[Leica] OT: Shooting Xmas trees at night - ?

[scott at adrenaline.com (Scott McLoughlin)]

Ted and Chris,

Thanks bunch.  It reminds me of the time I shot Reala 100 in Times Square
using my Rollei AFM P&S.  Shots actually came out fine, and this was with
no careful bracketing.

So I guess I'll start with the meter reading and bracket a bit from 
there. With
the M6TTL meter do the trick for me? What is the longest exposure it 
supports?

And Ted, I do also plan to shoot some digital with my D70.

Thanks.

Scott


Ted Grant wrote:

> Scott McLoughlin asked:
> Subject: [Leica] OT: Shooting Xmas trees at night - ?<<<<<
>
>>>> I'm interested in shooting some xmas trees at night (outdoors). I 
>>>> plan to
>>>
> use a tripod, I suppose.  But how should I meter the trees? They will be
> all lit up. Will I run into reciprocity failure issues?  What might be 
> some
> good films to use, color and B&W?<<<
>
>
> Hi Scott,
> I suppose I'm the least technical person to answer your question. :-) 
> However, if you'd like simple voice of experience answering your 
> question this is how I've done it for years and exactly the way I do 
> it with digital.
>
> I look through the view finder camera in hand until I feel comfortable 
> with what I'm looking at. Camera goes on tripod, I set everything for 
> the same composition.
>
> Then I look through the viewfinder squeeze down gently on the shutter 
> release to activate the meter and if it looks OK, click! :-) That's 
> it. Then shoot some bracketing by either an exposure time or aperture 
> setting. I've shot Kodachrome 25 & 64 & 100 in this fashion, other 
> slide films to ASA 400. I prefer daylight balance film, generally ASA 
> 100.
>
> I suppose that technical reciprocity stuff might come into play on 
> long exposures, but you are going to bracket a half dozen frames 
> either side of the meter read setting anyway, so you eliminate it. ;-)
>
> Keep it simple, don't get all hung up on the technical stuff as it'll 
> only drive you crazy and you'll probably screw-up more film than not. 
> Worse comes to worse, shoot a roll as early as you can when the lights 
> come up on the trees, get in right away to the lab and have  a look. 
> If you screwed-up you've got time to go back and re-shoot better and 
> more houses.
>
> If it's digital shoot tons of frames as it doesn't cost a dime and 
> sooner or later you'll have some that work. I'd use ASA 100 or 200 and 
> in my case... I'll be shooting everything on automatic and looking at 
> what the exposure is. Then I go manual and bracket by my gut feeling. 
> Like a half stop over and under, a full stop over and under and that's 
> about it.
>
> The chances are with the 20D Leicanon, I'll shoot a number on auto, 
> then move on without any changing or fiddling. This is from experience 
> of shooting at night on the streets of Lisbon in September. Completely 
> a no brainer set at ASA 100 and shoot while the camera sorts out the 
> exposure. I used ASA 100 and shot most of the night stuff on auto 
> stopped down to f22 for longer exposures to capture the traffic light 
> patterns.
>
> I trust this helps, but like I said, it's not too bright from a 
> techies point of view. But from a, do it, done it, point of 
> experience, it works. :-)
>
> Oh, on B&W film choice? Forget it! Christmas tree lights are all about 
> "coloured lights" therefore a colour subject. Scan your colour slides 
> into Photoshop, switch to B&W and you'll be only too pleased you 
> didn't waste money on B&W film and processing. ;-)
>
> ted
>
> Ted Grant Photography Limited
> 1817 Feltham Road
> Victoria BC  V8N 2A4
> 250-477-2156
>
>
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