1. Photo 1 Metering & Portraiture Quiz
Eugene Louie
Name: ____________________________
Circle your answers:
1. If a photographer is taking a portrait of a person, the photographer should focus on?
a) The tip of the person’s nose so most of the depth of field will make the face appear the
sharpest object in the final picture.
b) Focus on the subject’s eyes, because even if part of the face is out of focus, the viewer
will believe the portrait is sharp because the eyes are sharp.
c) Use a small f/stop like f/ 16 and it won’t matter what part of the face the photographer
focuses on.
d) Focus on a person’s mouth and the entire face will be on the same plane of focus.
2. You are given an advertising assignment to photograph an actress with gorgeous eyes, and
you are a famous photographer known for making people beautiful. The art director wants you to
“make her eyes pop.” What is the most correct thing you would consider to make the picture so
the viewer is instantly drawn to the woman’s eyes, while keeping the photograph flattering?
a) Use a telephoto lens at f / 22, so only the subject will be in focus.
b) Pull out a 24 mm lens from your camera bag, put it on your camera, get as close as
possible to the model, fill the viewfinder with only the face. Then take the picture.
Remember to focus on their eyes.
c) A and B
d) Use a medium telephoto lens, aperture wide open, and focus on the eyes. (a medium
telephoto lens in this instance is defined to be in the range of 85 mm – 105 mm for the 35
mm film format).
3. If you point a photographic light meter to measure a completely black door and make an
exposure using what the light meter suggests, what tone will result in the finished photograph?
Assume the exposure meter, film development, and correct contact print exposure have been
tested and standardized.
a) Black overall
b) White overall
c) 18% gray overall
d) Can’t determine from the information given in the question.
4. If the person you want to photograph is standing in front of a very light background, or sunlight
is hitting their back, what MUST you do with your exposure so the printed picture will show details
in the face? Describe your assessment of this tough lighting situation, and list the steps you need
to take to avoid creating a silhouette of the person. Use the back of your test if you need more
room. Please number your answer, and be specific.
5. If the person you want to photograph is standing in front of a very dark background what MUST
you do with your reflected light meter to get a correct exposure of the person’s face? Use back of
test if you need room. Again, be specific.
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2. Photo 1 Metering & Portraiture Quiz
Eugene Louie
6 When using an “incident” light meter what statement is the most important thing to remember to
get a correct exposure reading?
a.) Turn the meter away from the thing you want to make a picture, and make sure
the light that is falling on the white diffusion dome is the same light that is falling
on the subject you want to take a picture.
b.) Point the white diffusion dome toward the thing you want to photograph.
7. You are using negative black and white film and you are not sure about the correct exposure,
and if you could only do one thing to bracket your exposure, it would be better to overexpose the
film by a stop than to underexpose the film by a stop.
a.) False
b.) True
8. With color slide film if you are not completely sure about your exposure, it is better to under-
expose than to over-expose, because if you over-expose slide film (which does not require
printing to see the picture after it is developed) you could lose detail in the slide.
a.) True
b.) False
9. Average light-toned skin is about one stop lighter than the middle-gray tone for which meters
are calibrated to reproduce. If you are photographing an individual with a European ancestry
(Caucassian skin). What exposure change would you make after taking the first accurate light
meter reading off the person’s face? The goal is to place (reproduce) the tonality of the skin in the
final print to match the tone described in your textbook for a person with this type of complexion.
a.) Stop down one f / stop
b.) Stop down two f / stops
c.) Open up 2 f / stops
d.) Open up 1 f / stop
10. If you cannot physically get close enough to take a light meter reading of your subject’s face,
which technique is the easiest way to overcome this problem?
a.) Make a substitution light reading by metering the palm of your hand. This should be
adequate as long as your palm is in the same kind of light as your subject.
b.) Use the rule of thirds and meter a third of the scene where your subject is standing.
c.) Use an electronic strobe to add additional fill light.
d.) Put on an extremely long telephoto lens, long enough to fill the person’s face and use the
meter reading obtained from this technique.
EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION:
Define “reciprocity failure,” and how you would compensate for this condition.
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