Video 4: Advanced Metering

Mark Wallace is back with the fourth and final Adorama video of a four-part series on metering. This installment focuses on using the Sekonic L-758DR, with Wallace demonstrating some advanced concepts of incident and reflective metering. He mounts his meter on a stand and positions it where he wants to check his strobes—a trick he often uses in the studio. He also explains how to use the meter with the zone system, and includes still images fully documenting different exposure settings.

Thanks for a great series and all the knowledge, Mark!

Don’t forget to check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this four part series.

After you’re done learning from one of the masters of metering, check out all the Sekonic meters to step up your game and nail your exposures in-camera, saving you countless hours trying to tweak them in Photoshop or Lightroom.

Video 3: Using a Light Meter

Mark Wallace is back with the third Adorama video of a four-part series on metering. This installment focuses on how to use a light meter. He breaks down the key elements of the “exposure triangle,” which are aperature value, shutter speed, and ISO. By entering any of two of the values into your light meter, the meter will produce the missing variable, enabling you to dial in the correct exposure on your camera.

Wallace demonstrates the Sekonic L-358 meter throughout, and explores the four different modes available on the meter: ambient mode, cordless flash mode, cord flash mode, and wireless flash radio triggering mode. He goes into detail on two modes, basic ambient metering and wireless triggering.

For ambient metering, he provides both outdoor location and indoor studio examples, along with many handy tips, such as a multitude of issues when positioning your meter in front of a model, and settings galore. Thanks for both the overview and the details, Mark!

Don’t forget to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this four part series.

After you’re done learning from one of the masters of metering, check out all the Sekonic meters to step up your game and nail your exposures in-camera, saving you countless hours trying to tweak them in Photoshop or Lightroom.

Video 2: Exposure Compensation

Mark Wallace returns in this second Adorama video of a four-part series on metering. This installment focuses on exposure compensation. Watch Wallace demonstrate how cameras expose for 18% gray, whether shooting a solid black or solid white wall. He teaches us how to set exposure compensation to underexpose by two stops, making a black wall black. Conversely, he moves in the opposite direction by two stops to have a white wall correctly register as white.

Moving to practical applications of exposure compensation, he photographs a model wearing black against a black background, and white top against a white background.

In a great practical demonstration, Wallace also shows what’s going on via the LCD panel on the back of your camera while employing exposure compensation. Thanks for the demystification, Mark!

As a precursor, don’t forget to check out Part 1 of this four part series.

After you’re done learning from one of the masters of metering, check out all the Sekonic meters to step up your game and nail your exposures in-camera, saving you countless hours trying to tweak them in Photoshop or Lightroom.

Video 1: Understanding TTL

The unstoppable Mark Wallace is at it again! You can now see him in a series of four videos on light metering. He starts off the series detailing how your camera meters light in an attempt to get the correct exposure. TTL (through the lens) reflective metering and specific metering modes such as spot metering, partial metering, average metering, center weighted average metering, and matrix metering are covered.

Watch this space for upcoming breakdowns of the other videos in this informative series. As the series progresses, Wallace demonstrates how to rock like a pro with a light meter.

After you’re done learning from one of the masters of metering, check out all the Sekonic meters to step up your game and nail your exposures in-camera, saving you countless hours trying to tweak them in Photoshop or Lightroom.

Free Friday Photo School Seminar 8/20/10

Sekonic and FridayPhotoSchool are proud to present this FREE learning opportunity for you THIS FRIDAY!

The first in a series of educational video seminar series!

Will Crockett from ShootSmarter.com has created some great content on how to dial in a correct exposure for one of the age-old problems photographers face. Too dark or too light? Crockett solves the problem, and has created some free online video seminars showing you the answers. Why not get it right in camera, instead of trying to doctor your photos on your computer for hours afterwards?

Crockett is hosting a free FridayPhotoSchool.com seminar. Focusing on turning off some of the automated systems in your camera, and exploring manual exposure controls, Crockett aims to empower shooters by mastering their cameras, instead of the other way around. Be sure to check out his 80-minute free seminar this Friday. Set a calendar reminder!

Too Dark? Too Light? Just Right!
CONTROLLING THE BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR PHOTOS
With Will Crockett
FRIDAY AUGUST 20 around lunchtime at 1pm ET. 12n CT. 11am MT. 10am PT on www.fridayphotoschool.com

See you there! Note: the presentation is free, but registration for FridayPhotoSchool.com is required to watch the seminar.

Sean Armenta’s One Light Beauty Setup

Fashion, beauty, and lifestyle photographer Sean Armenta has released a video detailing how he sets up one light (a beauty dish) and some homemade reflectors to light a typical cosmetics campaign ad. That’s right. You heard correctly. One light for professional results you’d see in any fashion magazine.

Along with the beauty dish, Armenta also utilizes a Sekonic L-358 meter. At the ready is a bank of PocketWizard Plus II units.

Sean Armenta | One Light Beauty Setup from Sean Armenta.

Armenta put this video together for the FStoppers.com behind the scenes video contest.

We had previously checked out Armenta’s career and work in “Sean Armenta’s Ornaments of Women.” You can see more of his work and writing at the following links.

Sean Armenta Photography
Sean Armenta blog
Sean Armenta on Twitter
Sean Armenta on Facebook
Sean Armenta on Flickr
Sean Armenta’s Workshop

Written by Ron Egatz

Sekonic on flickr

If you’re interested in seeing what other shooters are doing with Sekonic meters, check out some of the results posted at the Sekonic Light Meter group on flickr. Comprised of a friendly group of photographers, their discussion page is full of posts where questions are answered, tips are shared, and all things Sekonic are explored.

A wide range of photography is represented by the members. With currently almost 1600 images posted, use this important resource for inspiration as to what you can accomplish with your Sekonic meter. You can browse the images without being a member, which is free and easy to do should you choose to. The individuals on the discussion page are friendly, helpful, and encouraging. Join the party and watch your photography and metering skills ramp up!