Re: [Leica] Zone blues

["A.H.SCHMIDT" <horst.schmidt@actek.com.au>]

Anthony Atkielski wrote:

> From: Johnny Deadman <deadman@jukebox.demon.co.uk>
> Sent: Monday, September 27, 1999 06:46
> Subject: [Leica] Zone blues
>
> > Wouldn't you like to be able to look at a negative
> > and know exactly what was wrong with it and how to fix
> > it?
>
> Sure, but that usually amounts to "needs more exposure" or "needs less
> exposure."
>

Boy,  are you lucky. If all what's wrong with your negatives, is more ore less
exposure.Then all you have to do, is to use some bracketing. You'll  have the
perfect picture every time.



> > Or to look at a scene and know exactly how
> > to figure out the exposure for the rendition you
> > want?
>
> The rendition I want is the one that provides the most detail.  All I have to do
> (and in fact all I _can_ do) is correctly expose for the midpoint of a five-stop
> range, and that's what I'll get.
>
> The whole notion of zones, from what I've seen, seems to imply that I have
> complete control over not only exposure but also development and printing.  In
> fact, I control only exposure.  Development is always the same, and there are no
> prints.  I cannot control the lighting in the scene being photographed, and the
> entire negative must be exposed at once.  So the only thing I can do is pick an
> exposure.  If I expose for the part of the photo I consider important, that
> should be sufficient.  I can't expose for two different parts of the scene
> independently, so it doesn't matter what exposure is required for the rest of
> the photo, since the one exposure for the important part overrides it.
>
> > ZS is only a formal way of saying 'expose for the shadows,
> > develop for the highlights' ...
>
> I have no control over development.  I can only control exposure.
>
>   -- Anthony

Of course, you have all the control over your development. Just do it you self.
Film development hardly uses any space, hardly uses any chemicals and really does
not use much time. It is also very inexpensive. All you need is 1 developing tank. A
few bottles with stoppers for the chemicals. ( brown and clear ones) A hand full or
two of conkers (glass beads), and a tap with water (hot and cold). Ah , yes and an
accurate thermometer.

Once your film is developed and fixed, take a cloth peg and hang then up in the
shower cubicle for drying. The shower cubicle is just about completely dust free.
That is if you use it for showering and not for storing briquettes or wood.

It also pays to by a book -and read it- about developing techniques. (saves you
asking a million questions)

Now you has control.

Printing control? of course you have it. Just tell your lab, after you receive the
proofs,
what you really want. They'll do it, and its not that expensive. Especially if you
get to know the female assistant. Living in Paris and being blessed with your charm,
that should be no problem.

Its even cheaper, if you are self critical and get only the prints enlarged you
really
think are worth while.

Horst Schmidt