Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/10/27

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Subject: [Leica] WAS:Advice getting results Delta 3200 NOW: candle light vigil
From: "Ted Grant" <tedgrant@home.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 06:33:04 -0700
References: <005301c15eb8$c0060d20$cf5e6bd5@oemcomputer>

Mark Pope wrote:
>>> there is a candlelit vigil in our town centre this evening (it starts at
> 19:00 BST), to commemorate the events of 11/9 and also to protest about
the
> bombing of Afghanistan.  <<<

>>> I plan to use my M6 with either the 35 f2 or 50 f2.  Since the only
> available illumination will be candlelight and streetlamps, I figure that
> I'm going to need a film like Delta 3200.
>
> I reckon that the exposure will be around 1/30 - 1/60 at f2 (which makes
me
> more inclined to go with the 35mm).  This is based on a spotmeter reading
> taken off a grey card which was illuminated by a single candle - it gave a
> reading of about EV2 1/3 - EV 2/23.
>
> Anyway, any advice on developers, dilutions, times and temperatures to get
> good results would be appreciated.  I will probably rate the film at
EI3200.<<<

Hi Mark,
This is a very neat available existing light situation to shoot and having
done more than a few of them here's how I've shot them all. Of course when I
present how I did mine I realize there'll be some who wont agree with my
"actually standing there doing it and making it work! ;-) Their prerogative.

The first thing, don't be surprised or you shouldn't be, at the number of
people "shooting a candle light vigil" using lots of flash! :-)

Best bet... forget the grey card, burn that as a candle.... just look
through the view finder with the meter set to 3200, aperture at f2 and use
only the shutter dial to compensate for exposure and when the little red
lights come on..... shoot!!

WORD OF CAUTION:  do not meter right at the candles or at least with them
dead centre and if in doubt... bracket at as slow a shutter speed as you can
comfortably hold and make successful sharp exposures. Quite frankly this is
a situation where you can hardly over expose a shot!

At f 2.0 you should be OK and part of the secret is to look for people who
are standing close to-gether with a number of candles, ERGO:  more light on
the faces. Shoot from the side rather than shooting directly square face on
with the candle dead centre, also ask them to hold the candles slightly
higher, once again this brings the light closer to the face.

>>>I reckon that the exposure will be around 1/30 - 1/60 at f2 (which makes
me
> more inclined to go with the 35mm)<<<<<

You maybe a bit over optimistic on the shutter speeds simply because when
it's night and all is black without any reflective surfaces, while many of
the people will be wearing dark coloured clothes it sucks up the light and
very little ambient light occurs. It's sure going to be bigtime difference
to one of those high tech grey cards! ;-)

Everyone of these I've shot on assignment I used my Noctilux and 3200 film,
which one? Whatever was available at the time, but the last one was Tmax
3200 rated at 3200 souped in Tmax developer and it was fine. Yeah I know
someone will tell you a much better one in their opinion, that's cool!! ;-)

Get close and on occasion you might try a little people manipulation in
asking some of them to hold the candle a little higher closer to their
faces,  "like group lighting" particularly if there are several to-gether
who are obviously friends.

Don't be shy in asking to get closer with this one, as I've always found
people to be very cooperative during these kinds of events.

I hope this helps, stay loose and remember... "when the little red lights
come on shoot!"
ted

Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant












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Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com> (Re: [Leica] WAS:Advice getting results Delta 3200 NOW: candle light vigil)
In reply to: Message from "Mark Pope" <mark.teampope@ntlworld.com> ([Leica] Advice on getting good results with Delta 3200)