Update: my uncle told me to skip the light meter and just eyeball it, and he was dead wrong

Troy Owens · 2026-10-17T19:30:03.228766+00:00

My uncle has shot film since the 70s and he told me at a family cookout in Dayton that light meters are a crutch and I should just learn to read the light. I trusted him and shot a whole roll of Portra 400 at my cousin's wedding indoors with no meter, and maybe 6 frames came out usable. The rest were either muddy black or blown out on the bride's dress. Turns out his eye works because he's been doing it for 40 years, not because eyeballing is some secret trick. Now I carry a little Sekonic in my jacket pocket and I don't care who thinks it's cheating. Anyone else get led down a bad path by an old timer who meant well?

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Update: my uncle told me to skip the light meter and just eyeball it, and he was dead wrong | Analog Photo Share - Topic Shares