In Need of Serious Help! - Job Tomorrow

[lize1968]

Dear All

Hello from Blighty London and have I got a problem - got my first commercial commission tomorrow morning at 9am to shoot a football stadium in less than an hour on medium format??!!!***>>>>....

I usually shoot on 5x4 and take hours so I'm feeling v insecure and don't really know my way around a medium format - as if that wasn't enough - I seem to have forgotten everything I know down the loo!

So here it is - I shoot an 100 ASA polaroid and want to use 400 tranny film. I therefore stop down 2 f stops for the 400 film - right so far?! ....but then I know the weather's going to be ****, the sky grey, the stadium grey, silver and white so no blacks? - can I then re-rate the film for 800, keep the f stop the same and push process the film by 1 stop to get higher contrast??!!!! .....or should I just go find a small dark space and not come out for a few days?

Many thanks in anticipation

Lize1968

 

[photogoddess]

First thing... breathe. :hugs: Your basics don't fly out the door just because you're changing formats. 2 stops is correct from 100 to 400. If you're worried about contrast, pick a slide film that is a bit more contrasty. Fuji Provia 400 is on the more contrasty side IMO. I'm assuming that you'll be using a tripod. Pick your aperature for the desired depth of field and go from there with the shutter speed. Don't worry - If you've been dealing with large format well this long, you'll do fine with medium format. Just remember that no matter what format you're shooting, it still boils down to light, f-stops, shutter speeds and film/sensors. :mrgreen:

 

[lize1968]

thanks so much for that and yes I have got myself in a state - it justs seems an impossible brief! Prob why they're testing me on it! So just to clarify if I'm right to stop down when using the 400 film, could I then rate that film at 800 ASA and push it one stop in processing to make it more contrasty?!

 

[photogoddess]

I've never pushed slide film myself to see how it affects contrast. I know it works like a charm with TMax though. Anyone else want to weigh in here?

 

[amoki]

So now lize19868 will start buiding a shrine for photogoddess... :rofl:

 

[Christie Photo]

I pushed 4x5 chrome once... I don't recommend it. Color shift, saturation shot to hell... just ugly.

Why not bring some 100 speed film too. That's always my first choice. Don't forget the filters.

If you get a decent poloroid, bracket a bit and you'll be fine. If you're still a bit anxious, bracket a bunch. A couple rolls of film will be a lot cheaper than a re-shoot (what I call "additional photography").

Best of luck.

Pete

 

[lize1968]

Thanks for that guys - I do have some 100 ASA too so I'll just have to hope theres some sun - think of me tomorrow!

 

[Christie Photo]

BTW... I'm not afraid of longer exposures. I've often make 20 second exposures and longer on type S film with good results.

I dunno if there's any reciprocity failure... I can't see it if there is.

Pete