How to develop exposed film for shadows ?

[Rosssiiii]

Hi

I’m using this film (AGFAPHOTO APX 400) and I’ll be developing it with ARS Imago FD at 1+39.

What development time should I use?

My friends usually shoot by averaging the exposure using the light meter reading, and I’ve done the same with my previous rolls.

This time I wanted to try exposing for the shadows and adjusting the development time to preserve the highlights. Since I’ve read that FD is quite a strong developer, and because I’m exposing for the shadows and don’t want to overdevelop the highlights, what development time should I use?

Maybe it’s not a good idea to develop my negative together with the others, who usually do 9 minutes.

I think I should probably do around 4:30m or 5 minutes at most or 6.30 ?

Looking forward to your advices

 

[retina_restoration]

The MDC says 6.5 minutes at 1:39

 

[cliveh]

In terms of picture aesthetics, I would suggest that lack of shadow detail is preferable to lack of highlight detail.

 

[runswithsizzers]

How, exactly, did you expose for the shadows?
That is, what did you do differently this time, compared to the way you usually meter b&w negative film?

 

[Paul Howell]

The standard line is to expose for the shadows and develop for the highlight. Using the Zone System as a ruler using a spot meter meter the shadows for zone 2 or 3, then meter for a highlight for Zone VII, bright area with texture, then develop for Zone VII, The problem unless you have tested your film and developer combo in advance you don't know what time you need for Zone VII. So as the roll has been already shot, use box speed and recommend development time and hope for the best.

 

[koraks]

or 6.30 ?

I'd start there, see how it goes.

 

[Ardpatrick]

I’m assuming you’re starting out with film development? Excuse me if I’m wrong.

For me - understanding the simple principle that you expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights is the key starting point. Many many film shooters don’t get that, mostly because they don’t develop their own films.

If you have access to a spot meter, or a 35mm slr with a spot meter mode in the camera, you can start to break down the scene you’re shooting into different tonal values. You can firstly identify the shadow values that are important - measure them, and give 2 stops less exposure than what the shadows read in the meter. Provided your rating the film at box speed or slightly less, your exposure will be okay.

For development it’s a good idea to have the spot meter to also measure the brightness range between that shadow detail and the brightest significant highlight texture / detail you want to preserve. Make notes as you shoot. A brightness range of about 5 stops should be easy to manage. Wider range is possible but that’s where it starts to get more precise.

I think it makes sense to shoot a ‘test roll’ - shoot a typical scene(s) using the above described approach, and then in the dark room just cut the film into ‘clips’ that you then process individually at different development times. See which time gives the best highlights result (shadows have been determined in exposure). Look back at your notes on exposure. All of that gives you a solid working knowledge of your materials (film). It won’t make you Ansel Adams but you should be able to make better photos.

Phone lightmeter apps often have a spot meter function. So that’s also a way to go. But be aware that these apps need to be ‘calibrated’ against a known good meter. I’ve found them consistent in reading, but sometimes quite far off in terms of the exposure settings they convert their measurements into.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

This time I wanted to try exposing for the shadows and adjusting the development time to preserve the highlights.

This is what has been recommended when working with negative film forever. Expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights. If you don't have a development time worked out, then use the one that retina_restoration suggested.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

This time I wanted to try exposing for the shadows

If by this you mean that you went into the shadows (the darkest area you want detail in), took a lightmeter reading, and used that lightmeter reading to set your aperture and speed, then, unfortunately, your film will be overexposed by one, two or even three stops. Your highlights will be blown out, the more so if you use the normal development time.

For example, meter in the shadows says f/5.6 @ 1/125 and you set your camera at f/5.6 @ 1/125, you are overexposing. You should develop less time if you want to get something out of it.

If by this you mean that you went into the shadows (the darkest area you want detail in), took a lightmeter reading, and set your aperture and/or speed by closing down two stops from that reading, then you will be fine and you can use the normal development time.

For example, meter in the shadows says f/5.6 @ 1/125 and you set your camera at f/11 @ 1/125, you are OK.

don’t want to overdevelop the highlights

I'm taking a lot of shortcuts here. There are many other factors involved that influence how your highlights come out, such as the EI at which you set your meter, the actual brightness range of the scene, how much agitation you use when developing, etc.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

"Exposing for the shadows" means choosing a shadow value, metering that and then deciding how much underexposed from the meter reading you want it. You would then choose your exposure settings based on that.

If that's what you're doing, then how you develop should be based on the contrast of the scene. A "normal contrast" scene needs normal development time. Very contrasty = reduced development, flat contrast = increased development. This, according to the traditional use of the Zone System. In practice these days, many just develop everything normally and use the contrast control available in printing (VC paper), or post-processing to deal with getting print contrast right.

If, however, you just metered a shadow and exposed based on that, you've likely overexposed your negatives a bit. If that's the case, just develop normally (manufacturer's recommendation) and print through the added density.

Best,

Doremus

 

[koraks]

Your highlights will be blown out

Not necessarily; there's quite a bit of room at the top end of the curve. Moreover, we don't know how he metered the scene, so I personally wouldn't draw any conclusions on this to begin with. Hence my recommendation: cut back development a little, but not much, and then see how it goes.

For the rest, I'd stick to what @Ardpatrick explains above, but I'd also allow for the possibility that no spot meter is available.

@Rosssiiii what kind of camera and/or light meter do you have, and when you said that you exposed for the shadows, what did you do exactly?