Studio exposure/development test for black and white film illuminated with strobes

[Peter De Smidt]

I came across Phil Davis's suggestions:

"Here's a summary of the procedure:

• Meter the highlight area (pop the flash to get the reading)
• Meter the shadow area
• Subtract the low reading from the high (in stops) and add 5; that's the SBR
• Consult your EFS/SBR chart to find the DOUBLED film speed
• Set this DOUBLED film speed into the meter
• Re-read the shadow area using this new DOUBLED speed
• Use the recommended aperture and shoot
• Consult the Dev/SBR chart to find the developing time." -Posted on the BTZS forum.

[DrTang]

and to think

me all these years just putting the flash meter on the persons face and pointing it at the camera lens

[bob carnie]

I always metered for the fill light by pointing at it . I would consider this my base exposure for most situations

I then metered for the main light - for 1:1 , 1:2 , 1:3 I would process normal, for 1:4 , and more lighting ratio I would consider drop process.

In all cases I was using a flash meter pointing the meter at the light .
I use the same principle for hot lights (which I prefer over strobes) but I am shooting small objects... Bellows factor seems to be more of an issue for me when its really racked out then I steamboat on base calculations.

[Peter De Smidt]

If you're going to shoot one way, with one light setup, same film, same development, a viable way to work btw., then taking one reading, or using a string, putting an x on the floor,...., should all work fine. But if you are going to change the lighting dramatically for each subject, it's useful to know what the shadow and highlight densities will be, especially if you're targeting a specific density range for you output process. That's all I'm after. Lot's of people don't want to work that way, and that's fine, just as only some people find the Zone System useful in the field.

If someone has a simpler or better way to achieve specific highlight and shadow densities under varying conditions with studio strobes, then I'm all ears.

[Peter De Smidt]

Bob, thanks for sharing your experience. I'm glad to hear that metering for the shadows works.

[SergeiR]

i point meter at lights.. And develop same way, without much thought..

[Peter De Smidt]

Well, Sergei, that works pretty well in your case!

[cowanw]

The only additional issue That I have experienced is the choice of lens; the range of which, that I have, really do require different development times as well as different contrast ratios.

[ic-racer]

Printing with multigrade paper can simplify things.

[Peter De Smidt]

Bill, I agree. The type of lens, e.g. coated, non-coated, soft focus.....really does impact contrast.