The converse is also true for a dark subject against a light background. Afterwards, move back to where you want to shoot from, and use either the setting indicated by that light reading or some compromise between that reading and the one you get from your actual shooting distance. Thus, if half your subject's face is in the light and half in shadow, take your light reading off the light side of the face when shooting slide film, and off the dark side of the face when shooting print film. To be sure you get a good exposure, bracket your exposures. Bracketing may sound like the mark of an uncertain amateur, but it's no such thing.
Pros do it routinely.
For every one good picture you want, make at least 15 shots. And vary them. Move closer in, farther back, use a little different angle for each, a little different pose, different idea, location, prop, lighting, filter, arrangement of elements, horizontals and verticals of the same scene, some context shots and some detail shots. If you're not happy with the shots you get and if time and circumstances allow, go back and do it again. Better to get it right than to publish something you won't be proud of.