diagnose this photo please

N

nervetonic

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i'm having trouble getting desired results. generally, i'm getting haziness like the attached photo. i play around with aperture, but it is not making a difference. i was using fuji superia 400. what should i change in order to get a photo with greater contrast, which would create a photo with greater depth?

i apologize for the recent spurt of new threads. i am in the trial and error phase of learning photography. books help, but experience will teach.

thanks
brian
 

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Is that a scan of the negative, or the print? It looks like either poor printing, or old film.
 
Aad's right. Check the scan. What lens do you use? Is it in good condition? If it's an old one, do you use the proper hood? ...etc. There are a lot of parameters, and we have too little information to help you.
BTW, welcome to RFF :)
 
It could also come from overexposure ... under ...sorry ;-) time to go to bed I guess.
 
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It looks like a drugstore print from an underexposed color negative. Make sure you're giving your film enough light.

Probably your camera was tricked by that guy's super bright shirt.
 
First, looks like some flat light there in between tall walls, so that will lessen contrast some. Perhaps a touch of an underexposure, but more likely old chemistry when the film gets run. What are you doing for processing?
 
It's either old film or slightly underexposed negative the scene seems to be too contrasty for negative to render both the shadows inside and highlights outside. The contrast must have been circa 8-9 stop. I would expose for shadows and won't bother aboout hightlights, they'll still fit on characteristic curve. I would overexpose this photo 1 or 2 stops and scan it in two passes one for highlights and second for shadows then put them together in PS.:)
 
I use Superia 400 and have discovered that it really doesn't like to be underexposed and when I do underexpose this is what my shots look like also. After scanning, attempting to recover shadow detail always results in this type of result with darker areas very grainy and the pic washed out over all and poor contrast!

Underexposing is still my major 'boogy man' and I have to be so concious to counteract it! :)
 
I used this photo as an example from many that I have that turn out like this.

I have been using the same film I bought in a multiple pack a while back, and here's the thing. It's not old or expired, BUT I did travel through the airport with the film and have been wondering if it could have been damaged in the security scanner. Since a lot of replies talk about the film, do you think it's true that scanners damage film?

From the same roll I shot with flash indoors and it looks great...the contrast is very well defined. It's when I'm indoors or in the shadows that it frequently turns out like this and it's driving me mad! I follow the metering, and sometimes go over to give it more light; rarely do I give it less light.

Is it simply the film? It's the last roll from this bulk roll. I was just getting frustrated with this and wasn't sure which direction to go: new film, change aperture, change film speed setting?
 
nervetonic said:
From the same roll I shot with flash indoors and it looks great...the contrast is very well defined. It's when I'm indoors or in the shadows that it frequently turns out like this and it's driving me mad!
Click to expand...

This makes me think its a case of simple underexposure. Either manually compensate a 1/2 stop or more, or adjust your metering ASA. C41 films tend to deal much better with overexposure, than underexposure.

Try shooting a roll with it rated at 250, and see if you get the same problem. I'll bet you won't.
 
nervetonic said:
I used this photo as an example from many that I have that turn out like this.

I have been using the same film I bought in a multiple pack a while back, and here's the thing. It's not old or expired, BUT I did travel through the airport with the film and have been wondering if it could have been damaged in the security scanner. Since a lot of replies talk about the film, do you think it's true that scanners damage film?

From the same roll I shot with flash indoors and it looks great...the contrast is very well defined. It's when I'm indoors or in the shadows that it frequently turns out like this and it's driving me mad! I follow the metering, and sometimes go over to give it more light; rarely do I give it less light.

Is it simply the film? It's the last roll from this bulk roll. I was just getting frustrated with this and wasn't sure which direction to go: new film, change aperture, change film speed setting?
Click to expand...
the fogging effect from the scanner they use for your onboard luggage is rather weak but cumulative and much stronger on highspeed films than let's say 50 asa.On every airport in so called civilized country they'll tell you that their scanner is safe for up to 800 asa but they never tell you it's cumulative. Remember never put your films into luggage that goes ?underboard there they use much stronger scanner that can easily fog the film.
Sorry for my bad english:D
 
greyhoundman said:
What battery are you using?
And are you shooting with the red light lit?
Click to expand...

Energizer 6V with homemade adapter

Shooting with red light on sometimes, whether it's or not on, it's making the same foggy photograph, and I develop at different 1 hr stops to see if that was the problem...no changes.

Checked light seals and yes they aren't great, so I use the original cover while shooting, tighten the screw and the bottom cover wraps round the camera completely sealing it in, so it can't be that.
 
Something to test, no film.

Set the ASA to 400, set the aperture to f16. Now go into a dark room and push the release, don't hold it down. Now take the camera into the light. You should hear the shutter close. If not, you may have a bad POD, pad of death.
 
1-2 stop underexposure; change to Kodak Ultracolor 400 UC; visit your W store for a 3 pack of 3x36 frames for around ten bucks and do not look back.
 
greyhoundman said:
Something to test, no film.

Set the ASA to 400, set the aperture to f16. Now go into a dark room and push the release, don't hold it down. Now take the camera into the light. You should hear the shutter close. If not, you may have a bad POD, pad of death.
Click to expand...


Tested for POD: No POD. PHEW
 
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