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[OM] Spot metering faces - was- How to test "new" OM-4T

Subject: [OM] Spot metering faces - was- How to test "new" OM-4T
From: "Giles" <cnocbui@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 1 Aug 1998 22:33:57 +0000
This does not quite work for me

I generaly find that caucasian faces are lighter than 18 0rey - 
remember green grass is supposed to be a good 18 0rey approximation 
(deep suntan?)

When I metered off the face I would get underexposure of the face - 
at least for my tastes.

I find spot metering an area of the face in shadow with some hair in 
it - near the ear usually - yields a better exposure.  If the 
subjects image in the viewfinder is too small for such accuracy with 
the spot meter,  meter the face and then take another spot 
reading of their clothes, which are usually darker than the face.

If the subject is wearing really dark clothes I would take two spot 
readings of the face and one of the clothes.  This biases the average 
towards the face exposure.

This is the utter brilliance of multispot metering - being able to 
bias the exposure toward one tone in fine incriments if neccesary.  
No need to resort to the exposure compensation dial.

My example of one spot reading of the face and two of dark 
clothes could be subtly modified by three face readings and two of 
the clothes - a slight biasing towards the clothes ie overexposure.

Perhaps I should take some example shots and submit them to the 
Gallery - a new section on technique?

Giles


> You got it.  You must meter the part of the scene that you want properly
> exposed.  
> Example:  Beautiful girl at the beach.  Sun to the side, blue sky, white 
> sand. With
> the spot meter, meter the skin tones.  With the OM2n you should go to manual; 
> move
> close to where the skin fills the viewfinder; set the exposure; compose, 
> shoot. 
> Note that's in manual!!  Same thing you will do next time you're on the bus 
> trying
> 

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