Re: R: [Leica] Noctilux

[Peterson_Art@hq.navsea.navy.mil]

     I agree with Ted: Guido's "find the spirit of darkness" is beautiful!  
     But also it reminds me of a question I have long had about CAPTURING 
     that "spirit of darkness" on film, concerning which some LUG members 
     may have experience and advice they'd like to pass along.  I guess 
     what I'm looking for is experience-based "rules of thumb" here.
     
     If I'm photographing any unexceptional daylight scene, a light meter, 
     if used correctly (either in camera or off), will guide me to correct 
     exposure---that is to say, the result is a normal daylight-looking 
     slide/print/whatever.  On the other hand, if I were to use a Noctilux 
     or other high-speed lens to photograph what Ted calls the "available 
     darkness," the light meter would still guide me to an exposure that 
     would result in a daylight-looking slide or print, which of course is 
     NOT what the scene actually looked like at all.  So obviously in such 
     circumstances I should not follow the light meter, but should instead 
     underexpose somewhat in order to capture that "spirit of darkness."  
     Yet if I underexpose too much, the resulting slide or print comes out 
     NOT like "the spirit of darkness," but merely like an underexposure.  
     Thus my question: for those who've had successful experience in this 
     kind of photography, how do you estimate the amount of underexposure 
     to allow, in order to capture the "spirit of darkness?"
     
     Art Peterson
     

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: R: [Leica] Noctilux
Author:  leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us at internet
Date:    1/28/98 5:34 PM


Guido wrote:
     
<<<Noctilux is like this if you learn to use it, you can find the spirit of 
darkness...>>>>>>>>>
     
Guido,
     
Very good description! Love it ... "The spirit of darkness!" :)
     
Nice line! :) 
     
Beats the hell out of me saying "shooting by available darkness all these 
years. Now I'll have to figure out how to use "The Spirit of Darkness!" :)
     
I can see Leica doing a commercial:
     
"Find the Great Spirit of Darkness! Use a Leica Noctilux for those exciting 
hard to see subjects!" :)
     
ted