself, a long time ago. This is such a video.

[@dangerpowers123]

I do exactly this ..measuring my hand and using s mobile app..works well for me and film is quite forgiving if your a stop out etc... I take a reading and unless the light changes I set it on the camera and forget it... It's quite freeing to then only think about composition. Over time I find you learn to guess / judge light and using even the app becomes more of a sense check for your own guess of the right settings

[@davidanstey1449]

Film Camera Reviews I can’t think of a more useful photography skill than guessing exposure prior to metering, or looking at a dslr histogram. You quickly get to where you can guess to within half a stop which is close enough for my hobby work.

[@dangerpowers123]

@@davidanstey1449 absolutely and it all adds to the feeling of ...I created the image .. if. The camera is fully manual with no light meter. You set it all and make the image.

[@cinthiagalindo1344]

Hola Eduardo, ¿has usado una Zenit 12 XP? Recientemente compré una pero sigo sin entender muy bien el exposímetro, he usado una Pentax K1000 desde hace ya un tiempo y me resulta más fácil.

[@pandunugroho2421]

so is it basically spot metering our back of hands? i have a lightmeter that can do basic spot metering so maybe i should give it a try

[@AHobbistChannel]

Already been mentioned, but over 40 years ago I was taught to meter off the PALM of your hand, not the back of it. Most people's palms are close to the same tone.

[@vincerunnerretrobikevince4212]

Thanks! Helpful!

[@freeman10000]

My tip: Measure light from the palm of your hand and over expose by one stop. Even better take an incident light reading or use Sunny 16.

[@MJA012-]

Do you ask people if you could upload the shot online after you've taken a photo of em?

[@Summerpopradio]

Muy útil e interesante 🤩 Gracias!

[@fcallophoto]

1:19 No siempre. En Android yo utilizo una que depende del sensor de luz en la parte frontal del celular. Lo que me lleva a pensar ¿cuál será más exacto, la cámara o el sensor? Hasta ahora no he tenido problemas con ese app y más que nada la uso para confirmar la exposición que saco al ojo.

[@hellspite]

4:11 Hastings SX seafront just passed George Street!!

[@gabocosta3373]

Eduardo, me permito hacer un par de comentarios. En principio la manera "correcta" sería conseguir un carton gris medio 18% que es como miden las cámaras con fotómetro de luz reflejada y luego medir tu mano y seguramente estará un punto más arriba, por lo que será necesario abrir un punto. Es decir, si tu mano mide f.8, seguramente el cartón reflejará f5.6, o sea que ese sería el diafragma a utilizar. Pero también es importante saber cuantos puntos por arriba o por debajo está tu piel con respecto al cartón gris. Por otra parte, todos los fotómetros, lentes, films y sensores, pueden presentar diferencias, por lo cual es muy conveniente hacer las mediciones con el material que vamos a usar y así exponer correctamente, ya que no todos los lentes (por ejemplo) dejan pasar la misma luz en el mismo diaf, pudiendo haber diferencias de hasta medio punto. Pero bueno, esto se aplicaría más que nada a film, ya que en digital hoy en día es muy fácil corregir pequeños errores de exposición. Desconozco si hay apps de fotómetros de luz incidente, con lo cual en exteriores con sol, sería muchísimo más fácil medir la luz. Saludos y muchas gracias por tus videos.

[@welterdavin5486]

great stuff

[@_joka9]

It always depends on the (visual)sensor inside the phone, so we can not always blame the app :)

[@stefanluckmann1842]

Super helpful! But can someone tell me the name of that Leica M3-Case?? :D

[@amersadik3926]

Hi dear Can you explain how to use the light meter for rolleiflex 2,8e ( built in into the camera) ? It’s too complicated and I have never found a video explaining how to use it . Please.

[@pauli7403]

Well, photography is about light and if you are serious about it a light meter should not be a burden, rather your best friend. A proper light meter will make your life a lot easier and it certainly don't have to be neither expensive nor heavy at all.

[@AdventurousInsight]

What is the Music at 2:39?

[@TheBenchapman]

Well said And funny too

[@Garacha222]

I suggest you acquire custom-color (left hand) gloves: each to match different skin tones of various peoples.

[@supermegayoba]

How about a grey card?

[@CARLA19822]

Excellent

[@zarrir]

Is that a Busch Pressman up there?

[@docDeutschmann]

Have you considered taking the measure from the palm of your hand, as it does not tan? (Assuming it is decently clean... ;-) )

[@ProcessBlue7268063]

I use the simple app, lux. I mean it works just fine and it has the most basic function for a light meter

[@alvareo92]

I use the Pocket Light Meter at 2:38. My reasoning? I like the scrolls it displays the reading with

[@slimnics]

Can i also say that skin tones and people also have highlights, mid tones and shadows. So to take a measure of a skin tone, i guess you are saying the mid tone is what you want but then the highlights will be clipped no ?

[@pabs4542]

Lol I always do the hand thing too

[@classic-car-perspective9472]

I use a Leningrad 4 for my zorkis always acurate

[@IainHC1]

Wise words :-)

[@RickLincoln]

Not bad methodolgy for street work. I have a couple of comments though. Instead of using a phone based meter, those who have spot meters in their cameras can use that. They are usually more accurate than phone meters. The last comment is that, as you point out, skin color can bias your exposure. My wife, for instance has light skin that meters 1 1/3 stop darker than the "correct exposure" for her. (Common Caucasian skin tone) If I meter from her skin and use the reading as a setting, my photos will be too dark. I have seen people who tape/sew/glue, a small mid-tone gray piece of fabric or a small gray card which gives perfect meter readings in your scenario to a backpack, or stick one in a pocket. Point your phone or camera's spot meter at it and there's your exposure. The idea of grabbing your shadow and highlight exposure before you begin shooting is excellent advice.

[@pritush]

I waited whole video anticipating to see the picture of a girl beside the bicycle 🚲. 😝

[@yvandermeer]

Just a thought: even if you know your skin to be lighter or darker than neutral gray, your hand can still be the perfect reference. Just measure the EV difference properly/accurately once, then compensate any reading you take off of your hand.

[@edpavez]

That’s exactly what I say in the video. Haha

[@bgsdwtm]

i use lumu, its free and can spot metering

[@RobertoMusicHelp]

Most people’s palms are neutral color even if you’re dark skin or light skin.

[@andriykryvtsun6201]

Thank you for the video. Now I know why some photographers check smth on theirs hands :) But why don't you use Sunny 16 rule in the summer?

[@edpavez]

I do, but here I am talking about light metering with an app.

[@never_arrive]

Hi Eduardo, really enjoying your videos and great insights! I was wondering since you're mostly adjusting aperture and not touching the exposure too much after taking the initial reading, why the clunky exposure dial of the Bessa R3M was such a pain point for you? Maybe I'm overanalyzing haha but would be curious to hear your thoughts - thanks for sharing !

[@edpavez]

That's a great question. I adjust aperture on daylight because the light prevents you from shooting wide open. On the other hand, during night shots or gloomy days I need to shoot wide open, and can only adjust the shutter speed. I was hoping the Bessa R3A would be better than my Leica in that department (the M3 has a cumbersome shutter dial, too), but it was just as bad. The R3A was like an M4 with light meter, which is ok, but I like my M3 better (bigger focusing patch, 50mm frame lines, fully mechanical), and I can put a light meter on top of the M3, getting the same results. :)

[@never_arrive]

Hi @@edpavez - thanks so much for your prompt response and expanding, really appreciate it ! Makes a lot of sense that when it gets dimmer, you'd be wide open and then need the shutter speed to adjust. It's a bummer the R3 didn't deliver for you - I am trying to find a somewhat affordable and inconspicuous street and travel combination and had decided on Bessa R (and voigtlander color skopar 35mm 2.5) but it is good to hear your words of caution on the camera! Thank you

[@Noealz]

I don't use a light meter but just wanted to throw in my support :)

[@davidanstey1449]

You touch on it at the end but it would appear to me you would need a stop of light above the metering if not 1.5 stops. Would I be correct you are saying meter off your hand but adjust a stop. Maybe someone with slightly darker skin could meter directly off their hand.

[@LaurentBourdier]

Yes, that how it was done before youtube: meter on the palm of your hand and add one stop, and I mean: open one stop more than the reading. If you get a real lightmeter you can do « incident light metering » and see by yourself that you get the same result (and by the way you’ll see that the f/16 rule was right too). However, when using black and white negative it doesn’t « really » matter if you are off by one stop. It’s all good.

[@AlfredoRoccia]

Thank you! That's a very clever and quick way to measure light. However, my question is: how do you take control of DoF and movement? I mean, you can quickly and easily switch from f/11 to f/2 and never miss your shot, that's fine. But, then you'll have two different pictures, since sharpness will be different...or the movement of people may be different if you switch shutter speed only. What I mean is, if one uses to pre-visualize the frame and, consequently, set f/ and speed accordingly, this method is not very helpful...do you know what I mean? Thanks :)

[@edpavez]

No, I don’t know what you mean. Of course if you change the shutter speed or aperture the image will be different, but if you know your two readings and you decide to change one or the other (aperture of shutter), you already know the two possible outcomes. I don’t see how this could not be useful. You are anticipating the shot. :)

[@AlfredoRoccia]

@@edpavez It is useful, indeed. What I meant is that your pictures are then driven simply by this dual condition light/shadow, meaning, e.g. great DoF+frozen shot in light conditions/ little DoF+frozen shot in shadows condition. But what if you still want everything in focus on the background and also a frozen shot in poor light conditions? You may then need a compromise that could be different from the other measurement. So, you probably need to pre-measure more than two conditions at the end and keep in mind different couples for different conditions. Yet still feasible :) Hope is clear

[@edpavez]

I really have no idea what you are talking about, my man. You can’t have a fast shutter speed AND have everything in focus in low light.

[@rslrandy]

Since I'm dark skinned, I usually take incedent readings off concrete.

[@Foto22417]

I read "indecent" the first time around LOL

[@spangst]

ROFL That would not be an incident reading! That would be a reflected light reading.

[@rslrandy]

@@spangst i have a dedicated light meter

[@VictorMunoz-zm2yy]

question: why you so cool?!

[@edpavez]

Aw stahp.

[@beaupfeifferrecordings]

have u tried using photo pills before Eduardo its not a light meter app its a app that will tell you where the light is hitting say a mountain peak at that pacific time of the day any where in the world

[@mmmtmups]

8:36 hahahah

[@felipus]

Que se levanta y que hace un video. :D

[@myblueandme]

a cheap grey card can do far better thn an app.

[@XavierAncarno]

Or like me a black guy, I’m metering with a colorchecker 18% Grey card

[@-3-._.]

Get tips man

[@JamesPotterAboutArt]

I would say that your hand is a bit too light. You'd be under exposing. Sunny 16 is better. Ev at night which is easier to master than sunny 16 during the day.

[@koo_yunmo]

use... hand…. memo...

[@pajamaman4832]

What do you mean if you're too white or too black........ LMFAO!!!

[@ken-yb4bz]

Hahah "what do you mean too white or too black??? ahhhh" cancel culture is strong nowadays

[@bareingredients]

Great advice, but man up and learn the Sunny 16 rule. It is better to learn to read the light and make an initial assessment. When I teach photography, I play the Guess the exposure. As first, they panic, and cheat, but once they start to see things work out they slowly let go. It is like having to check the GPS every minute, even when they are on the motorway. Learn to read the sign, of light, and relax.

[@edpavez]

to think that I don't know the sunny 16 is very condescending, dude. this video is about apps for metering light... :/