Pretty girls in the band, low light, and the last roll of film...

So here is my story: last Friday I'm out at a local bar waiting for

the band to show. Now since I have more photos of

bands-I'll-never-see-again than any one person needs, I left my gear

in the car and was happily killing time with a beer. Well as soon as

the band started loading-in my tune changed.

 

(take a peak if you're interested).

http://www.thedansettes.com/images/piano.jpg

 

Being a small club I grabbed my meter and jumped on stage to see what

kind of light was available...EV4, ugh. I ask the friend who booked

them if he could maybe bump the lighting a bit, he says no he likes it

dark. Oh well, it's his show.

 

Now since I wasn't really planning on shooting this show my film

choices were somewhat limited: Provia 400, or Tri-x. I opt for B&W,

load up the Tri-x and get out the flash. I ask the band if they are OK

with me blasting away and they give me the thumbs-up so enjoy myself

and the band for the next 45 minutes. Until I suddenly realize I'm

out of Tri-x and they're still going strong, but all that is left is

the Provia and a lonely roll of APX 400. Now I know the Provia pushes

well but from past experience it looks really horrible under the red

and blue stage lighting this club uses. I also know that APX doesn't

push well but I never actually tied it. So I decide to put the flash

away, load up the APX and see what happens.

 

Now since the stage lighting was EV4, which is equivalent to 1/4

second @ f2.0, it was obvious that most of the images at that EV would

be a mess of blurred motion. That wasn't what I wanted so I decided

to shoot it at 1/30 @f2.0 and figure the details out later.

 

Which leads me to my question: how should I proceed with development

with what is essentially a 3-stop push on a film that is barely 400 to

begin with? I do realize it was he wrong film for the situation, but

it was all that was available, so any thought on a developer/time

combo? I'm willing to live with whatever I get out of this but would

like to try to get something if it's possible, even if it's some kind

of cool, over-the top effect.

 

Thanks,

Stephen

that's a bit of a strecth, but since shadow setail will not be your concern I'd start by looking which developers you have available.

 

Diafine may be the 1st choice, Xtol or D76 next.

 

I'd go with a reduced agitation/compensation technique to bosst the midtones.

I'd guess from my experience with other films that Microphen (stock strength) would also be worth a go.

Uhmmm I'd have run for the camera - good decision my friend!

All I have immediately available is Sprint (D76 clone) and Rodinal, but that doesn't mean I can't go pick something up. I was thinking about Microphen and reducing agitation. Any thoughts or suggestions for time?

Michrophen for pushing with Xtol a close second. Check out the illusive peroxide push! It can work & work well.

D76 should be good but as people said Microphen/DDX should be better.

 

The results will be grainy but printable ;)

 

I'd check digitaltruth nd see what they say.... otherwise a 3 stop push will require about 2.5X the original time, agitating every other minute to prevent blooming of the highlights

\

In case any one should happen to come across this thread:

 

I cut the strip into three sections and developed them each in Microphnen, stock dilution.

 

At 15 minutes I got nothing.

 

For the next strip I went to 30 minutes, still nothing.

 

Then I got tired and did the last strip in for 2.5 hours with no agitation. I got one image that looks like I used a flash on which now that I think about it, must have happened when the other photographer fired his camera. The rest of the strip has some very, very faint images. I'll try to see if they actually print but the bottom line for seems to be that everybody was right APX 400 just doesn't go three stops.