[Leica] IMG: Another Monochrome Lighthouse

[George Lottermoser]

On Oct 21, 2014, at 1:37 PM, John McMaster wrote:

> This is guesswork as I was not there and have not seen your DNG file...
> 
> It looks like a converted colour shot with no mid-tones. Your -2/3 stop and yellow filter will have similar effects, the underexposure (and lightening in PP) will increase the contrast a little and the yellow filter will increase some contrast further. I know Jay uses this technique but personally I give the 'correct' exposure and do not use coloured filters most of the time, bumping up contrast etc in PP.

You bring up a couple of the reasons that I love the Monochrom John.

The camera demands photographic craft to get the most out of it.
(of course this is true of every camera - though some seem more forgiving than others)

1) Correct exposure: means actually paying attention to highlights in the subject and how one wants them rendered.
	We're really talking about metering the scene to pre visualize and determine rendering.
	Taking the mind back to one or another variant of something akin to Zone System thinking.

2) Use of value adjustment filters AS APPROPRIATE.
	Again - pre visualize - think - why use a filter - what values do I want affect or adjust by adding one or another filter.

These are some of the things that I've missed since adopting a digital work flow which allowed so much manipulation in PP.

The Monochrom takes us back to a work flow where we must think photographically
- about the light
- about the highlight exposure
- about the dynamic range of both the subject and the sensor
- about the value effect of color filters on the b&w sensor

at the time of exposure;
in preparation for our PP plan and work flow.

And this actually requires testing very similar to the way that we used to test our films
in order to discover their qualities, dynamic range with various development possibilities;
effects of filters - just how panchromatic, orthochromatic, IR, UV, etc. is the MM sensor?
One can only know by testing various subjects, light sources, and filtration.

Regards,
George Lottermoser 

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