Follow-up of my post on portraits from the coal mine: some results

Hello folks, not long ago I had posted a thread seeking advice for

an up-coming trip into a coal mine on Spitsbegen (80 deg North). A

nice discussion followed

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=008Yub.

 

Now, I have been there and back, I did what I could under the

mountain and under the most extreme lighting conditions I've ever

seen (= mostly total darkness, only broken by head lights).

Eventually, I used two cameras: F100 loaded with TMZ3200 and D70 at

400-800ISO firing flash at any shot. The darkness was such, and any

object in there - including walls - so black, that I could not say

whether the flash was firing or not, as the light was regularly

swallowed by that sort of "black hole". Both the in-camera spot

meters and my Sekonik 508-L, at iso3200 and f2.8, read "LOW", so

that I had to guess and/or use truck lights to create some suited

lighting. Anyway, I'll post the film shots as I develop and print in

the coming couple of months. By now, check some of the digital shots

and thanx again for any tip / comment. Cheers

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?include=all&user_id=581585

I'm interested to see what you ended up with as I joke with my students about photographing black cats in coal mines.

great photos, so far, Andrea. Actually, it's not bad at all with flash!

What you have up already are great shots. It is amazing how, even with some serious speed film and/or with flash, how you still can't get enough light. The two comparison shots of the coal miner with the head lamp, how one is barely there and the other looks quite good - is educational.

 

Great work. Wow. All your other presentations look great, too. I am jealous.

allan

<p><i>I'm interested to see what you ended up with as I joke with my students about photographing black cats in coal mines</i><br><br>All you get is a pair of eyes, if you use flash you get a pair of blown-out eyes.</p>

Nice work and an exceptional folder.