Intro to Light Meters

A light meter is a tool that photographers use to measure the amount of light in a given scenario. There are both digital and analog meters available and they all help the photographer determine the correct exposure for particular lighting situation.

Most meters are capable of giving two kinds of readings; reflective and incident. With reflective metering, the meter reads the amount of ambient light that is coming into the scene and reflecting off the subjects to be photographed. This is very similar to the built-in metering of many cameras.
One drawback of reflective metering is that the reading could change based on the subject. In the same lighting situation, a model against a black background would return a different exposure reading than one against a white background. This may make it difficult to determine the true correct exposure.

Where light meters truly shine is with incident metering. Here, the photographer places the meter where the subject will be and fires the flash or lighting equipment. The meter will take the reading and give the proper exposure based on the amount of light coming into the scene.

With incident metering, the exposure reading will be the same regardless of background or subject color. This makes the job of the photographer easier, especially if he or she is working with different backgrounds or wardrobe changes.

Do I Need a Light Meter?

Whether or not you need a light meter is a pretty hot debate among amateur and professional photographers alike. Especially with the coming of the digital age, it’s easier to say that you can get by without one.

Chimping has become a popular practice, one where the photographer huddles over the LCD screen of his camera after taking a test shot to see how his exposure looks and to examine the histogram. The stance of the photographer during this procedure favors that of a chimp, hence the name.[ad name=”250×250″]

Many beginning photographers claim that, with the rise of the digital age, light meters are no longer needed. After chimping a few test shots, you should be able to determine a good exposure. This is true, to an extent.

You setup your light gear and take a shot. Doesn’t look right on the screen? No problem, make a few adjustments and fire again. Still not quite right? Make some more adjustments. Try again. Maybe third time’s a charm, maybe not. Just a few more tests should prove to give us a good exposure. That is, until it’s time to change our setup, then the dance begins again.

There’s nothing wrong with this logic, and I can admit it’s what I lived by for quite awhile. However, the more I began photographing other people, I realized that the first 5-10 minutes (sometimes longer) of all my sessions was spent trying to tag the right exposure. Depending on the type of subjects you’re photographing, this could potentially cause you to come across as unprepared and unprofessional.

I bit the bullet and bought the Polaris light meter and, personally, wish I’d got one sooner. It’s hard to beat having the ability to setup your lights, take a reading, then have your very first shot be right on exposure.

A light meter works well enough with one light, but when you add a second or third light is when you’ll see the true benefit. The meter allows you to work out accurate lighting ratios that would be near impossible without one. Plus, when you’re working with clients that are either impatient or are on a tight schedule, you don’t want to spend your time chimping to make sure you’ve got a manageable exposure.

Use a meter, nail the exposure from the get-go, and get to the fun part which is taking good photos.