[Leica] re: Exposure and Development

[imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George)]

On Mar 2, 2007, at 3:13 PM, Mark Rabiner wrote:
> When I say this your first "photo outing" I'm thinking about the  
> first times
> you go out with what you know about the zone system with your first  
> spot
> meter and you try to make it work.

For me that was another Magic Photo moment. The first time I  
calibrated everything: meters, lenses, film, development and then  
went out and actually put the system to use - WOW! IT WORKS. It's  
pure science (a part of photography that I always enjoyed). You sure  
enough can control what appears on the film through exposure and  
development.

> And you find out as you try to make prints with all the tones  
> placed where
> you wanted them at the very beginning on a little piece of paper  
> you need to
> know more.

Right. The fact that you may have a near perfect negative (meaning  
all the values are where you wanted them) does not mean you made the  
right decisions; or that the print will be all that you'd hoped for.  
But a good negative full of shadow detail and highlight separation  
allows for a whole lot of print possibilities. You can always choose  
to bury the shadow detail in deep rich black. But if you decide that  
what the print really needs is some zone III or IV detail and it  
ain't on film - well - you're screwed. And the same is true of those  
scintillating highlights. If you fry them into opaque silver on the  
film - you may as well send it to the silver recovery plant and turn  
it into jewelry.

> That things are more difficult then they are supposed to be.

Difficulty? Supposed? Relative and subjective terms. ;~)

Speaking of controlling dynamic range and contrast - has any LUGger  
done any serious HDR work in PS? I've seen some stunning images using  
the technique; and really hope to find some time to work with it.

Regards,
George Lottermoser
george@imagist.com