Slide film selection for indoor mixed lighting

Any suggestions for a slide film to be used under a ghastly mix of fluorescent, halogen, and natural light.

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Apparently we will not be allowed to use hot or strobe lighting to shoot the inside of a retail store. I am using a R8 with a variety of wide-angle lenses (19/24/35), a Mamiya M7 with a 43mm (approx. 21mm equiv.), and tripod for the job.

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The intent is to capture the interior design and materials used to create the stores "unique shopping environment" (barf!)

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I have used Provia 100 and 400 films in the past with good success but have no experience with these films under this type of lighting.

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For those inquiring minds, this an exercise in photographic problem solving for a class.

Part of the challenge here lies in not knowing what fluorescent bulbs

the store uses. They do vary a bit in spectral output, with many

conventional, e.g. cool white, bulbs having a horrid green balance.

It used to be that a so-called "daylight" bulbs were pretty harsh.

But recently I've seen and bought, in Home Depot, a daylight bulb

that is easy on the eyes and more plausibly like a pleasant daylight

color. I also bought a "kitchen and bathroom light" that is

decidedly warm. As to the acid test, photographing under them, I'm

afraid I haven't gotten around to it. My point is that I would see

if you can find out what bulbs they have. Norman McGrath,

in "Photographing buildings inside and out" has a table of

corrections for the various fluorescent bulb types. As to the

halogen bulbs, the result will of course be warm if shot with a

daylight film, but would very likely be acceptable to the viewer.

And of course if you use tungsten film, the natural light areas will

be very blue.

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I don't suppose the instructor woud allow the use of a color negative

film from which positives are then made for projection. That would

permit some color correction (but would likely be expensive to do).

What about using Ektachrome EPP 100? I think the blues would be a

bit stronger, which might help offset the yellow incandescent light

and maybe subdue the greens in the fluorescents. A 400 speed would

be more practical for the job. I would worry that Fuji might be a

little green for the purpose (outdoors, the same sky that would be

very blue with Ektachrome will be cyan with Fuji).

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If you want to find out what bulbs they use, I can at least post

McGrath's filter corrections for them.

Scott, I've found that Fuji Astia handles difficult lighting better

than any other film I've used. If it's possible to do so, I would

recommend that you do some test shots first and have them processed

before doing the actual shoot. Test by photographing a typical scene

with 10, 20, 30, and 40 magenta filters. You might also do the same

with red filters. Bracket exposures with each filter and keep notes so

you'll know the exposure and filtration used for each frame as you

look at your test roll.

1) If you can stand the grain - 400-speed films. with their lower

saturation, tend to de-emphasize the color differences. The old Fuji

400 used to be 'touted' as a good film under flourescents - relatively

speaking - something to do with the spectral sensitivites. I don't know

if 400F is still the same.

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2) Most advice from pros on this subject amounts to: determine which

light source is MOST prominent and balance for that via film choice

and/or filters - and let the other sources do what they will. A little

incandescent orange from ceiling can lights or table lamps usually just

makes a picture look warm and 'homey' if the main light is daylight

windows, e.g.

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3) It's possible to get big sheets of colored plastic to put over

windows to 'balance' them to the interior light (and then filter for

the interior light/windows together) - but it may be too big an expense

unless you're shooting a Hollywood movie.

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4) It's also possible to temporarily replace some light sources with

'corrected' bulbs - at least 'daylight' fluorescents or 'blue'

tungstens. I can understand SOME of the light source color being part

of the 'unique shopping environment' - colored neon decorations, e.g.

AND you'd want to retain THAT color.

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5) ...but if the client wants their store to look good - they're going

to need to work with you by paying for window gels or allowing some

artificial fill or allowing temporary replacement of bulbs. Talk with

them about the options and remind them that THEY want the results to

look good and YOU want the results to look good, so determine together

what "good" is and do (read "pay for") what's needed to get there.

Let us know the results. I have used provia and astia, and the green

tint, when present, is not too bad (but noticeable), and the reddish

tint most noticeable in direct comparison. Will this be correctable in

the final product (brochure, etc.)?

I had to shoot a bank building, and some adjoining offices that were a

mix of daylight and flourescent - and it had to be on 120 'chrome.

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My solution was to go with the bountiful light as available, BUT, to

get into each flourescent fixture, and stick a sheet of Roscoe

Tuff-Minus-Green in each one. Sure it made the shoot a little slower.

And, I had to get on a step ladder about 8 times for each shot.

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The results were perfect, or so near perfect that it was a non issue.

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Roscoe sells that stuff by the wide and long roll. I think its 48

inches wide, and 25 feet long. I paid $98 US dollars for it, and ...

(wooohoo) its leftover for the NEXT job that comes along, I saved all

the standard fixture size pieces!

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This stuff is well worth it, and will get yer keister outta hot water

quite well.

Many thanks to you all for your tips and advise. All are great

ideas, and better yet some I had never considered.

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Thanks again!