High Key portrait dev times

[Gary Holliday]

I am refining my high key portrait technique at present and need some advice regarding developing for highlights. I want as much detail as possible in the highlights obviously.

I've over exposed a roll of Efke R50 by one stop and also a roll of Agfa APX25 by a stop also.

Hasselblad
White background
2 large softboxes either side of subject evenly lit.
Model has blonde hair.
Rodinal 1+50

Can anyone recommend how much adjustments I should make to the dev times?

Thanks

 

[John Bragg]

Hi Gary, for what you are trying, essentially a one stop pull, I would suggest reducing your dev time by 25%. You could also try a higher dilution of Rodinal, say 1:100,at double your normal time with less aggitation. This will hold back the highlights, and is a useful method of compensating for contrasty subjects. Regards, J.B.

 

[Amund]

I`ve tried pulling for high-key, and found the results pretty lifeless and dull.
That`s probably because the lighting isn`t really contrasy, especially when using a white background and even lighting. So for me it`s has worked out better to expose normally and then overdevlop to push the midtones higher.

So in your case I wouldn`t reduce development at all.

 

[rbarker]

Just to cover another of the possibilities, how about exposing normally and developing normally?

So much depends on the subject, the lighting, and metering methods, it's difficult to generalize a solution or approach to exposure and development, I think.

If my guess at your "over-exposure" is accurate, I think I'd lean toward developing "normally" to boost the contrast of what I'm assuming to be subtle shadows from your lighting description.

 

[Gary Holliday]

Hi JB, I noticed on another thread you are keen on less agitation, are you frightened of splashing your clothes? Only messing, but I'm a regular agitator.

I was intending to go the normal dev time route this time. Thanks for the input folks.

 

[roy]

I have finished off a film today by making some exposures of a white rose and have placed the meter reading two stops higher on zone 7. Tomorrow I shall develop the film and hope to have a denser negative which should help me to produce a white image if I attempt a print. Apart from stand development, I do not intend to give any more or less development to the film. I shall let you know if it comes out as hoped !