Jock Sturges work was one of my big reasons for switch to large format last year. There is a tone and texture that I feel just cant be done in digital. After shooting for a year I feel like i'm getting close but the soft shadows and tone still elude me. I found a post and he said the following.
In my head it sounds like he just pushes the film but my experience is that pushing increases contrast. So re-reading it I wondered if I mis-understood. But even if you overexpose, why would under developing leave you with the same shadow detail, in my head they should be under exposed as well.What lets me get away with meterlessness in b&w is the simple fact that I overexpose between two and three stops and then underdevelop pretty radically. So now matter how much I have overexposed highlights they never have time to develop unprintable density. Annnnd, that gives me lovely shadow detail. Old trick really and I'd be surprised if most of you don't already know all about this.
So am i understanding this correctly. I know he does not use a meter but lets assume he shoots ISO 100 film at 400, am i understanding that he is basing his development time on ISO 800 or higher?
Learning on digital originally, the switch to film has been learn as I go and I feel like im missing something basic here. Thoughts?
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