Response to Do you expose the film accurately or overexpose?

I agree with what Andy and Alan are saying that you should make the best exposure that you can. The point that I am trying to make is that exposure and development are relative. In a low contrast situation I would develop more than normal and probably expose less than normal if using sheet film or it is correct for the whole roll. For a high contrast subject I would expose more than normal and develop less than normal. When I suggest overexposing as a normal course of action, I am talking 1/3, 1/2 or maybe even 1 stop. Many people in my experience would be doing well if the could expose that accurately. The idea of "don't under expose and don't over develop" was written recently by David Vestal about discussions that occurred between Ansel Adams and Ralph Steiner also in an article by Howard Bond talking about the truths he has learned in B&W up til now. The idea is that if yout negative is too thin from under exposure or too thick from over development it will be difficult to get a good print, not impossible but difficult. An exposure that makes the best negative to make the best print should be all our goals. That information may not come on the side of a box or data sheet though.

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