Why is this video saying to overexpose 1 stop?

G

goodgoings

Well-known member
At 4:51 this video says to overexpose 1 stop for interviews and skin tones. The light meter says correct exposure is f4, so then he sets the camera to f2.8. Caucasian skin is 1 stop over middle grey or zone VI. Then that means skin would be exposed two stops over middle grey. This doesn't make any sense to me. Can someone explain why he says this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ThmLwRs3g
 
LOL, that young man in the video is getting confused between reflected light metering and incident light metering. :grin: If he had been taking a reflected light reading off of caucasian skin, then yeah, open up a stop would be about right, since reflected meters assume they're looking at a neutral gray card, which is about a stop darker than typical caucasian skin. You wouldn't want the skin to be as dark as a graycard, so you open up a stop. BUT HE'S USING AN INCIDENT METER!!! An incident meter doesn't measure the brightness of the subject, it measures the illumination falling on the subject. So the brightness of the subject does NOT confuse the incident meter (it doesn't look at the subject, it looks at the light).

P.S. -- I said the incident meter looks at the light source .... well, sometimes. But it's usually aimed at the camera.
 
Last edited:
I will often overexpose a face half a stop if I want it bright and popping out of the frame. But a full stop sounds rather excessive without an express reason for doing so.
 
I did not bother watching the video because I know it is DUMB... but your instincts are good.

It does "not make any sense".

Exposure is all about LEVELS and it is not just a random f-stop lens control thing.

Exposure is done through LIGHTING CONTROL to a base f-stop that covers the LEVELS.
 
Ken Hull said:
P.S. -- I said the incident meter looks at the light source .... well, sometimes. But it's usually aimed at the camera.
Click to expand...

Well, I almost always use the incident meter and 'aim' at the light... since I'm wanting to know the contribution of 'that light'... The 'aim at the camera' will yield the amount of 'total' light falling on the subject, but will not indicate specific areas, if 'contrast' and the amount of light in an area is important.

But I do agree that the presenter got 'confused'... on the point of opening up 1 stop for 'fair' skin. That is a handy 'reflectance' meter cheat.

In any case, one needs to calibrate the meter to the camera + lens at hand... unless one is using say T-stop calibrated lenses... which most DSLR users don't...
 
Ken Hull said:
LOL, that young man in the video is getting confused between reflected light metering and incident light metering. :grin: If he had been taking a reflected light reading off of caucasian skin, then yeah, open up a stop would be about right, since reflected meters assume they're looking at a neutral gray card, which is about a stop darker than typical caucasian skin. You wouldn't want the skin to be as dark as a graycard, so you open up a stop. BUT HE'S USING AN INCIDENT METER!!! An incident meter doesn't measure the brightness of the subject, it measures the illumination falling on the subject. So the brightness of the subject does NOT confuse the incident meter (it doesn't look at the subject, it looks at the light).

P.S. -- I said the incident meter looks at the light source .... well, sometimes. But it's usually aimed at the camera.
Click to expand...

Light meters are calibrated to medium grey (18% reflectance). I didn't saw the video but measuring incident light (light falling on the subject), relies on the exact same Ansel Adams Zone System you are using to reply the OP's question. Since the meter is calibrated to middle grey you still have to open up a full stop (relying that you're camera has a 9 stop DR), to properly expose caucasian skin at Zone VI.
 
Last edited:
naavt said:
Since the meter is calibrated to middle grey you still have to open up a full stop (relying that you're camera has a 9 stop DR), to properly expose caucasian skin at Zone VI.
Click to expand...

But Caucasian skin is already a stop lighter than middle grey. That means when you expose for middle grey, Caucasian skin is already at zone VI. You're opening up a stop for no reason just like the guy in this video.
 
LochnessDigital said:
But Caucasian skin is already a stop lighter than middle grey. That means when you expose for middle grey, Caucasian skin is already at zone VI. You're opening up a stop for no reason just like the guy in this video.
Click to expand...

You're right. My mistake.
 
naavt said:
Light meters are calibrated to medium grey (18% reflectance). I didn't saw the video but measuring incident light (light falling on the subject), relies on the exact same Ansel Adams Zone System you are using to reply the OP's question. Since the meter is calibrated to middle grey you still have to open up a full stop (relying that you're camera has a 9 stop DR), to properly expose caucasian skin at Zone VI.
Click to expand...

I don't believe the Zone System uses 'incident' meter readings. Since the whole approach is to know apriori what values will be in the final print, based on the scene in detail, a 'spot meter' or a lot of running around with a 'wide angle' reflectance meter were in order.

I have shifted to use an incident meter for 'motion pictures', because very often, motion picture continuous lighting is given in terms of footcandles... a value not easily derived from reflectance meters, unless one is using a 'grey' card... even then an incident meter is just easier to use in that case.

For stills, one can set the speed of the shutter, f-stop, etc, to get a shot in 'low light'... whereas for motion pictures, one is pretty much required to use 1/48(1/50) and above, unless one is running at 24 fps, and sets the shutter at 360 deg... which is not a typical setting.

Hence one can only control effective ISO or f-stop, and those are limited to the maxima of the camera and lens.
 
goodgoings said:
At 4:51 this video says to overexpose 1 stop for interviews and skin tones. The light meter says correct exposure is f4, so then he sets the camera to f2.8. Caucasian skin is 1 stop over middle grey or zone VI. Then that means skin would be exposed two stops over middle grey. This doesn't make any sense to me. Can someone explain why he says this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ThmLwRs3g
Click to expand...

If he's saying to overexpose skin by 1 stop then when he reads f4 on his meter he sets his lens to f2.8 this is 1 stop brighter. If your zone system says that skin is 1 stop over middle grey, then it is still one stop over middle grey. Not sure why you think it's two stops over anything?

But the bottom line is that there is no rule for where you expose skin at. it's sort of a personal decision when it comes down to it. Sometimes where you place it will depend on factors ranging from the color of the subjects skin, perhaps whether you are shooting narrative or TV, or simply on the style of the DP and/or possibly the director.

I use a light meter a lot for shooting mostly to know how much light for key I have, or is falling on the background, or shadow side of face, etc.. I've also calibrated my light meter to my camera and lenses so I can rate my camera with my own ISO so that my meter's f-stop will actually match up to my lens iris. If you don't go through this process which involves proper lighting, grey card and really good waveform monitor - there is little to no point in using a light meter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top