Scubie Loc: Brunswick Georgia

Ok, you experts....3 to 1 lighting on a face...Some people say one stop difference on each side of the face, allowing the main to spill over to the main side. Is this how you all see it...This is supposed to make it a little brighter on the key side...This works for me...

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Oh brother! OK - here we go.

First - this assumes the fill is right over (or very close to) the camera axis. The main is off to one side - far enough to not add much -if any- light to the other side.

Lets's meter the fill to be f/5.6. Because it is on or close to the lens axis, it lights both sides of the face equally.

So both sides get a meter reading of f/5.6.

Now the main: let's set that to meter f/8. One stop more than fill.

The side of the face lit by the main gets how much more light than the 5.6 side? Right - TWICE as much.

Let's look at the side lit by the main: It already has one unit of light at 5.6 (it could be ANYTHING - f8, f32,etc)
Now we add twice s much with the main (f/8 is 2X 5.6) anything that is ONE stop brighter.

So the main side has 3 units and the fill side 1 unit - 3:1 ratio. In our example, it we bump the main to f/11, we would have a 5:1.

See? Really simple! :-)

Scubie Loc: Brunswick Georgia

The Captain has a way of explaining things...One unit then two. Makes the most sense I have heard from anyone...but what would you expect from the Captain...
he's done it again....

Scubie Loc: Brunswick Georgia

I never noticed where the Captain lives..Colorado...hey invite us all out for one of your seminars....We could pay you, take you to lunch or something to pick your brain...

Bobber Loc: Fredericksburg, Texas

I think the Captain would have come to rest at ground level long ago, if he did not have a clear way with doing technology. That is why, I leave my driving to lower altitudes.

ubzy Loc: new england

I thought you were Mike Love from the Beach Boys.

Mpeter45 Loc: Springfield, Illinois

I like 3:1 best for reproduction as 2:1 isn't contrasty enough and
4:1 is too contrasty.