Making the best of poor light (film photography)

[johnnyrod]

Earlier this year I was asked to take some pics of a 1940s day in my town. I wasn't able to get out there until well in the afternoon so a lot of the better subject matter had been missed, but the other thing was the light. It's hard to describe but it was the greyest of days, nothing seemed to have any colour or depth, and I started out pretty pessimistic about how the pictures would look. Anyway a few okay ones here, I wasn't too happy with most of what I shot, just seemed a tough day:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskZpnbie
Someone will surely say there is no such thing as bad light, but take it from me this was an unusually drab day, and I wouldn't normally have bothered trying to shoot anything.
So my question is: on a day like that, what can you do to make the best of it? Something with exposure? More or less close-up shots? Flash with everything? I honestly don't know what would help.
For the gearheads, I had tow Pentax SLRs, one with 50mm f1.2 Pentax and the other with 28mm f2.8 Hoya, and all shot on Agfa Vista 200ISO.

 

[reagan]

Thanks for posting this inquiry. I'm looking forward to replies. In my world, gray days = gray shots ... only. And I know, what you shoot is what you get and that should be expected. But are there any helps that could push things just a little more from gray to maybe semi-b&w?

Thanks. Watching from the lower limbs ....
reagan

 

[jsrockit]

Sometimes, wide open helps. Flash could help too.

 

[JoeLopez]

Very nice shots 🙂

 

[x-ray]

I think you did a pretty nice job.

I personally prefer overcast days to shoot people. The colors are more saturated and no heavy shadows. I just did a 2 day shoot for a client in Georgia and it was overcast. I used a little fill flash with a 12x12 diffuser. This gives some direction to the light and fills those shadows in the eyes. I shot with my Nikon Df.

I'm a huge film fan but I'd pick digital for something like this because of the flexibility of the raw files in post processing.

If forced to film I'd use transparency film like Provia Fuji. If the light was cold I'd use an 81A or B to give some warmth.

The problem with color neg is its flat and couple that with a flat day requires a good handle on scanning.

Again I don't think you should be apologetic about them. You did a very nice job.

By the way this is how you learn and get better.

 

[johnnyrod]

Looking at them again, the colours look good (on this monitor) but when I was there, it all seemed more like the shot of the armoured car driving past the chippy - all just flat. That was with the 28mm I think, I'm not sure if it gives less contrast than the 50mm, but that's probably all splitting hairs (I'm thinking of getting a new 28mm that's why!). All pics are just sent for printing (it is done well) and scanned from prints (badly) with no PP (I don't bother).
jsrockit - why wide open?
x-ray: transparency film for better colours? I've never used it. I do hear it's more tetchy with exposure. Fill flash I use but more on sunny days for close up subjects, I'm not sure what it would do over a longer range on a day like this (both my flashes are GN 28 metres). Maybe I should try!
DrMcoy: tripod? Would longer times/more DoF help?
Again x-ray: yes, learning only comes from practice, with the occasional shortcut of shared knowledge.
Thanks all for the replies, I would be interested to hear any more.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Buy "Modern Colors" book of Fred Herzog. 🙂

For bw film I see no problems with dull days. No harsh shadows, everything is gradually. But I mostly work with candids. At f5.6 and even at f11 if you are close enough the main subject becomes separated by DoF.

 

[ellisson]

Post Processing.

In addition to the considerations above, you have a plethora of tools to adjust exposure, color saturation and tones, contrast, clarity, shadow....etc. etc. Whether in lightroom, photoshop or any of the other programs, you can use these to enhance your photos and overcome many limitations in shooting conditions.