Once you've figured out what metering tools to use, and built up your metering experience, try estimating the light values _before_ metering. You'll learn a lot, more quickly.
Once you've figured out what metering tools to use, and built up your metering experience, try estimating the light values _before_ metering. You'll learn a lot, more quickly.
Mike
I start with incident. If the day is clear I meter the blue sky, which is usually darker than the ground! If I make the sky zone 6 (open up one from the meter reading) I'm usually happy with the rest.
I also take highlight and shadow readings with a gray card. They are usually about four stops apart. I ponder all these choices and pick one somewhere in the middle.
The film and paper each have a lot of latitude, and there's still detail everywhere if the extremes are no more than two stops bright or dark.
This way nothing is blown out or illegible, and I can make character adjustments in the print.
I no longer develop by inspection when printing, I develop the paper in a drum for a set period of time and one-shot developer.
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