Pushing for the first time and sunny 16

Dinis Figueira · Jan 31, 2017

Hi guy's,

So Carnival is coming and I'm going to dress as a photographer to take photos at the party.

That being said I'm either bringing Kodak Color 200 or some Ilford HP5+.

Since it's at night I'm forced to push the film to 800 (there are going to be lights all around but blinking and I might use flash but it's going to be rarely).

So with this, I have 2 questions. First of all, since I use sunny 16 alot (might use the light meter app from android on this case), does the exposure values are calculated the same way?
Like, if I have a 1600 ISO film, I'll shoot it at 2000th on 16/f if it's sunny and then I need to bring it down to my personal needs?

And when pushing, what things should I look for to not do? Mistakes etc..

Thanks!

Hatchetman · Jan 31, 2017

Check out this site if you haven't already. Use the tables at the bottom: http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

Sirius Glass · Jan 31, 2017

Why not use Kodak Portra 800 or Ilford Delta 3200?

Dinis Figueira · Jan 31, 2017

Hatchetman said:
Check out this site if you haven't already. Use the tables at the bottom: http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

Thanks! I'll follow that but in the meantime I want some user feedback!

Sirius Glass said:
Why not use Kodak Portra 800 or Ilford Delta 3200?

The color one is to spend the rest of my color film's. Since I'm starting to develop by myself but only b&w. Oh and the difference between the kodak color and the portra is huge.
Kodak color - 2,90€
Portra 800 - 13,50€
The cheapest here...

And Ilford is 7,50€ compared to 5,50€ from hp5 (which I use alot). And from what I've heard is hard to nail the exposure am I wrong? So here is a case of bang for the buck...
So I was thinking on the ability that everyone uses of pushing hp5 and If something goes wrong on the exposure, I'll just tweak a little on the contrast.

Ron789 · Jan 31, 2017

Dinis Figueira said:
Since it's at night I'm forced to push the film to 800 (there are going to be lights all around but blinking and I might use flash but it's going to be rarely).
Thanks!

Why? To get sharp pictures? Sharpness is boring. Wouldn't it be much nicer and more interesting to get movement in your pictures? As a photographer, you're not "forced" in any way. It's your choice. Personally, I would take a 400 ISO film and allow movements to create images that will surprise and delight me: Carnival is all about craziness, not about engineering.

faberryman · Jan 31, 2017

By all means use the cheapest film. Your time and effort are of little value.

Dinis Figueira · Jan 31, 2017

Ron789 said:
Why? To get sharp pictures? Sharpness is boring. Wouldn't it be much nicer and more interesting to get movement in your pictures? As a photographer, you're not "forced" in any way. It's your choice. Personally, I would take a 400 ISO film and allow movements to create images that will surprise and delight me: Carnival is all about craziness, not about engineering.

Haven't thought that way... I was thinking on a way of asking people for stills- something for me to remember later. I do not follow anything... If I see a place, a set of things on a certain way or a moment to capture, I'll do it and then later, I see if I like or not. In the end I like more the idea of pleasing me than pleasing the others. That being said, I liked the idea. Expressing the craziness of carnival.. thanks!

faberryman said:
By all means use the cheapest film. Your time and effort are of little value.

Is this irony..?

howardpan · Jan 31, 2017

I haven't been to the Carnival before so I don't know what the lighting is like. From Fred Parker's web site, I would guess it would be close to EV 4-5 which means at EI of 800 you would be shooting at f/1.4 in order to be at a high enough shutter speed of 1/60 or 1/125 to avoid camera shake. Shallow DOF may make focusing a challenge.

In terms of pushing, my own experience is it mostly affects the highlights. In other words, underexposed shadows will remain underexposed but highlights can move up by one or more zones. This increases the contrast, which I like, but it also means your subject must have enough light. If you shoot a couple kissing in a dark corner, I don't think pushing is going to help.

It sounds like you are planning to shoot with 135 film. I haven't tried it myself but I have seen good results from people using Spur Photo's Spur SLD developer for shooting Tri-X 400 at 800. I have also seen good results from pushing Double-X film to 800. The former, I will try today with some rolls I took on an old folder camera this week. The latter I will try later this year. I print my photos in a darkroom so I will not know if I find the results acceptable until I have had a chance to make prints.

Good luck.

removed account4 · Jan 31, 2017

Dinis Figueira said:
Hi guy's,

So Carnival is coming and I'm going to dress as a photographer to take photos at the party.

That being said I'm either bringing Kodak Color 200 or some Ilford HP5+.

Since it's at night I'm forced to push the film to 800 (there are going to be lights all around but blinking and I might use flash but it's going to be rarely).

So with this, I have 2 questions. First of all, since I use sunny 16 alot (might use the light meter app from android on this case), does the exposure values are calculated the same way?
Like, if I have a 1600 ISO film, I'll shoot it at 2000th on 16/f if it's sunny and then I need to bring it down to my personal needs?

And when pushing, what things should I look for to not do? Mistakes etc..

Thanks!

hi dinis

you always round DOWN with sunny 16 .. ( or at least i do )
iso 1600 film i would rate at 1000, not 2000 ... its best to remember
you want to rate it to give you MORE light, not less ( i do sunny 11, not sunny 16 )
what i would do, if in a pinch like this is just set my camera up at f4 and 1/60thS
and process everything by 400%+ or more.
i'd buy a roll of the same film, and expose a roll or 2 ahead of time in similar lighting / conditions and process it a few different ways
and see how it works for you, and then use the knowledge you gained by doing a "dry run" for the real thing.
it might just come out contrast without any mid-tones ... if it was ME, i'd get a small flash and strob0-frame
and some batteries and a PC cord and use a flash instead of pushing the film. you can easily get full tone using flash, you can use
a soft box to soften the light, you can drag the shutter, and do all sorts of things that might be more interesting than stark contrast. it can be a cheap small flash, it doesn't need to cost hundreds !

sound like fun though, whatever you might do !
john

Dinis Figueira · Jan 31, 2017

Yes, it's 135mm. Tried to make the jump to medium format but im not ready.

Actualy @jnanian, I have a flash on a bracket (an Hanimex) to use as a hand grip but it's a little bulkier to carry for a party. Going to get one of those little vertical flash's to try.
Isn't the rule to go higher and not lower? But even so, I get the idea. Better to overexpose than to underexpose, even thought color is great underexposed.. so many options..

Keep the ideias coming. I like to learn from them.

Sirius Glass · Jan 31, 2017

Ron789 said:
Why? To get sharp pictures? Sharpness is boring. Wouldn't it be much nicer and more interesting to get movement in your pictures? As a photographer, you're not "forced" in any way. It's your choice. Personally, I would take a 400 ISO film and allow movements to create images that will surprise and delight me: Carnival is all about craziness, not about engineering.

Shooting without the lens cap on is also boring. If the OP left the lens cap on, then the film speed would not longer be a factor. So glad you spoke up.

removed account4 · Jan 31, 2017

under expose, over expose, do a test to make sure it will work, and work well.
i try not to underexpose anything .. thin negatives / dense chromes are a drag.

rpavich · Feb 3, 2017

If it were me id shoot black and whit and push it.
B&W seems more appealing in these conditions than color to me.

Fixcinater · Feb 3, 2017

I would do a test roll with the camera setup and lighting scenario you are going to be in before you commit multiple rolls to the event, so you aren't surprised at what the results will look like. You may prefer what flash looks like, I know I don't so I don't even bring a flash to dark events anymore...just fast film and my fastest lenses.

Flickr is a good resource for this too, if you look at enough images with good keywords for a search, you can get an idea what a film + developer + lighting situation can look like overall.

I would personally try to run a T-grain film like Delta 400 or Kodak TMAX 400, I have had better luck with them in dark situations than the conventional grain film like HP5 or Tri-X.

There are no magic bullets but if you have a fast lens and steady hands you can come away with fun moments and have fun in the meantime.

Dinis Figueira · Feb 5, 2017

Fixcinater said:
I would do a test roll with the camera setup and lighting scenario you are going to be in before you commit multiple rolls to the event, so you aren't surprised at what the results will look like. You may prefer what flash looks like, I know I don't so I don't even bring a flash to dark events anymore...just fast film and my fastest lenses.

Flickr is a good resource for this too, if you look at enough images with good keywords for a search, you can get an idea what a film + developer + lighting situation can look like overall.

I would personally try to run a T-grain film like Delta 400 or Kodak TMAX 400, I have had better luck with them in dark situations than the conventional grain film like HP5 or Tri-X.

There are no magic bullets but if you have a fast lens and steady hands you can come away with fun moments and have fun in the meantime.

I've actually bought some rolls for that. Let's see how it goes

RalphLambrecht · Feb 7, 2017

Dinis Figueira said:
Hi guy's,

So Carnival is coming and I'm going to dress as a photographer to take photos at the party.

That being said I'm either bringing Kodak Color 200 or some Ilford HP5+.

Since it's at night I'm forced to push the film to 800 (there are going to be lights all around but blinking and I might use flash but it's going to be rarely).

So with this, I have 2 questions. First of all, since I use sunny 16 alot (might use the light meter app from android on this case), does the exposure values are calculated the same way?
Like, if I have a 1600 ISO film, I'll shoot it at 2000th on 16/f if it's sunny and then I need to bring it down to my personal needs?

And when pushing, what things should I look for to not do? Mistakes etc..

Thanks!

did not understand the first question;confused

Pushing for the first time and sunny 16

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