Pyro & snow

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I've not yet used pyro, but maybe soon... I've read that pyro is excellent in tone separation of dark areas and quite smooth in light tone separation.

At this time of the year I shoot a lot of snowy landscapes. There is much white and generally not so much deep shadows, the snow reflects light to shadow areas.

I'd like to hear (see...) opinions of experienced pyro users. Are snowscapes suitable to start experimenting with pyro development? Good separation of light tones is needed.

Sakari

-- Sakari Makela (sakari.makela@koulut.vantaa.fi), December 20, 1999

Answers

I can't comment on snow directly, but I can comment on what pyro (the PMK formula) does on highlights in general. There is no comparison to what happens with the densest parts of a negative between pyro and any other developer I've used. White, and exposure highlights, simply glow with pyro. Unless you overexpose snow by 4-5 stops or more, I guarantee you will get amazing results, unless my experience with white clothing, blownout white backdrops, modified direct-into-the-lens--sunlight, purposely-overexposed human skin, etc. i.e., plenty of 'work with graded whites' does not transcend the subject matter--I am certain snow could not be more beautifully captured than with pyro and a well-exposed neg. Now I am curious, and hope it snows on Christmas...shawn

-- shawn gibson (s_g@stu.wdw.utoronto.ca), December 20, 1999.

You should look through the last View Camera magazine for the interview with Gordon Hutchings. There is a snow shot in there that will answer your questions.

-- kevin (kkemner@tateandsnyder.com), December 24, 1999.

Pyro and snow. Sounds an exciting combination.

Do you snort it, or smoke it?

-- Sue Denim (denims@aol.net), January 27, 2000.


No, we usually do like the shamans of our area, consume it mixed with some dried mushrooms (preferably fly agaric). It sharpens visions (if not visualization).

By the way, how people use sue denim there in your neighbourhood? We only have blue denim here....

;) Sakari

-- Sakari Mdkeld (sakari.makela@koulut.vantaa.fi), January 27, 2000.


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