January 6th, 2010 | 
Well, I did not have flash meter back 10 years ago, while was shooting on film. But I was not a professional photographer that time, and camera exposure meter plus my prediction along with experience was working well for me.
When I start asking money for my photography, I start feeling that I really need to have a flash meter! Every pro has it, so how could I be a pro without it?
Bought Sekonic L-358. Not the most expensive and advanced, but I felt like it was just right for me: It measures flash and ambient light, separately and combined, small and not expansive.
Sekonic L-358 Flash Master Light Meter
After I’ve got it in hands and played in studio and out, I found that I do not need it at all.. It was completely useless in a studio, as I always connect camera to a computer, and after first test shot I can clearly see where I need more or less light. And, looking on the image directly I do have much more info where and how much I need to change lights comparing to dry numbers flash meter tells me. I know, to get correct exposure you have to measure lights from every direction, calculating the final exposure settings. But for me it sounds the same as if I would use calculator to count my taxes. I prefer to use turbotax or similar software instead 
Also, how about this: What the use of exposure for a given light intensity flash meter provides you if it does not take into consideration surface which will be reflecting the light? A bright one could be overexposed, dark may be underexposed, both with the same light output from the light source.
The only use for a flash meter I can see is to get first test shot to look close to the final result. But do you really need to spend all this time measuring light all around, instead of just shoot and see the result on a monitor or camera LCD? I do not know how fast others work , but usually, on assignment, I do not have such time. Have your assistant to play as a model for and get lights ready in a few minutes. Fast and simple:-)
And to illustrate my thoughts and feelings, below is the photo I did 8 years ago, on a film (that was Fujifilm Velvia 50, if not mistaken). This is a composite image, 2 exposures on the same frame, no photoshop at all, the image was only re-sized after a scanner.
I have used colored light brush (light painting technique), orange color for the orange and blue ( I was using LED flashlight with interchangeable filters) on the knife.. You can even see bluish reflection on the orange, where I’ve must accidentally hit it with blue light beam.
The total exposure was about 1 minute, 30 second for each object.The shoot was done without any metering devices, except camera meter (EOS Elan 7E). And remember, that was a film, I had the first results next day after film was processed at the lab. Now, what meter do you need while shooting digitally?
orange with knife lightbrush technique example
Obviously, I do not know everything about photography, nor I had experience in every possible type and task exists for a photographer. Would be glad to hear your opinion, especially how and where you do use a flash meter, and what disadvantages is not to have it.
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- First AKELstudio LIVE! masterclass: water, apple, flash duration test and one shot of scotch whiskey:-)
- Motorola Droid phone, first weekend. Buil-in camera review with test shots
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- New Flash Unit from Paul.C Buff: EINSTEIN 640
The light meter topic always becomes controversial. Because in the end it depends on the taste of the photographer, and the necessities he/she needs to fulfill.
I started without working with a meter I chimped (looked at the camera’s LCD) and I still do. But if you want to get the right light ratios time and time again you need a meter. Also your line “if it does not take into consideration surface which will be reflecting the light? A bright one could be overexposed, dark may be underexposed, both with the same light output from the light source.” Is not completely accurate. The light meter will give you a correctly exposed shot if you’re photographing dark chocolate on a black background or white chocolate on a white one without over or under exposing. You do have to take into account the placement of the meter. Because you can have different readings depending on where you place it. The meter isn’t the “know it all” of tools, its just a meter, like the one on your camera its not “smart” so it’s dependent on the user, if there is user error the meter will not compensate for that.
Now talking about light ratios. For example let’s say you have to take 3 photos of a line of products but 2 of them you have to take them in the client’s place and only one of them is delivered to your studio. Let’s also say you’re doing a 3 light setup that has to be the same on all the products (key light, accent, and fill). You start in your studio and you do everything by eye. Then you go to your clients place and do the same, you either have to do it by the results you see when shooting tethered, or you record the different distances and use that to see if it looks the same. With a light meter you take a reading of each of the lights of the original setup and then on the clients place you only put the lights on the same position take a reading of each and then adjust the power settings so it has the same readings as your original one had, no need to chimp all that much nor do you need to position your lights to a certain distance.
There are also times that one chimps too much if you don’t have a meter, I’ve done it myself when I didn’t have a meter, I positioned my key light took a picture and then adjusted the settings until I saw that it was exposed to my liking, then I turned my second light and did the same until I had what I wanted. Now all I have to do is turn the light on take a reading of the key light and if I’m not looking for a particular Fstop I get then and there the fstop to correctly expose my subject. Then using the Sekonic 358 evaluative mode I can then take a reading of the other lights and adjust the light ratio to what I want, it won’t matter if I’m in the studio or If I’m on location.
As I said for me I do see the use of a light meter when I want to replicate light ratios, also I don’t usually shoot tethered so I can’t see the RAW histogram each time I take a photo. Since the histogram you see on the camera’s LCD isn’t from a RAW but from a JPEG tumbnail I can’t rely too much on that, so I rely on my meter. And I have found out that you need to experiment with it as well to get the results you want.
[Reply]
admin Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Javier,
Thank you, you’ve made really good points. I would agree, that flash meter will help to replicate the result for each photo session. However, I found that I adjust lights during the same product line shoot, because of darker and brighter products (like pens I did recently) requires light power to be changed to look good every time. I still relay on the end look of the product. Not sure if flash meter will help me in such situation.
And again, I always have each image reviewed on a laptop screen, never relay on a camera preview screen. I always (well, 99% of time) shoot products remotely with camera connected to a PC. (yes, I do not like Mac, and would never use it. There are more professional and photographer oriented laptops and monitor on the market, most of them cost less then Mac:-)
[Reply]
Great point and counterpoint.
I have a meter. I like it enough to pack with me on every “job”(wedding) and I use it frequently when on my personal projects.
I agree that anyone can work without a meter, but when shooting families (kids are the worst) I like to set my lights, get my aperture, get my ambient and shoot.
Perhaps one could look at a flash meter like a tripod. Some photographers use it when it’s not needed (think soccer moms with their point and shoots), some never use it, and others have one just in case they need it, and others use it for all of their work.
And what is wrong with Macs? I just replaced my PC with a Mac after the hard drive failed on me twice in one year. It wasn’t the eureeka moment everyone chalks it up to being, but I do like the operating system for it’s face value.
[Reply]
admin Reply:
January 7th, 2010 at 4:28 am
Mark,
I agree with you, with or without flash meter you need to feel comfortable and get job done well. I mostly shoot in a studio, so it was easier for me not to use it.
And regarding mac.. This is personal, but I do not really know Linux (latest Mac OS based on unix) that well, so it is hard for me to dig in it when I need tune up my system like I do on windows. Was on Windows for such a long time, and I am really experienced user I will say.
But the most I dislike about Mac is it’s price. You pay 30-50% more for what? For the logo? Now It has exactly the same hardware as any PC, but it cost a more.. Why? Apple laptops, for example… The flagman cost around $3K. I can get more professional (for photography) laptop, like Lenovo W700 series, for example. Better LCD matrix, faster CPU, built-in dual display (!), and cost around $2 K max.
I agree to pay for the performance, but not for the logo or nice look. This is a business, not a personal toy:-)
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I know what you mean about shooting tethered, I wanted to do this and bought a laptop to do this but sadly my model is too old to be recognized by windows 7 and canon isn’t updating the drivers for it. So I have to take the photo connect the camera in a different mode, download, check the photo and redo again.
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I suppose it all depends on what you shoot. Obviously a “dead” object doesn’t mind spending more time while you adjust your lighting, but when you have an (expensive) model for a fashion shoot or a time pressured executive you set up your basic lighting before that person arrives or while the model changes clothes or has her or his hair/make up adjusted and you want it to be as close as possible to perfect.
I cannot imagine working without a meter
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Well thanks for this blog it is very interesting and relevant to me. I am interested in photography but need to take clothing pictures for my website and have decided to invest on a home studio lighting kit. I am unsure as to whether I will need a flash meter as I will use friends and family for the shots… May be I can start without it and see how I get on! Thanks for sharing!
[Reply]
Alex Koloskov Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Thank you, Alexis. I wish you the best luck for the business:-)
I think it will be easy to understand the light without a flash meter.. you may need it later, when will be needed to do repeatable setups..
I still do not use it, probably never will.
Alex
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