18% grey

[humminboid]

Originally Posted by Rson

I found that the Expodisc around my neck interfers with my gold chain and diamond encrusted "$" ]

Yes, I 've noticed that, myself!

[Angelo]

I think it is important to understand that,

"White Balance" and "Exposure Metering" are two different matters.
Even if some of us may accomplish both with one reading, we must understand that they are two different topics.

White Balance reads the color of light (Kelvin), "Quality"

While Exposure reads the amount of light entering the camera (light hitting the film or sensor), "Quantity"

I just want to make sure someone reading this thread understands the difference.

[texxter]

All meters are set to universally read a mid-tone value. It will render a white horse gray, and a black horse gray.

To bring the color to what you want, for snow , light colored scenes, or white horses, increase exposure 1+ stops. Dark objects, decrease exposure 1-1 1/2 stops.

This applies to reflective meters, not to incident meters. A reflective meter assumes the subject is mid gray. If it isn't, then the exposure given will bring it to mid gray. But an incident meter gives you a value that is independent of the reflectivity of the subject. Hence the exposure will render a white horse white and a black horse black.

Edit: you can use a spot reflective meter on a 18% gray card instead of an incident meter. The results should be the same.

[venchka]

The palm of your hand works too. If you calibrate your stuff according to your hand.

Incident meters can be fooled too. I doubt seriously if snow looks right when exposed using an incident meter reading.

Personally, I like walking around a scene noting the exposure for various parts and doing some exposure math in my head. Then flip a coin. And last, but not least, bracket.

[texxter]

Wayne, in theory an incident reading should give you just the right exposure, whether it's snow or coal. If you want to give a little more detail to the snow, you can underexpose slightly from the incident reading, but it will look pretty white without any adjustments. Try it, assuming you have snow nearby :-)

Bracket is always a good idea if you can do it. For breathing people or moving objects bracketing is not going to work very well. However, I often bracket in postprocessing, with a latitude of about 3 f-stops when shooting raw format. This allows me to either do a global minor correction of exposure or do burning and dodging of exposure selectively.

[humminboid]

Originally Posted by texxter

This applies to reflective meters, not to incident meters. A reflective meter assumes the subject is mid gray. incident meter.

Actually, IIRC, the instructions for my Sekonic incident meter included the notation to measure the light, then place the needle reading...not at the indicator arrow, but, at the mark which was +1 stop over the metered value, for "proper" flesh tones. This was for Black and White, back in the Darkroom Ages.

Hmmmm...that sounds awfully like the advice and practice used with reflected meters of the day.

I had 2 Westons, (reflected light) but never really got comfortable with them, Sold 'em, and went back to my roots...Sekonic incident meters. Wore out two, and sold my third when I... finally... admitted that my camera meters were really that good!

With the new metering systems, the gyrations of yesteryear have, thankfully, become somewhat moot, IMO. I is a Happy snapshooter!

[deblack]

Outdoor Photographer, in its March 2010 issue has an article "The Digital Zone System" which explains and illustrates Ansel Adams Zone basics and the use for digital color photography. Their web site also has it. It's worth a read. Link at The Digital Zone System - Outdoor Photographer | OutdoorPhotographer.com