Picture a strong shaft of sunlight beaming in through your bedroom window.
Light doesn’t fill up a room like smoke.
Instead, light assumes a position.
Light meters act as our “eyes” on the field.
They show us what we can’t see on our own.
What Is a Light Meter?
To put it plainly, a light meter reads the strength of light.
Spot metering is one way to read the light.
Spot readings measure the light that actually ends up making it to your camera.
In the world of photography, however, you may find the opposite to be true.
There is a sense of empowerment that comes with knowing exactly what you’ve got on your plate.
Let’s say you have two models, one with dark skin, and one with fair skin.
But what if you just want to see how much light is falling on them both to begin with?
This is where a light meter comes in.
One thing worth mentioning about light metering, in general, is that it does take time.
This really is the only drawback to using a light meter, aside from the price tag.
If you shoot candids just for fun, there’s no reason to make the upgrade.
If you shoot photos professionally, however, a light meter is the ultimate failsafe.
You’ll never be in the dark again, so to speak.
Is a Light Meter Worth It?
Light meters are probably one of the coolest photography gadgets out there.
That, and they look pretty awesome hanging around your neck like a huge gold medal.
What can we say?
We like the attention.
But you didn’t hear it from us.
