the last b&w pics i took came out a little bit too mid grayish. i was unsatisfied with the tone range i guess. which really disappointed me because there were a couple pictures that i was very happy with the subject matter, just not the overall exposure. i was using 400 speed film in afternoon to just before sunset lighting and i stopped down one or adjusted the shutter one off of what the meter said. i guess the logical thing would be to stop down some more on my next time out, unless anyone has any other suggestions. i was also thinking it may have something to do with the fact that i don`t have a darkroom at my diposal and i have to take my pics to be processed. also, since i have already developed some of my negatives, is there anyway that once i do get access to a darkroom would i be able to redevelop the pics and add a better tone rage to them? or is it a done deal since the negatives have already been processed?

-- meagan makinson (meeegun@hotmail.com), September 23, 2002

Answers

Without seeing the actual negs and prints, its difficult to draw a complete conclusion here. However, if you stopped down 1 stop from what the meter suggested, there is a good chance that you underexposed the negs. This can result in a reduction in density range of the neg as well as loss of shadow detail. Next time try bracketing by making an exposure at the meter's suggested exposure as well as one opened up one stop plus one stopped down one stop. There is seldom any reason to give an exposure 2 stops less than the meter suggests. That is usually gross underexposure.

You don't mention any of the details of the printing procedures or materials that were used. If the lab that did the priting didn't bother to make necessary adjustments in exposure and contrast grade, then the prints might appear worse than they really should be. Or if they used color paper, the contrast grade controls might not be available. However, depending on the degree of underexposure your negs got at the camera, the prints might not be salvageable.

-- Ken Burns (kenburns@twave.net), September 24, 2002.

I don't believe in bad negatives, just bad printers. I worked for many years at a local semi-pro lab, and trust me...you would be better off doing your own printing. You can always increase contrast using filters in the enlarger.With so much grain 400 asa has always looked alittle muddy to me, maybe try 100asa or even a red filter for more contrast.

-- Heather Oelklaus (camerakarma@earthlink.net), September 30, 2002.