BW film and developing with great tones throughout

[markbarendt]

So if I understand you correctly, as long as the image in the histogram falls within the limits without clipping at either end, I should have the range in the negaive to get a good picture after post processing???

No. It just means the scanner took a reasonable picture of the negative. It doesn't mean the negative was exposed or developed in a way that will get you good prints.

The histogram might look about the same with the negative you used, or with one that was underexposed and over developed, or one that was over-exposed and under developed; in all three cases the real density of the silver in the negative may be the same and the histogram wouldn't know the difference.

 

[markbarendt]

Please clarify. The histogram I posted is showing the results from the darks on the left to the lights on the right. It's providing results of the negative already converted to a positive. In other words if the histogram was bumping to the left, I clipped the blacks. Correct?

Again no, the scanner isn't taking a picture of the scene you want to print, it's taking a picture of the negative, negatives are a low contrast medium, your negative scans are not going to bump the edges of the histogram (the limits of the scanner) anything like a chrome might have. It is not comparable with histograms digital cameras make either because the digital camera is taking a picture of the real scene, not a picture of a negative.

Okay enough with the digital specific lesson. The general concepts of darkroom work that I'll talk about now can be carried into the digital realm, there are better places to than APUG to get schooled on the specifics of how.

What I mean with the Pos/Neg comment is that you still seem to be thinking that there is a specific/right/perfect/magic exposure that will carry through to make the perfect black and white print, i.e. where it is like getting a perfect Velvia shot. It isn't that way.

Negatives require you to "take another picture" where you will need to set exposure and adjust contrast and maybe burn and dodge, blah, blah, blah... You are taking a picture of a low contrast scene, your negative, using a high contrast medium, paper.

Just like taking a picture of the original scene you will need to decide how much of the scene in the negative you want to print. You "pulling up the black" is a small example of that, as is adjusting the high end. With an enlarger in play we would adjust the contrast grade and exposure to set the black and white points.

This is in essence a menage a trios between both mediums and you. It is a dance with many moving parts, directed at the whim of your mood. Unlike Velvia, with negatives you get to second guess all the decisions you made at the camera and if you want manipulate your subject matter significantly.

Think Moonrise.

http://whitherthebook.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/ansel-adams-and-photography-before-photoshop/

 

[fotch]

Scanning is more a digital forum discussion, judging analog is by making a print, the old fashion way. Granted, scanning a print to post here is understood. But it seems like the focus turns into the hybrid process, or maybe its just me. JMMO