Developer for Night Photography

Hi...

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Sometimes i like to make night shots, of buildings and other subjects.

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The main problem with this kind of photography is the ultra hight contrast derived from the diference between iluminated (ligths) areas and shadow areas.

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I usually use Tri-X and develop 20 minutes in technidol to achieve near N-10 . Now I´m looking for an alternative developer.

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What do you people use for night shots ? do you get details on the highlights?

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thanks in advance...

As a matter of course staining developers utilizing catechol or pyro

tend to hold highlight detail more readily. (See Ed Bufaloe's recent

post on this topic.)

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If you are achieving N-10, I'm not sure what you are looking for,

except for probably increased EI. As I recall, the Technidol

developer uses phenidone without an accompanying reducing agent.

This makes for a very softworking developer, but sacrifices speed. I

believe the POTA formulas are pretty similar in content and function.

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I use a catechol based developer of my own design for all my serious

work, and I achieve N - compensation by halving or quartering the

reducing agent concentration and reducing agitation from 10sec/1

minute to 10sec/3 minutes. Using this method I'm easily able to

achieve N-4. If I need to extend that, I would reduce the activator

(alkaline) concentration as well.

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To be honest, however, I shoot quite often at night and I have never

encountered a scene that could not be contained by N-4 development.

I'm wondering, too, how you get midrange separation with such severe

contraction? And if there are no midrange values, why can't you just

expose for the highlights?

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Anyway, back to a developer recommendation, I would start with a

catechol based developer like Pyrocat-HD. But I would recommend you

substitute a 5-10% solution of sodium hydroxide in place of a

carbonate. This will enable you finer contrast control because NaOH

runs out of steam faster and lessens the chance of overdevelopment;

it has a rapid boost, followed by steady decline in activity;

carbonates start slower but continue at a more constant rate.

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I have to get back to work, but if you need further advice, please

feel free to write me.

Use large negative sizes. Develop in Rodinol 1:200 using no agitation

for about two hours. Contact print on a long tonal range paper like

Azo or print on platinum/palladium.

From the tests I have done in the past, your problem may stem from

your choice of film even more than the developer. When we ran a large

scale test of Times Sq in NY for a B&W arial night shot we tested

every film we could find. Tri-X was the worst offender. As it turned

out, some very old fashioned films have a anti hailiation backing

built in. Tri-X has 2 problems. It naturally blocks up in highlights

and the emulsion has a tendancy to disburse bright objects in its

medium. Try or ask about some of the older style films. From the Kodak

line I would look first at KODAK VERICHROME Pan, as being the one

closest to the one we found to be the best, Kodak Super Pancro Press

type B, which is no longer made. We got ours from a helpful Kodak

Tech. I would think you will find what you need from the older

European makers such as Berrger, Forte, Orwo or someone manufacturing

from the Perutz or Adox formulas. Ilford or Agfa may still have

something in their catalogue. Fuji Neopan is definately one to try.

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Technidol may also be a prime suspect. Try a Glycin based developer

such as Edwal 20, 12 or Harvey's 777. We found 777 to be the best with

the Edwal's running a close second. 777 is still being sold through

Bluegrass Packaging (502-425-6442). A Pyro developer may also do the

trick. Pyro works but is not as predictable as Glycin or Paraphenylene

Diamine. D-23 was the best Metol based developer.

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The developer will make a big differance, but in general, if you want

details in very bright highlights, do not use Tri-X.

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Fred

Hi Enrique,

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I have mostly had good success with night shots using a very simple

method of exposure and development, which give me highlights which are

where they should be, and very rich shadow and mid-tones. I increase

exposure by 1.5 or 2 stops with whatever film I am using, decrease

development (I use D-76 undiluted, or something similar, nothing

fancy) 2 minutes per stop, usually giving me a development time of 2 ½

-3 minutes. I agitate the film for 10 seconds every 20 seconds to

eliminate spotty development due to the short time. Even with 400

speed film, the grain is practically eliminated, the negative has a

beautiful soft quality, and the middle range grays are superb.

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The surprising thing I have found with night exposures is that they

are almost always the same - the objects lit from street lamps usually

always have a similar meter reading, and the lit objects are always

coming in at zone I or II. The increased exposure brings the objects

to a zone III or IV, which is right where they should be for good

definition of detail on the negative., and the decreased development

brings the highlights back down to where they should be, which is

around zone VII or VIII. I could go out tonight without my meter and

shoot everything adequately - using a 400 speed film with an average

lens with a yellow filter, stopped down to f22, the exposure will be

between 25 and 45 seconds. Give 3 minutes development, and voila - a

properly exposed night negative.

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Good luck with your night photography!

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James Webb

I dunno about "details in bright highlights", but this shot was

taken on Hp-5, very similar to tri-x, and processed probably to N-

1 at the most, in d76 1:, and prints easily. It's on 35mm.

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