How To Use Custom Sekonic Profiles

As you may already be aware, I have put together a lot of training on how to use a light meter and have compiled an extensive list of camera profiles to use with the Sekonic 758 & 478. And it appears that I incorrectly assumed that it was clear on how to use the profiles once they were loaded into the meter. (at least from the emails I have received recently). So if you have been sitting there wondering, "Okay, now what do I do?", this blog post will explain how to use the custom Sekonic profiles I have created.

How To Shoot & Light For The Grade

C100 with FilmConvert

Adding in film grain and applying film LUTs are a few of the tricks I've used over the years to take the edge off digital imagery. The addition of these elements not only makes the image look and feel more like film, but, more importantly, it takes the "exactness" and clinical precision off of the digital image. It makes it feel more organic.

When I first started implementing this technique, I ran into situations where I thought the image looked good on set, but back in the grade, the LUT didn't work as planned. I lost important information in my image, and I had to abandon using the LUT.

That began my quest for a solution on how to develop a methodology for how to shoot for the grade. Here is the process I went through, and how you can be better prepared to use LUTs or programs like Film Convert when lighting your sets.

Can your iPhone really be a light meter?

This past February I backed my first Kickstarter project ever- the Luxi. According to James Flynn, this little iPhone accessory would change my iPhone into a light meter. And, if you have spent any time on this blog, you know I'm a HUGE fan of light meters. So for $14, I figured why not give it a try- for that money, it would be worth a shot, even if it failed. Like a lot of kickstarters, this one missed its target delivery date- May 2013 came and went. But, fortunately, they did finally deliver my adapter last week. And, as it would happen, I had a scouting and testing day already on the calendar, so what better way to test it out, then in a real work situation...?