washed out pavement

[ryan_pasia]

hello all,

 

i now have my first set of prints from the used EOS-3 that i got recently, and

the pics with my 50mm f/1.8 are excellent.

 

i do have a problem with some of the pics that show the pavement. it's always

washed out. it doesn't matter whether it was concrete or asphalt--the pavement

just appears white.

 

i used kodak gold 100 on my setup, and was using f/2.0 or f/2.8 on Av mode. is

there something i can do to avoid this result? (is it the settings i used? the

film? is there some exposure compensation involved?)

 

thanks for your inputs!

 

ryan

[digitmstr]

AH! If you were using a DSLR some people would be very quick to say "use film, digital doesn't have enough dyn. range...etc..." :-)

 

When you get prints (unless they are CUSTOM prints made by a PRO lab) you get basically "proofs", at best. In your case, the contrast in the scene is outside the lab's (or film's) ability to render everything within a certain value therefore, something burns out.

 

Assuming the negative also shows total lack of detail (very dense):

 

1) it's possible that the bright sunlight is reflecting off the cement/asphalt/etc... thus creating an EV value outside your film dyn. range.

 

2) it's possible that your metering is (correctly) biased toward the subject and therefore the background gets overexposed.

 

3) it's possible the lab machine is not properly setup or they don't have an editing process that allows lowering the contrast (if possible to begin with, that is).

 

Try this:

 

measure the ambient light separately (your EOS-3 can do this very well, I used to have two) and then use a fill flash for the subject. Shoot some slides. If you still get overexposure then, it's your technique. If not, you have solved one issue and can now take some pictures in exactly the same manner, at the same time of day and lighting condition with you print film. If the prints are still overexposed you now know it's the lab.

 

That's my 2 cents.

[ryan_pasia]

Giampi,

 

thanks for the comments and recommendations. i will try them out on my next walkabout...

 

with regard to the fill flash part--have you any recommendations on which flash unit i should invest in? basically, i wouldn't want to shell out too much on a flash unit that i wouldn't be using too often except for outdoor fill flash and dim indoor shots...

 

ryan

[PuppyDigs]

The dynamic range of prints is extremely narrow. So, although the negs probably are fine,

the

print can't hold detail in both shadows and highlights. You can have it printed darker but

then the shadows will block up.

 

Back in the day, we used to burn 'n dodge B&W prints to selectively lighten and darken

parts

of the picture. Probably the only practical method for color prints is no scan them and

mask

off sections of the image you need to adjust.

 

You might try low-contrast pro film like Portra 160.

 

Incidentally, digital cameras have the same

problem when it comes time to print. I spend a lot of time "compressing" the dynamic

range

of scenes so mid look good but shadows won't block up or highlights burn.

[oofoto]

I think Giampi may be right: 2) it's possible that your metering is (correctly) biased toward the subject and therefore the background gets overexposed.

 

Which metering mode are you using and what are you metering off? The 3 has spot, partial, centre weighted and evaluative so you need to check which you are using. Also which AF mode are you using?

[ryan_pasia]

paul,

 

i was using auto AF (not manual), evaluative metering and metered off the subject (a person in front of a dark granite monument).

 

which metering mode would have been most appropriate in this situation?

 

also, how does AF mode factor in?

 

thanks.

 

ryan

[wgpinc]

Ryan,

 

You need to get a good book that explains exposure. The meter in a camera is just a starting point. It believes everything is grey. If you use the meter reading off a very dark to black object it will over expose the scene trying to make the dark object grey. (For example in bright sunshine the correct exposure would be 500 @ 8.0 but the reflected black gives a 'meter' reading of 250@5.6 - 2 stops overexposed) If you meter off a very light to white object it will underexpose the scene trying to make the metered subject grey. (the example here might be that the correct exposure is again 500@8.0 but the the reflected meter exposure from the light subject gives 1000@11.0 2 stops under exposed). You have to compensate for the reflectance of the subject. Plus or minus if you want to use the auto exposure feature in the modern cameras. Get a good book, practice and try things. Bracket under and over the meter reading. Film is cheap. Learn that what the meter says is not always the 'right' exposure. There may not be a right exposure that will handle a scene that has bright white and dark shadows. You may have to decide with your brain what is important in the picture. Good luck!

[wgpinc]

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