This One Doesn’t Count
Mar 15th, 2008 by jeremy
I have never owned or learned to use a meter, so I just take some set up shots before hand to make sure I have my settings where I want them and the strobes tuned in. Call me lazy or cheap, but it works for me.
I typically have the model (or someone else helping out as in this case) just stand out there to fill in while I take my test photos and make adjustments.
One of my favorite things to do is tell them "this isn’t going to count" so they don’t worry how they look. You get a wide variety of expressions when you say that, from relaxed to bored to downright goofy. Greg here falls in the relaxed to bored category 
I do use a flash meter for my strobes, but otherwise I follow a similar theory. However, I usually ask the subject to sit in front of the camera and relax until I get the settings right. Quite often these shots will be among the winners of the shoot.
In your image, I did find the highlights on the top of his head to be a bit distracting. I am curious to know how you would minimize that.
But, otherwise, no one would ever guess that you have an aversion to meters. Your secret is safe with me!
Actually in this case the lights on his head will be hair lights for the lady that is the actual model. In his baldness I wouldn’t need a hair light…hehe. In his case I might do a back light from below, but definitely not from above!