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Lower contrast

Bayard

Member
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May 4, 2017
Messages
14
Location
Colorado
Format
35mm
Just tossing this out there. What expressive reasons or subject matter, or both, would make you want to print a negative at low contrast? Not a scene where the contrast range was too broad, but one with "normal" or printable contrast that you chose to print with less contrast than you actually captured on film?

Bayard
 
I doubt that I would, except under very unusual circumstances.
Perhaps a shot in a forest glen...

I was always taught (and did teach) that a proper print has a full range of tones from white to black.

- Leigh
 
Leigh B said:
I doubt that I would, except under very unusual circumstances.
Perhaps a shot in a forest glen...

I was always taught (and did teach) that a proper print has a full range of tones from white to black.

- Leigh
Click to expand...
Right, as have I. I have recently gotten on a philosophical kick where there is no right or wrong, simply what is, so long as the artist has a specific reason they did what they did. That's why the original question. When would someone do this "wrong" thing with a photographic image?

Thanks, as always, Leigh.
 
Bayard said:
When would someone do this "wrong" thing with a photographic image?
Click to expand...
Certainly a valid question.

My problem is I'm an engineer (electrical/computer, not train). I have no artistic imagination.

- Leigh
 
Lookin through my images, I'd say it would be images that are very dark or very light. But not very often middle gray without whites and blacks. That is to say if the image goes form black to gray or white to gray, it is low contrast by definition.
 
Which type of contrast are you referring to?
The sort of contrast one speaks about when one is talks about the range between the darkest dark to the lightest light.
Or the sort of contrast that one speaks about when small details of importance and different tones are clearly delineated.
If you are talking about the former, you might seek to limit the range in order to achieve a high key effect, or to achieve a dark and moody effect.
If you are talking about the latter, you might seek to limit the local contrast in order to achieve gentle gradations and subtle shifts of tones - think dreamlike scenes.
 

My reason is a matter of assessing whether pure whites and blacks are needed or not in the final result much more than the real importance of the tones inbetween. My subject is about what I have in my mind (that print) much more than the real photograph I made before.

In the end, low contrast (& High & Normal) is everyone's decision, that's why you've decided to use "want to print & chose to print" in your questions.

All the best!
 
Some subjects are inherently low contrast without pure white highlights and pure black shadows. We can choose to print such subjects this way and remain true to the subject, or boost the contrast and be true to the traditional print. It's one of many choices photographers should make for themselves.
 

maybe the person with the negative just doesn't like higher contrast, full scale prints and that is their "normal"
its like asking why someone would expose their film at f16 or 125thS, or make street photographs, or print full frame ...
or they use a 100mm or 210mm or 28mm lens as their prime/goto/ "normal" lens, or use hp5 or tri x ...
i think the answer might just be ... because
 
Tinting and toning a print can affect final contrast; you might start with a lower contrast image to offset the boost in contrast that some tints/tones impart.
 
another word for reduced contrast is soft, I use reduced contrast anytime I want to soften the print.
 
I think some images that are high key, . . . . say most of the composition is zone 6, 7, and 8 . . . . maybe a small line of zone 4??? could be very interesting ??? you do not always need a print where each zone is being represented . it also depends of the micro contrast too.
 

I may not understand your question here but if I do the answers are obvious. A scene shot in heavy fog and a picture that resembles what the movie people call "Film Noir". Could it be or is it called "Photo Noir" in B&W still photography?.......Regards!
 

I may not understand your question here but if I do the answers are obvious. A scene shot in heavy fog and a picture that resembles what the movie people call "Film Noir". Could it be or is it called "Photo Noir" in B&W still photography?.......Regards!
 

I may not understand your question here but if I do the answers are obvious. A scene shot in heavy fog and a picture that resembles what the movie people call "Film Noir". Could it be or is it called "Photo Noir" in B&W still photography?.......Regards!
 

And I do not know why my reply was repeated so many times. It was not done on purpose........Regards!
 
There are lots of times when I choose not to have a "paper white" or a "maximum paper black" in my prints. So that's certainly lower contrast than possible.
I could see printing a fog scene with no real blacks in it, or a shadowy scene with no highlights as well. I've done the former a time or two. The contrast range I choose is subject-dependent. I break other printing "rules" too, e.g., I like as white as possible sometimes and don't print the highest values down to "just perceptible grey." If you've a good reason for not using the full range of tones, then, why not?

What a good reason is, is another discussion...

Best,

Doremus
 
Maybe just out of curiosity you could print that particular 'normal' negative with, say, a 00 filter or a 30 yellow to see what It'd look like. This in how one learns in photography instead of following "rules".
 
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