[Leica] re: Exposure and Development

[robertmeier at usjet.net (Robert Meier)]

Ted,

So what you are saying is that you shot at the film maker's recommended 
exposure index (except when pushing the film), and developed it at the 
developer maker's recommended time and temperature, for your whole career, 
and never saw any need to vary either one?   And you always used an average 
exposure reading without taking specific shadow or highlight readings?

That is certainly keeping it simple.

Robert


> Many have offered great details and how one should "do it" on this 
> subject.
> Subject: [Leica] re: Exposure and Development
>
> However. :-)
> As many of you know I'm no more techie with film, "expose for shadows soup 
> for whatever" than I am with digital... my gosh far worse with digital. 
> Shooting slide film? In that case I expose for the highlight and 
> everything else ended up wherever it ended up. Always seemed to work. :-)
>
> B&W film was very nearly always rated at the manufacturers ASA and souped 
> for their specs. Unless I pushed a stop or two, but then the times were 
> those recommended by the maker of the film. Usually.
>
> And it always seemed to work OK. The quality of the negatives never 
> deterred us from making lots of 35mm 16X20 exhibition prints out of our 
> darkroom trays over the years. Certainly doing as I always have.......... 
> "KISS!"
>
> If the film how to soup instruction was 6 mins. @ 70 degrees, agitation 
> every 30 secs, that was fine and that's what was done. Close anyway. ;-) 
> But they always seemed to look OK and print just fine.
>
> George Lottermoser said:
>
>
>> The point I wished to make in starting this thread:
>> Fine photographic technique requires that the photographer 'know'  where 
>> s/he wants shadows and highlights fall on the negative,  transparency 
>> and/or chip. This requires knowledge of how to control  the shadows and 
>> highlights through the use of exposure and  development of the material, 
>> whether chemical or digital.<<<<
>
> Maybe I do this unconsciously just from years of exposing and souping my 
> film. But I can honestly say I've never consciously related to exposing 
> for shadows and souping for highlights or vice versa or whichever it's 
> supposed to be. Maybe the tooth fairy has always looked after me in the 
> darkroom. Or maybe I just hate complications and live life with a KISS 
> attitude. If it works? "Cool" as the young folks say today! :-) If I 
> screw-up? Well the standard expression fits......... "Oh S.....t!"
>
> My gut feelings about this expose develop routine comes down to major 
> simple this way............. it really doesn't matter how the heck other 
> soul's do their film! It's far more important ..... "HOW YOU DO YOURS! " 
> You know why?
>
> Each person turns the can upside down differently, they agitate with 
> various actions, the temperature isn't on the mark in everyone's tank, nor 
> are the times absolutely to the second identical! It's really, to each his 
> own and never mind doing as others do, but use their technique as a 
> guideline. Gradually you'll find it works for you or it doesn't! 
> Eventually you'll achieve the results "YOU" like!  But we each and 
> everyone, never soup nor expose absolutely identical!
>
> KISS folks that's what it's all about for each shooter. Oh and souper! ;-)
>
> ted
>
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