Light-metering on a show and developing underexposed B&W film

[allohse]

Hello.

I was at a show yesterday and tried photographing it. I took about 15 pictures from a 24 frames roll. Problem is, I'm not sure AT ALL if I metered correctly. So here I am yet again.

First, some necessary informations: I was using a Nikkor AF 50mm at f/1.8, with B&W film, 250 ISO. I took pictures only at the 60 and 30 speeds, which I vaguely knew was the lowest I could go without shaking the camera too much.

I could barely see the camera's lightmeter (it was a Nikon Fe), but it was definitely showing I should lower the speed even more.

Later I tried replicating the light conditions at the time on my DSLR, with the same lens and confs. I could actually see the pictures, so that's good.

Here are some prints from a video I took from the same show, at around the same time. I was mostly taking pictures of the main singer.

Now for my questions:

1 - Do you guys think the pictures will look OK or should I try pushing some stops (how many?) when developing the film roll?
2 - If so, what should I do with the rest (10 pictures, I think) of the roll? Just take pictures normally? but then wouldn't they get overexposed later?
3 - Aesthetically, what happens when you have underexposed film and push it when developing?
4 - And just some general tips you guys may have for photographing on shows and such, when you really can't take your time to think things trough and everything is dark (and bright, in turns) and you can't even see the godd*m lightmeter. Also, focusing correctly was very hard.

Anyway, it was a really good experience. Not only was it one of my first times using film, but that musician is one for my favorites, and they were very close and I think I may have (if I didn't fail miserably) taken some good pictures.

(btw not sure if this is the best part of the forum to post this)

 

[Alex Benjamin]

I could barely see the camera's lightmeter (it was a Nikon Fe), but it was definitely showing I should lower the speed even more.

Hi allohse

It's important to note that the lightmeter wasn't showing that you "should lower the shutter speed". Light meter never tell you which of film ISO, shutter speed or f-stop you should adjust. They just give you an indication of the amount of light you have, and indicate that you should adjust at least one of the parameters if you want to have correct exposure.

More specifically, in the case of a show, the adjustment, if you are already shooting wide open, would have been to push your film, i.e., meter at higher ISO (800, 1600 or 3200) and later develop accordingly. The reason you shouldn't in such a circumstance lower the shutter speed is that with everybody moving on stage, you need a high enough shutter speed (I wouldn't go below 1/125th) to stop motion if you don't want everything to look blurry (unless you are looking for a specific effect).

In the case of the shots you took, you'll have no choice of opting for longer development times than what is indicated for 250 ISO. Problem is, since you didn't chose a higher ISO setting from the start, you have no idea by how much, as times will be different for ISO 800, 1600 or 3200. This is why your question no 1 doesn't work. You can't decide to push a film just at the development phase. It's a complete process that starts with the choice of ISO beforehand, which then influences your meter settings and readings, and later on your development time.

 

[Bill Burk]

Tricky thing about shows is stage lights directed at you tell an averaging meter it’s too bright while spotlight on performer with everything else dark tells you it’s too dark.

You did the right thing. Go to a coffeehouse performance or something like it and take the rest of the roll in the same kind of situation.

I’d develop as push 1 stop just to be on the safe side.

 

[wiltw]

Shows are a great example of why, if your camera meter has spot metering mode, that you should use it...put the spot on your primary subject on a mid-tone part of clothing, and it gives you the 'right' exposure to recreate that mid-tone at its inherent brightness.
If your meter only has Center-weighted, then put that area on the subject so that erroneous influences do not bias the exposure reading to such a large extent.

 

[grain elevator]

Pull the exif data from our digital shots and you'll have something to go by, to figure out how much you underexposed the film - if at all, stage lighting can be bright.

 

[JerseyDoug]

SOP for such situations back in the day:
(1) select the fastest film with grain you can live with. (2) use the fastest lens you have of sufficient focal length. (3) set the aperture wide open. (4) set the shutter speed to the slowest you can hand hold reliably for that focal length. (5) wait until the subject of interest is in the best available light. (6) take the picture. (7) develop normally.
You will probably overexpose the subject of interest. No worries. The film's exposure latitude will deal with it.

 

[allohse]

Hmm. OK, thanks guys. I'll try just developing it as usual and hope for the best.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Hmm. OK, thanks guys. I'll try just developing it as usual and hope for the best.

Let us know how they turn out.

Just curious: are you skeptical about the advice given by various posters to extend the development time, or is it trying to figure out by how much that has you opting instead for normal development times?