This question is primarily aimed at those of you who shoot nature subjects for publication purposes. On average, how many in-camera dupes (multiple originals) do you shoot per shot? Also, how many of you bracket and at what intervals? In 35mm, I usually average around four "dupes" for every "original". I know that shooting 4X5 I'll have to cut this down considerably due to economics and the reality of a slower pace. What do you recommend? How many sheets do you typically take with you on longer trips?- I'm just trying to get an idea of the cost/space i

-- Brent Flint (bfphoto@gte.net), June 12, 2000

Answers

I don't know anyone who can afford to take more than two or three 4x5 exposures of EVERY scene (exceptional scenes being an exception), which is what I usually do: one keeper and one backup (the need for a backup increases if you use lint-prone film holders as opposed to Quickloads or Readyloads). I always put the two exposures on two different film holders or two different Readyload envelopes in case one double-sided holder experiences a calamity. The need to bracket depends entirely on your skill level, your film choice, your fussiness, your backpack size, and your budget--but I rarely bracket more than one add'l sheet (because of low budget, not high skill!) unless it's a once-a-year kind of shot. I never bracket more than 2/3 to 3/4 stop for transparency film.

-- Simon (fourthpres@aol.com), June 13, 2000.

I shoot 8x10, and if I am going to go to the trouble to carry and set the camera up, I want to be sure I get a good negative. I take two shots of a subject. I don't bracket. I take the extra shot in case the first one is ruined by dust or a light leak. If you meter carefully, you don't need to bracket.

-- William Marderness (wmarderness@hotmail.com), June 13, 2000.

Brent:

I shoot only color transparency. I used to shoot 3+ shots in +- 1/2 stop brackets. Now I shoot mostly Fuji Provia which has very good push characteristics. I now shoot 2 shots with the film rated at EI 125. I process the first sheet with a 1/2 stop push. If that is not dead on, I have the ability to vary the second sheet by up to 1 stop in either direction. This also protects against fogging of any one sheet, or lab screw-ups.

If you shoot negatives, you should still shoot at least 2 sheets and process them separately.

-- Glenn C. Kroeger (gkroeger@trinity.edu), June 14, 2000.