Metering for ground fog.

Mike Kennedy · Oct 1, 2005

At this time of the year in eastern Canada we get huge temperature changes which generate a great deal of early morning ground fog. In the past I have had a bit of luck capturing images but its been a hit and miss affair.
As I get my kit together for this mornings shoot I am baffled, once again, as to which film I should take and how to base my metering.
Film options are: Tri-x, Tmax P3200, Ilford FP4 Plus
Developer: Rodinal, HC-110

Thanks in Advance
The Tim Hortons is on me (Ya gotta be a Canadian to get that one)
Mike

David · Oct 1, 2005

I've successfully metered fog by spot metering and placing the reading on around zone 6 or 6 1/2. Eh?

MurrayMinchin · Oct 1, 2005

Ever try to get fog and snow in the same image?

Our minds perceive fog as quite light in value, but with snow in the scene it wants to be printed as a pasty grey. Let the dodging and burning heroics begin!

I'll take a large to go, no cream, two sugars in a double cup, and I'd better roll up a winner on the brim eh?

Murray

gnashings · Oct 1, 2005

MurrayMinchin said:
Ever try to get fog and snow in the same image?

....

Let the dodging and burning heroics begin!

So true... had a good laugh at this one - if heroics are independant of result quality, then yeah... count me in - I've been "heroic"

Thanks for posting this up - and any more ideas I'd be more than happy to listen in on - I have been in search of a nice little gor tutorial myself.

The for pictures that I have had some success with (through no fault of my own probably ), have been on nice grainy film. It seems that other people's photos of fog that I like seem to have some nice grain as well - I think the texture really works with the subject. I would try HP5 or FP4, Rodinal... seems to have that "look".

Peter.

noseoil · Oct 1, 2005

Would first like to know what fog is, we don't get that stuff here in Tucson. Can someone post a nice representative image to the thread so I can see what you are talking about? Thanks, tim

gnashings · Oct 2, 2005

The little edit button disappeared on me... so:

I don't know what "gor is... it was supposed to be fog... and now I am trying to figure out what demented thought porcess led to that typo...

And by the by:

Arizona - the place where the only fog is on your negatives.

How is that for a state motto?

noseoil · Oct 2, 2005

"Arizona - the place where the only fog is on your negatives." Perhaps an extra phrase along with the first "or in your brain" tim

P.S. Seriously, could someone post a shot which was difficult to meter and then explain what went into taking and printing it?

Early Riser · Oct 2, 2005

Here are a few fog photos. I find that higher contrast film helps because in order for fog or light values to have their sense of lightness you need some offsettting darker tone. Even a tiny bit of black or dark gray helps to define the lightness of the fog. I either will shoot with Techpan, or go N+1 , or more with foggy images. As for metering If I know that I want a small dark element to go Zone 3 or 4 I meter it and expose it for that, I then place what zone I want the fog to be in with processing pushes. However some scenes are so foggy and low in contrast that the largest tonal range I can get is from zone 4 to 6, that requires serious pushing and a high contrast paper. And sometimes it just doesn't happen.

Early Riser · Oct 2, 2005

One thing that I find helps is to also use a fine grain film, it may just be a personal thing but I always view fog as being silky and because of that I find film grain in fog to be undesireable.

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 2, 2005

Some people use a blue filter to accentuate fog. Haven't tried it myself, but I don't seem to shoot many fog shots.

noseoil · Oct 2, 2005

ER, thanks for posting these. From what you've said, it looks like Efke 25 would be a good choice to use in a currently available film. Plenty of contrast available and very fine grain. Appreciate your information and posts. Now if I can just wait for some "good" weather to happen... tim

Early Riser · Oct 2, 2005

Mike, I'll be in Eastern Canada (Newfoundland) in the next few weeks. Any tips about shooting there, getting there and places to stay of interest?

Donald Miller · Oct 2, 2005

noseoil said:
"Arizona - the place where the only fog is on your negatives." Perhaps an extra phrase along with the first "or in your brain" tim

P.S. Seriously, could someone post a shot which was difficult to meter and then explain what went into taking and printing it?

Tim, If you do a Google search under Howard Bond Procession. This is a scene that depicts fog.

reellis67 · Oct 2, 2005

David A. Goldfarb said:
Some people use a blue filter to accentuate fog. Haven't tried it myself, but I don't seem to shoot many fog shots.

I've heard that also, but I have not had the opportunity to try it. Infallibly, every time I see a great morning fog shot I'm on my way to work and I don't have time to set it up before some latte drinking suit on a cell phone swerves off the road while consulting at his palm pilot, allowing me to get that superb car undercarriage shot I've never wanted to get.

- Randy

noseoil · Oct 2, 2005

Thanks Donald. tim

Metering for ground fog.

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