If two areas of lighting extremes need to be photographed together, what should be used?

Using fill flash is particularly effective in scenarios where there are two areas of lighting extremes, such as a subject in bright sunlight with a darker background. Fill flash helps to illuminate the subject without overwhelming the ambient light, effectively reducing harsh shadows and bringing more balance to the exposure.

In this context, fill flash acts as a supplemental light source, allowing photographers to properly expose both the brightly lit areas and the shadowed parts of the scene. This technique is crucial for achieving a well-balanced photograph that maintains detail in both the highlights and shadows.

Natural light might not provide enough illumination for the subject in the shadowed area, while flash exposure could create a stark contrast that results in an artificial look, overpowering the existing ambient light. A spot meter is primarily used to measure light levels in specific areas but does not address the issue of lighting extremes when taking a photograph; it helps in achieving accurate exposure but does not resolve the ambient-to-subject light balance directly.