Exposure Record

zackesch · Jul 9, 2013

Before my negatives get out of control as in not organized, and getting my butt in gear with keeping exposure records, this is the method so far. It will span over 3 sleeves in a three ring binder. The first sleeve will be my print file of my negs, second sleeve will be the contact print and third will be my exposure record. The attached PDF is the form that I just created about an hour ago. Constructive criticism is welcomed. Also, you are more then welcome to use this form to your benefit.

The next system on my list is how to keep a print record.

MattKing · Jul 9, 2013

You can probably directly 3 hole punch your contact sheet.

I assume you mean a contact sheet, rather than individual contact prints.

eddie · Jul 9, 2013

I'd think a column for which lens you used would be helpful.

zackesch · Jul 9, 2013

Yes, contact sheet.

I didnt think of adding a lens option due the only lenses I have are 50mm for my two bodies, a 2.0 for my k1000 and 1.4 for my ElanII. That could be a notes item.

MattKing · Jul 9, 2013

zackesch said:
Yes, contact sheet.

I didnt think of adding a lens option due the only lenses I have are 50mm for my two bodies, a 2.0 for my k1000 and 1.4 for my ElanII. That could be a notes item.

You will find that information of this nature will most likely be of most value some time after you record it.

Trust us, you will be at least tempted to build your lens collection . And when you do, you will appreciate having a space to record it.

You may as well include a spot to record the lens as well. And the approximate focal length too (for any zoom lens you may acquire).

zackesch · Jul 9, 2013

Point taken. Lens added.

tkamiya · Jul 9, 2013

You would also need a section to record what camera you used. It'll help to troubleshoot problems should that happen in the future.

You'll definitely need some way to know which film this sheet of record ties to. Things like this has a tendency to get mixed up. It may be clear now but 10 years later, you may not be able to tell.

Are you sure you can keep this up? It's a lot of work to have this kind of record for every frame of every roll. I don't doubt this is great idea. I just don't know if this is practical.

eddie · Jul 9, 2013

What's the Exposure Comp column for?

zackesch · Jul 9, 2013

TK, I do have a spot for the camera used. At the bottom, there is a spot "body" for what camera body was used.

Eddie, the Exposure comp is exposure compensation "EV".

Included is both a spot for both Film type with native ISO and shot ISO. An example would be: Film and ISO/ HP5+ Shot ISO/ 1600
The roll spot is for my numbering system: year, month, day roll, Frame

eddie · Jul 9, 2013

I'd put the information you put on the bottom up on top. When you're scrolling through a binder, it will be easier to find.
I'd also add your developer/development time/temperature/ N, +1, -1, etc. information to that top line.

fotch · Jul 9, 2013

One picture is worth a thousand words, this would be way to much work for me. I would rather be taking pictures or making prints.

zackesch · Jul 9, 2013

Added development info and flipped around. It would make sense to put that info at the top, doesn't it?

MattKing · Jul 10, 2013

This is a bit picky, but important.

When you buy a film, the manufacturer has determined what its ISO speed is and that is what is on the box.

If you decide to set your meter to a different setting, that isn't an ISO setting, it is your Exposure Index ("EI").

You cannot change the film's ISO speed. You can modify the EI you choose to use.

I would change "Shot ISO" to "EI Used"

Peter de Groot · Jul 10, 2013

I don't think the exposure index or used Iso setting would make a big difference. Not to me anyway. I think it would be clear to most what is meant. Even in 10 years. I for one struggled a long time and stil do somtimes whith the term Exposure Index.

railwayman3 · Jul 10, 2013

tkamiya said:
Are you sure you can keep this up? It's a lot of work to have this kind of record for every frame of every roll. I don't doubt this is great idea. I just don't know if this is practical.

I try to keep records like this, but unfortunately time and inertia sometimes prevent my good intentions.

However, I have a friend who's been taking pictures, as a hobby, of local historical places, etc., for 40+ years and has always kept full records. After unexpected redundancy, he has been successful in turning his hobby into a small publishing business....which, as he says, with 50,000+ slides and negs would have never been possible without a reasonable filing system!

darkosaric · Jul 10, 2013

What I do is small info on negative holder sleeve - for example: Nikon F3, nikkor 105/2.5, Rodinal 1+100, Efke 100, Hamburg, 2013-07-03 and negative number. Every negative has unique number (2012-1, 2012-2 ... 2013-1, 2013-2 ...) that is exactly as folder name of scanned negatives on hard disk.
And one small dot on negative holder sleeve below every frame that goes on print - so that I know which one are good ones that I printed.

I don't do contact printing because lots of my frames are under/over exposed - so it is hard and also I am saving on paper.

Vonder · Jul 10, 2013

When I was starting to put together a photo studio I had no flash meter, so I kept logs for what I shot at, how the lights were set up, etc. Over time I acquired a flash meter and learned lighting ratios and patterns. The log book was never opened nor looked at. After digital came along, along with a Maxxum 9 and F6 and F100 which record that stuff for you, I never logged a single thing.

I need a log for my darkroom work though... it's like inventing the wheel again every time I go to print, especially color.

Chan Tran · Jul 10, 2013

It's more important to record how you arrived at the exposure setting that you used. For example you measure the shadow area and stop down 2 stop. Or you made a close up reading of the subject face and use that. Without that kind of record the shutter speed/aperture / compensation doesn't mean much.

NedL · Jul 10, 2013

Chan Tran said:
It's more important to record how you arrived at the exposure setting that you used. For example you measure the shadow area and stop down 2 stop. Or you made a close up reading of the subject face and use that. Without that kind of record the shutter speed/aperture / compensation doesn't mean much.

I guess it depends what the exposure record is for, but I'd agree with this for me. I record my "process" for getting to the exposure in various shorthand. Knowing myself, I could never keep something like this going with my negative sleeves.

The problem I've run into is slightly different.... I keep my notes in a little moleskine notebook. All I write on the negative sleeve is enough to get me to the right place for that roll in the notebook. But what's happened is that over time the little moleskine notebook becomes more and more valuable because it contains more and more months of effort. I usually leave it in my car and when I come back I record all my shots in it... now I worry more and more about losing it and am becoming reluctant to take it with me on trips!

tkamiya · Jul 10, 2013

I wonder how useful these information will be at later date.

Looking at a frame on my negatives, I can pretty much tell what kind of aperture was used. While I can't tell if it was f/4 or f/5.6, I can definitely tell if it was wide open at f/2.8 or closed like f/16. Based on conditions of the scene and the aperture, I can also tell if it was like 1/15 seconds, 1/250, or 1/2000.

Even if I go back to the exactly the same location, I won't see an identical condition. Exposure can easily vary as much as 2 stops even if it looked the same to my eyes. It would be very unlikely, I will actually review these records.

On my notebook, I keep dates, location, EI, developer used, and the time developed. I also keep note of anything "notable" for the particular shoot. It might say, "cloudy day" or "fine day - used red". That's all I need, personally.

I don't discourage OP from doing what he's planning to do. But for me, it's an overkill for every roll of film. Maybe for a special project, I might.

cliveh · Jul 10, 2013

I can see the point of contact prints, but would question why you need any form of record taking.

zackesch · Jul 10, 2013

TK,I see where your coming from. Sometimes my engineering mindset can make things over complicated.
Thinking of it, there are three levels of exposures; everything is sharp, your subject is sharp, and one point of the subject is sharp. As long as I achieve what I'm trying to portray in my image, shutter and aperture doesn’t matter.

TXFZ1 · Jul 10, 2013

I used an exposure record sheet for LF. It has just payed off as I have identified a holder with a light leak. It is also a method to track my developing process via the ZS which saves testing. I can go back and review the highlights to compare placement and print detail. Maybe it is an engineer thing but I think it is important to me.

Mine has the zones, a bellows factor, and I have added the reciprocity chart for adjusting.

David

OzJohn · Jul 11, 2013

fotch said:
One picture is worth a thousand words, this would be way to much work for me. I would rather be taking pictures or making prints.

Agree. I have more than 40 years worth of negatives and a long time time ago I decided that all the info I recorded about how I took the pictures was not worth the effort because the only consistently useful pieces of info over the years has been the date and any historical data about the subject matter. If you want to get bogged down in this stuff shoot digital - it's all there in the metadata without writing anything. OzJohn

Truzi · Jul 11, 2013

For general photography I just record the dates and such. When I'm testing/learning/experimenting I will record exposure, developer, etc., but that is just to guide me until I work out how to do something (or how I like something).

For example, I'm experimenting with some different B&W films, and have been keeping copious notes. These notes are used for each subsequent "session," to zero in on what works for me. When I have decided what I like, I will have worked out some general guidelines for myself to follow in the future, and further notes will not be as necessary. For me, the records are mostly useful within the process itself. By the time I'm comfortable with something, the information has been internalized.

Exposure Record

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