How to achieve a pointlight effect or glow effect.

<p>(I hope this is the right place to ask this.) I've been admiring two photo effects for some time, but I've never figured out how they're done. They seem related, so I thought I would mention them both at the same time.</p>

<p>The first is a high-contrast effect that I find most often in film black-and-white photos. It's like the light is receding from the shadows to make them even darker. Or, it's like the scene is only lit with bare flashbulbs, but is really taken with normal lights. I found some okay examples, maybe not quite perfect. You may say that the light was just that stark to begin with, but I don't think so. You decide.</p>

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<p>The second effect is like the opposite of the first. The highlights seem to bleed into the midtones - not like a glare, but like a glow. It looks like the picture is overexposed, but the shadows still are there.</p>

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<p>It looks like there's a strobe in the background, but I think that's a normal streetlight:<br />

<p>Not as pronounced, but there a little bit:<br />

<p>I hope you understand what I'm talking about.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>the first examples are done using high ISO film and available light.</p>

<p>The second examples are created due to a light source being in the photo. Eg a window or the sun. because you don't expose for the sun or the window they get blown out and create the effect in the examples.</p>

<p>I dunno. It seems like I've taken some high-ISO photos myself, and they never looked quite like that. High ISO film differs somewhat from normal film, but essentially it allows you to use a higher aperture or faster shutter speed. I don't see how that alone would produce starker contrast. Also, just so I know, when you say "high ISO film" I assume this doesn't only work with film?</p>

<p>Similarly in the second case, it seems like I've taken some shots with blown-out areas, and they never glowed.</p>

<p>I certainly think that the things you mention play a part, but I can't help but to think there's more to it.</p>

<p>Paul is right. The high-contrast images are probably pushed film. You underexpose the film, then add development time to compensate for it. That tends to give you a rather abrubt tone curve, with lots of highlights, lots of shadow and few midtones.<br>

The other is veiling flare. The direct light bounces around in the lens and camera and blends with the surounding areas, reducing the contrast. Normally not something you want. You get it with cheaper lenses, and especially with old, uncoated lenses. You can also get it with a skylight (or "UV") filter on the lens, espaecially a cheap, uncoated one.</p>

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<p>Hm. I've just recently gotten into film, and I've been meaning to try out pushing film. The effect I was describing sort of reminded me of what I read in Ansel Adam's book about N+1 development. And, I guess N+1 is the same as pushing film, isn't it?</p>

<p>I suppose, then, this is a film-only effect. I've tried to do N+1 (i.e. pushing) with digital pictures, but that doesn't work very well. Even when I "shoot for the highlights, and develop for the shadows" (that is, overexpose by one stop and reduce the exposure). Dissatisfactions such as these spurred my interest in film (even though, as I say, I haven't gotten around to N+1). This may be the wrong place to as this, but is there a way to do this with digital pictures?</p>

<p>As for the other effect, your explanation sounds plausible. I wonder if they sell a special-made "glare and halos" filter. It sounds like something that can only be done optically and can't be achieved in post-processing.</p>

<p>Anyway, thank you both for your help.</p>

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Pushing film is not quite the same as N+1 development. On an overcast day, a proper exposure would get good shadow detail but the highlights may only be on Zone 8. You give N+1 development to raise the highlights to Zone 9 but the shadows stay where they are. "Pushing" is development used when you rate 400 ISO film at 800 ISO. That underexposes the film. The shadow detail will be lost and the normal Zone 8 will be on Zone 7. Pushing the development to N+1 will raise the highlights to Zone 8 but the shadow detail will stay where it is and still be lost. Increased or decreased development can only affect the highlights not the shadows.

 

I am no expert on digital cameras but, if you move the highlights too far to the right on the histogram, all detail will be lost in the highlights. You should move the highlights as far to the right as possible without clipping and then adjust for the shadows in Photoshop.

<p>two of the three in the first set mention pushing right in the tags.. one is pushed 1 stop and another 2 stops. also the first one is shot on neopan 1600, which from what i understand is basically neopan 400 with printed dev times having the push "built in". so you can achieve that same effect with neopan 400 pushed two stops as well (i used to do this regularly.. works very well.)</p>

<p>i have acheived similar results by pushing film</p>

<p>http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulclayton/2035437740/in/photostream/</p>

<p>and</p>

<p>http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulclayton/2037300519/in/set-72157594544885129/</p>