there was about 3-4 feet of snow on the ground with much deeper drifts up higher on the ridges this past week. A month ago if it had been colder, there would have been sixteen feet of snow. This winter is predicted as being a low snow year so this may be the most we see... but then again, twenty feet of snow in a low snow year has happened.
As for exposure. When using film, I meter the snow and then open about a stop and a third plus or minus a third stop depending on how bright I want the snow to appear. Then, I don't meter again and use the same exposure for everything... using manual exposure...
With digital, it's quite different. I use aperture priority and set exposure at about plus 2/3 and then look at the histogram. I then adjust till just under the overexposure warnings, and then often bracket a third stop plus and minus. That's while using RAW capture with the Canon 1Ds MkII.
When I'm using my Casio EX-Z1000 (10.1MP) 'pocket pal' I use the landscape settings and don't adjust till in Photoshop. This camera seems to have enough latatude to cover the range.
High contrast seems to be the norm for many beginners in the darkroom and usually misused-probably because it's more difficult to hit the target for subtle densities without making a bland image.
"High contrast seems to be the norm for many beginners in the darkroom and usually misused-probably because it's more difficult to hit the target for subtle densities without making a bland image."
Well said, Ed. I insist that my students, even though they claim to love their high contrast images, that if they really had control of their tools and materials they could maintain "good" contrast while at the same time showing a full dynamic range of tones. I make them work on difficult assignments and they very often remake their prints (as that's part of the equation) but, evenutally go on to the next level courses with at least an understanding as to what a really good print should be, even if they haven't mastered it themselves. That's key to their improvement I feel.
As for exposure. When using film, I meter the snow and then open about a stop and a third plus or minus a third stop depending on how bright I want the snow to appear. Then, I don't meter again and use the same exposure for everything... using manual exposure...
With digital, it's quite different. I use aperture priority and set exposure at about plus 2/3 and then look at the histogram. I then adjust till just under the overexposure warnings, and then often bracket a third stop plus and minus. That's while using RAW capture with the Canon 1Ds MkII.
When I'm using my Casio EX-Z1000 (10.1MP) 'pocket pal' I use the landscape settings and don't adjust till in Photoshop. This camera seems to have enough latatude to cover the range.
High contrast seems to be the norm for many beginners in the darkroom and usually misused-probably because it's more difficult to hit the target for subtle densities without making a bland image.
Peace
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Well said, Ed. I insist that my students, even though they claim to love their high contrast images, that if they really had control of their tools and materials they could maintain "good" contrast while at the same time showing a full dynamic range of tones. I make them work on difficult assignments and they very often remake their prints (as that's part of the equation) but, evenutally go on to the next level courses with at least an understanding as to what a really good print should be, even if they haven't mastered it themselves. That's key to their improvement I feel.
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