In existing light situations, what will the camera's light meter likely indicate in an excessively dark scene?

In an excessively dark scene, the camera's light meter will typically indicate underexposure. This occurs because light meters assess the available light in a scene and provide a reading based on the amount of light they detect. In dark conditions, the meter will struggle to find enough light for an accurate reading and will suggest settings that would result in a photo that is too dark, hence indicating underexposure.

Underexposure means that the camera is capturing less light than necessary for a well-balanced image, which is particularly important to understand when shooting in low-light conditions. Photographers can then adjust their settings—such as opening up the aperture, increasing the ISO, or slowing down the shutter speed—in order to let in more light and achieve a correctly exposed image.

The other options, which suggest correctly exposed or well-lit scenarios, wouldn't apply here as they assume the presence of ample light, while "overexposed" implies that too much light enters the camera, leading to washed-out images, which is also not relevant in a dark scene. Thus, underexposed is the most accurate characterization of what a light meter would signify in such situations.