Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1952)

327 PbntopxapTiB hv Len J. Heffernan, FACL FIG. 4: Light colored subjects, such as this golden haired, fair skinned peachcake, take V-i stop less exposure than meter demands. All that is necessary is to hold the meter in the subject position, point it toward the camera fairly accurately, and then make a mental note of the foot-candle reading from which the exposure may be calculated by means of the dials on the meter. Since these calculations are different for each of the half dozen or so incident light meters on the market, we will not go into them here. The suggestions given in the instruction book furnished with your meter are to be followed in this regard. EXPOSING FOR THE BACKGROUND When the main front lights are set and the proper // stop has been determined by using the meter, it now becomes necessary to adjust the degree of illumination which is falling upon the background objects and walls. This is supplied by separate lighting units, and if the rays are overbright the background will take on a burnedout look. Or if the background is too dim, a dull, sombre look might spoil the overall picture. And so meter readings are made close to the background objects and the walls, and the meter in this case also is pointed toward the camera (see Fig. 3). Keeping in mind the foot-candle number of the reading from subject position, the lights on the background are moved either nearer or farther away until the background is illumined to the desired degree. If the background is the same general tone or color (within a narrow range, that is) as the subject, the lighting will be balanced when the needle on the meter points to the same number. If the walls are very light colored or white, it is advisable to move the lights farther away until the needle points to the center of the block under the next lower number. The walls will then receive 50 percent less light, but due to their high reflectance they will not appear dark. (Should a dark appearance in the background be desirable, as in dramatic or low-key lighting, a variation from normal of one block in the footcandle dial will tone down the background.) On the other hand, if the background objects are noticeably darker than the foreground objects, then light must be poured on the background and its intensity gauged by the meter Easy and accurate in use, the incident light type of meter is at its technical best under controlled lighting to prevent a sooty look in the setting. Dark colored woodwork, mahogany cabinets, chairs upholstered in dusky materials and other objects of low reflectance call for such an increase of light, but it should never be more than a 100 percent increase in the number of foot candles. LIGHT AND DARK SUBJECTS Occasionally a filmer is called upon to make shots of extremely light or extremely dark colored subjects — a closeup of a wedding cake with white icing, for example, or of a black dog or cat. Obviously, the brightness range of Kodachrome is not wide enough to reproduce such objects satisfactorily if the lens setting indicated by an incident light meter is used. For the meter is calibrated for the midpoint of average brightness range, and the subjects mentioned are well outside that range. The rules to follow in such cases are these: 1. Take a reading in the usual way, holding the meter in subject position and pointing it toward the camera. Make a note of the lens setting indicated by the meter. 2. If the subject seems to be very light colored to the eye, then use one half stop smaller opening than the meter calls for (see Fig. 4). 3. If the subject is white, or has a whitish appearance, then use one full stop smaller than the meter indicates. 4. If the subject is of a dusky color — deep shades of maroon, brown, green or blue — then use a diaphragm opening one half stop larger than the meter shows (see Fig. 5). 5. If the subject is blackish in appearance, or is black, then use a full stop more exposure than the meter shows. CARE WITH COMPENSATIONS Readers should keep clearly in mind that these recommended exposure compensa [Continued on page 345] FIG. 5: Dark colored flowers, foliage, woodwork and upholstery require Vi stop more exposure than incident meter will indicate