How do you use the Sekonic L-358 Flash Master Light Meter or other light meter suggestions?

The main use of the Sekonic L-358 is for flash photography. Unless you plan on doing a lot of studio work utilizing multiple flash units it really isn't suitable for your needs. For your purposes I suggest looking at the Minolta Spotmeter M which is a 1 degree spot meter that reads reflected light. Yes, you're buying used but careful shopping will save you money. I found one on eBay - Item # 110750785676 - for a Buy It Now price of $199.95. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the Owner's Manual but there's one listed - Item # 120780566567 - for a Buy It Now price of $7.99. The type of meter you described where you place it next to your subject is called an Incident Meter. Its primary use is in the movie industry. While it might not be too inconvenient to walk across the street and measure the light actually falling on the bench its completely impractical for shooting landscapes or wildlife. I certainly wouldn't want to use an Incident Meter when photographing a bear across a stream. Here is a brief article on using the Minolta Spotmeter M: http://www.ehow.com/about_6582051_minolta-spot-meter-instructions.html In my opinion the Minolta Spotmeter M is your best choice.

All you have to do is measure the same lighting which may mean you only have to walk a few steps toward the subject. You know all this is in your light meters user manual Incident light meters are more accurate than reflective meters. This is why motion picture DP's use them