Film, overexposing and developing for shadows

[Yoricko]

How does overexposing and developing for the shadows differ from a standard shot at a particular ISO?

 

[ChrisN]

I think the concept is more often expressed as "Expose for the shadows, and develop for the highlights". The rationale is that if you have a scene with a very high contrast ratio, the best way to deal with it is to over-expose by perhaps one stop (to ensure adequate exposure to show detail in the shadows) but to control the highlights, avoid blowing them out, by reducing the development time by, say, 20%.

 

[Roger Hicks]

A better concept still is not to overexpose at all, but to key the exposure to the darkest area in which you want texture and detail. This is easy with a spot meter, but most metering systems are too crude, or are biased too heavily to slide and digital exposure (where the important thing is to avoid blowing the highlights), to allow for this -- hence the advice to 'overexpose' when it's really just a question of 'exposing correctly'.

And, as Chris says, you then develop for the highlights, i.e. you keep the contrast low enough (through reduced development) that you get a pleasing print, with a full tonal range, on a middling grade of paper.

Tashi delek,

R.

 

[sam_m]

It's a bit of a read, but this might help:

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/a_simple_system.html

 

[bmattock]

A better concept still is not to overexpose at all, but to key the exposure to the darkest area in which you want texture and detail. This is easy with a spot meter, but most metering systems are too crude, or are biased too heavily to slide and digital exposure (where the important thing is to avoid blowing the highlights), to allow for this -- hence the advice to 'overexpose' when it's really just a question of 'exposing correctly'.

And, as Chris says, you then develop for the highlights, i.e. you keep the contrast low enough (through reduced development) that you get a pleasing print, with a full tonal range, on a middling grade of paper.

Tashi delek,

R.

I agree. Common delusion - that there is a 'correct' exposure. The correct exposure is the exposure one intends. Bearing in mind that many scenes contain more tonal range than film or digital media can contain, one must make decisions about what one wants and expose accordingly.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Start out by picking one film, JUST one, and likewise, one developer at just one dilution. If you shot a mixed bag of Kodak, Ilford, Fuji, whatever, conventional grain and tabular grain, to try with Rodinol, Diafine, D-76, you'll never learn anything. Keep notes of what you do!

Go out and shoot three rolls of film in a variety of light situations. Meter carefully and make three exposures of each subject ~ at the meter reading, one stop less, and one stop more exposure.

Now you're going to develop one roll at the suggested time, one roll 20% more, and the last roll 20% less than the suggested time.

Correct exposure and development isn't set in stone. Chances are good that you'll get decent prints from some of the negatives that have the "wrong" exposure or development, but you'll have a much better understanding of the relationships between exposure and development. Don't be scared off either. If you want it complicated you can make it complicated. If you want good prints on a consistant basis though, try to keep it simple. One film, one developer that you're familiar with.