I'm trying to find out if I totally understand the rule of shoot for the shadows/develop for the highlights.Here's my method when shooting 35mm for dealing with B/W film. 1. I take a test roll shooting a variety of film speeds. I give it the suggested development time for that regular speed film. Then judge the results by making a perfect proof and seeing which holds the shadow detail the best. 2. If the highlights are blocked in the one I pick, then I shoot a roll at the speed I determined from my first test and do a clip test at different development times. Then I pick the best results for highlights. This time becomes the standard development time for that film in that situation. Is this correct procedure? Also, if a scene conatins more than 4 zones from highlights, how do I deal with that because I will either lose the highlights or shadow details. Do I just make a choice of which is more important? Genuinley, Ed Bray

-- Anonymous, January 31, 1997

Answers

try this out , its easier and you might like it. slightly overexpose film(1/3 stop). meter for shadows,develope for only 3/4 of the time with normal agitation, then dump.DO NOT RINSE. fill with water at same temperature as DEV.(D-76 stock) DO NOT AGITATE. let sit for same amount of time,then stop bath etc... ADDED BONUS sharper finer grain,more detail in highlites and shadow detail.

-- anonymously answered, February 10, 1997

I like the anon reply to your question expose for the shadows, and over expose, and under develop.I run my 400 asa film at an ISO of 200, and similarly with 125 at 80. For my development I use the stoeckler 2 bath method, which is 4mins in the first bath (dev) and without a rinse, 4mins in the second bath (activator) without agitation, then stop and fix as usual. When you first she the result you will think they are under developed, but on inspection you will find all the detail in the shadow and highlight area, and they are a pleasure to print, usually grade 2 and very little dodging and burning in required. Also another plus point is that you can mix films of different speed in the same tank...I brew my own from raw chemicals which makes it very cheap. If you want the formulae, E-mail me and I will gladly help. Charles. UK.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 1997

Corrected E-mail address from Charles Hurst Please read as chas.h@virgin.net

-- Anonymous, March 22, 1997

Buy everything Minor White ever wrote on exposure, film & processing. Then quit photography & take up stamp collecting.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 1997

I'm really starting to love this guy dan smith. He's a reactionary, photo-supremecist with numismatic leanings. Keep up that enfilading fire Dan, I got your back.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 1998