Difficulty beliving my light meter

[Keltic Ice Man]

Hi folks

I've set up a studio at home (the kitchen) - and have 2 lamps on the background metered at F8 with no other lights on.

I then meter the (third) front light to F8, put all lamps on and shoot

The camera (350D) has a trigger attached (a RF-16) and this triggers one of the background lamps, which triggers the other lights.

My problem is that if i then use manual on the camera and put F8, 160 at iso 100 (which is what was metered I get very over exposed), and to get a good shot I need to go to F11 ish

In the shot below I have set the lamp and camera to f5.6

and then in the next you can see I have changed the camera to F8

It seems I always have to go 3 or 4 stops above what I have metered by the Sekonic L358.

Any ideas why this might be?

Allan

 

[CT]

We really need to know whether you're using incident or reflected light metering.

 

[Keltic Ice Man]

Hi Ct - Incident reading, white dome up

 

[Keltic Ice Man]

and even though the white dome in the pic is pointing forward and giving f5.6, it was when it was pointing towards the front lamp

Background lamps are around 4 foot off the background.

Subject about 8 - 9 foot off the background

Foreground lamp around 12 foot off the background

 

[CT]

I'd expect a Sekonic meter of that class to be much more accurate. Just make sure there's no flash compensation dialled in anywhere.

When you take an incident reading from the subject position make sure that the meter is pointing right back at the camera position.

There isn't actually much wrong with that first shot which can't be put right in editing. and the bg is nicely blown out which is what you want.

Your other option is to take a reflected reading from the lad's face from close up which should give you an accurate exposure on the face but still blow out the bg.

 

[Ally]

I would make sure your going right up to the cameras sync speed and also make sure you lightmeter is set correctly also your EV settings. I can not count the number of times I've went to take a reading and not had the meter set properly and also take readings from your lights one at a time I think you've done that though

 

[Keltic Ice Man]

Thanks folks

Looks like it might be light coming from the background lights that is overpowering the pic. Just trying switching the backlights off.

Different model - Iso 100, shutter 160 F8 - as told by lightmeter

 

[Janice]

I know what you mean, Allan. It CAN be done in photoshop... but oh how nice to get it all sorted with the lights and camera beforehand.

Specially as how "er indoors" gave in to you getting that Sekonic!!

 

[Janice]

Well thats looking much better................and who was it that said you might be getting some spill-over from the back lights???

 

[Keltic Ice Man]

Well thats looking much better................and who was it that said you might be getting some spill-over from the back lights???

[S3]Listen to Janice next time - she knows best[/S3]

Put a "french flag" in front of one of the background lights and its getting closer.

This pic is 160 F10, and im metering 160 F9, so I'm a lot happier

All pics could have been rescued in photoshop, I just wanted to make sure i could do the biz with the meter. (and as Janice says especially after the persuading of her indoors I had to go through to get it)

PS - I will make sure the big creases aren't in place for any big shoots

 

[Ally]

they look much better

Were you metering each light on its own with the others off? and pointing the meter at the where the camera will be?

 

[Keltic Ice Man]

Thanks Ally - All metered fine, but there was spill from the background lights to the subject

 

[MattEg]

It looks like the rear lights are reflecting the background light back to the camera, giving the 1st shot the washed out look.
Try relocating the rear lights so the light reflects away to the sides.

 

[EOS_JD]

Once you meter each light, it's a good idea to measure the scene with all lights on.