tri-x and development

Tim I have not been on in awhile and have just read your response. Three things-- One-- overexposure (more than necessary) does change the contrast of a negative dispite popular belief. It effects the way in which the mid range is interperted by the film . Rather than a "smooth" translation, it causes a distortion in those areas. Second-My main point was that the use of the terms over and under expose actualy refer to the highlight of a negative not the shadows areas, as is commonly thought. Since shadows are used as the basis for exposure, these areas are (or should be) " normaly" exposed. Third- If a negative is given additional (more than is necessary) exposure to the shadow area. Chances are that the highlight area has also recieved more exposure than necessary by the same amount. Reducing the development will assist in pulling the "overexposed "highlight into a more printable range on a normal grade paper without having to burn in those areas. This assumes that the additional exposure to the shadows was done to raise those values above "average". Hope this clears up my point.

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