filter compensation and processing

greenspun.com : LUSENET : B&W Photo: Creativity, Etc. : One Thread

I am a beginner in B&W. I think I've figured out that I will want a few filters (red, green, yellow and maybe orange), but after reading here I'm a bit confused. If I don't do my own processing and developing, a lab is likely to average my prints exposure and waste my efforts, right? I've read some say that I should take them to a 'pro lab' instead. My question is: what do I ask for? Will they know what I'm looking for and take the time to get it 'right'? I'm sure its not as easy as just dropping the film off. A darkroom is on the horizon ( within a year) but I can't do it quite yet. Still, I want to start taking B&W.

-- Tom Berry (t10251950@hotmail.com), February 07, 2001

Answers

As usually used, filters change the light/dark relationships between different colors, and not the overall contrast ratio. For example, a grey building might show the same tone as blue sky. A blue filter would lighten the sky; a yellow filter would darken it. Either would provide greater contrast between the two object. Yet neither might not be the brightest nor darkest subject in the photo.

A lab probably won't make better or worse prints because you filtered. The recommendation for a pro lab is probably because most commercial labs don't process B&W worth a d--n. Not that they couldn't if they chose to. When B&W was common, they did OK.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), February 07, 2001.


Tom, I would also recommend that you shoot chromogenic [C-41 process] black and white film if you to not do your own developing or have a custom lab. Ilford's XP-2 S, Kodak's TCN-400, etc.......

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), February 08, 2001.


Go to your pro lab and ask for a contact sheet and tell them what your doing. Communicating with the lab is key!!! They are usually pros at what they do but unless told otherwise they will do what they think is best. Cheers

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), February 09, 2001.

re-think about the darkroom. read about developing. bw dont need so much atention like color (speaking about timing and temperatures), wich makes it very much easyer and simpler. to develop you dont need dark, so you dont need an exclusive room or space to do it. when you start to shoot will note it in your financial aspect. making at home saves money, and moneys provides the material, and the material makes shooting possible, and shooting makes it all.

-- Celcio (non@non.dot), March 07, 2001.

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