Captain Kidd
Well-known
What is generally the advised approach when taking a picture in bright sunlight that includes a portion of shadow that I would like with some detail, not completely black.
It's basically a brick wall, with a shadow across it, I want the sunlit part exposed but it's midday with bright sun and I don't want the shadow completely black.
Do I expose for the sunlit area and then overexposed by 1 stop to get a little detail in the shadow and then fix the sunlit over exposed area in post production or expose for the shadow and then underexpose by a stop? And fix in post production.
Thanks for any tips, it's film, Fuji pro 400.
It's basically a brick wall, with a shadow across it, I want the sunlit part exposed but it's midday with bright sun and I don't want the shadow completely black.
Do I expose for the sunlit area and then overexposed by 1 stop to get a little detail in the shadow and then fix the sunlit over exposed area in post production or expose for the shadow and then underexpose by a stop? And fix in post production.
Thanks for any tips, it's film, Fuji pro 400.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Color film fixed in dPP for exposure usually loosing its analog appeal.
Since you are talking in stops, you could try to learn zone system.
I can't, but using the free light-metering application on mobile phone does it for me.
Since you are talking in stops, you could try to learn zone system.
I can't, but using the free light-metering application on mobile phone does it for me.
brbo
Well-known
Meter the shadow area in which you still want to see detail. Take that metering and close down the aperture/increase shutter speed by two stops.
Don't worry too much about blowing the highlights on negative film.
Don't worry too much about blowing the highlights on negative film.
Captain Kidd
Well-known
Thanks Ko.Fe.
Ive just texted that brbo, the shadow reading is 250th at f8, changing that to 1000th at f8, is actually the same as what the reading is in the sunlit area.
Ive just texted that brbo, the shadow reading is 250th at f8, changing that to 1000th at f8, is actually the same as what the reading is in the sunlit area.
Sid836
Well-known
Also, depending on the available developer, you can meter off the important shadows, off the important highlights, use the intermediate exposure and use a low contrast developer like D23.
The final contrast will be then manageable.
The final contrast will be then manageable.
retinax
Well-known
If it's only two stops difference, there's no problem, right? If that was in full sun, it sounds unlikely, though. Were you close enough, so that you definitely only metered the shadow or sunlit area?
Anyway, what brbo said.
x-ray
Veteran
Your problem is there's too large a spread between your shadows and highest value you want detail in. Simply increasing exposure one stop pushes all the values up equally. You've not changed the spread in values. Increasing exposure 1 stop requires you to reduce development to bring your highest value down 1 stop which reduces contrast. The old saying for negative film is expose for the shadows and develops for the highlights.
Try increasing exposure 1 stop and reduce development 10-15%. This will be a good starting point. Learning how film responds to exposure and development will help you with this problem. Look up the sensitometric curve of your film and you'll start to understand what I've said.
Try increasing exposure 1 stop and reduce development 10-15%. This will be a good starting point. Learning how film responds to exposure and development will help you with this problem. Look up the sensitometric curve of your film and you'll start to understand what I've said.
mod2001
Old school modernist
Works like a charm with B/W, but he was asking for Fuji Pro 400H, self developing, given that he's able to do so, works this technique also with C41? Never tried.
Yogi
x-ray
Veteran
Missed the C-41 part.
Still if your neg is exposed properly then over exposing just pushes all of the tones higher proportionately.
It's possible your neg is a little under exposed. Color neg doesn't tolerate under exposure. Evaluate your neg for detail in that area. A properly exposed color neg will hold 10-14 stops of contrast.
Another possibility if you're scanning. Scanners apply a curve and levels adjustment when you select a film profile. It's based on an average and perfect negative. Most scanners will apply a generic profile even if you've not selected one. I use an Imacon 848 and created my own linear profile with no adjustments applied at all. It's very likely your scanner is applying curves and levels. See if you have a linear mode and if not manually eliminate any levels and curves. It might mess with your color and you'll have to adjust that and levels and curves manually. I never use canned profiles and always scan linear.
Still if your neg is exposed properly then over exposing just pushes all of the tones higher proportionately.
It's possible your neg is a little under exposed. Color neg doesn't tolerate under exposure. Evaluate your neg for detail in that area. A properly exposed color neg will hold 10-14 stops of contrast.
Another possibility if you're scanning. Scanners apply a curve and levels adjustment when you select a film profile. It's based on an average and perfect negative. Most scanners will apply a generic profile even if you've not selected one. I use an Imacon 848 and created my own linear profile with no adjustments applied at all. It's very likely your scanner is applying curves and levels. See if you have a linear mode and if not manually eliminate any levels and curves. It might mess with your color and you'll have to adjust that and levels and curves manually. I never use canned profiles and always scan linear.
Dogman
Veteran
Bracket.
Honestly, bracketing exposure is the time-tested, proven method of obtaining the best exposure possible without resorting to adjustments to film processing.
Honestly, bracketing exposure is the time-tested, proven method of obtaining the best exposure possible without resorting to adjustments to film processing.
peterm1
Veteran
Film users shooting negative film can take advantage of the fairly wide exposure latitude offered by it. I seldom shoot film these days but when I did I had a fairly simple approach to shooting shadow and light when days were very bright and glarey. I would often meter from a subject in sunlight then meter from one in shadow. Divide the difference. This usually worked well enough. When shooting my old Leica kit this was facilitated by the fact that I used a hand held meter and so could rely on ambient light measurements.