Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I second Duane’s philosophy about limiting bracketing to certain stationary and or contrasty subjects. That is the very reason why I use a spot/incident/reflected meter- to ascertain the exposure in advance and forgetting about it until lighting conditions change. Duane's words remind me of my first photographic lesson: I was 14 when I purchased (after saving for it by spending only half of my lunch money for a long time) a 120 Zeiss Ikon folding camera. It did not have a built-in meter and I could not afford one. In those days, meters where a luxury. I exposed 3 rolls of film to test the camera and of the resulting 36 exposures, 32 or 33 where more than acceptable. I learned in that first experience that trees (green) absorbs more light than other subjects, therefore require a larger lens opening. Four years later I purchased a GE meter and lost that intuitive or analytical eye for light because I was relying blindly on the meter readings rather than interpreting them. Now, in most cases, I do not bracket. I expose Kodachrome 25 and 64 and for the most part my exposures are on target because I spend enough time considering the lighting for contrast, quality, and intensity. By paying attention to the light and interpreting what the meter reads, one can arrive at the correct exposure withing a fraction of a stop. Joseph