I give up, it's just too dark...

[iangreenhalgh1]

I've been trying to shoot BW film in bad conditions recently, during rain and bad light, to see what is possible.

I managed some decent results but today I had to admit failure, it was just too dark (and raining hard).

These were the best results from a 12 shot test roll in my newly acquired Konica FP-1 with Hexanon 4/21. Kodak Vision2 100T in Fomadon LQR 10mins 1:14 23C.

Just too dark... photography without light just isn't gonna work...

#1

#2

#3

[Attila]

Looks like winter

[iangreenhalgh1]

Yes, instead it is 4pm on the 7th of June

10C, heavy rain and windy, no wonder we Brits talk about the weather so much....

[Laurence]

Don't feel too bad. That is our typical weather here as well, in the Pacific Northwest. Sometimes it's frustrating having
day after day or dark, gray skies, and rain. I just pretty much forget about photography on those kinds of days, as I
like the colorful days much better.

[Jesito]

I like #3, it's really nice to see that composition and the reflections on the water puddles, with the skyligth on them...

Not so bad!.

Jes.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Cheers guys, let's hope we get some light soon

[visualopsins]

Let there be light!

I think know what you mean. Today I switched from f/2.5 to f/1.4 lens -- it is so much easier to SEE now! I actually made some keepers...

[Minolfan]

[trev]

Suffer from the same problem here on the Llyn peninsular in North Wales - total lack of good light apart from a few days a year (SUMMER????)

[martinsmith99]

I have flash guns and various triggers; maybe try this for a different technique and creativity. British weather is going to present a few issues, so it's going to keep you shooting.

And before the natural light purists, jump on me; I've heard it all before

[Orio]

Where's the problem with the light? #3 is very good and moody.
When a photo turns out not good, 99 times out of 100 the problem is the photographer, not the light.
Said otherwise: there is no bad light, there are only bad photos.
I can't believe that so many photographers complain about poor/low light. Every light has it's strenghts and weaknesses, every light has it's pros and cons.
The task of the photographer is to understand the light, and take the most out of no matter what kind of available light.
Photography is not effortless: it comes with sacrifice.
Many of the photos that I like more have been taken in poor, almost impossible light. That's when the right stuff surfaces:

Robert Doisneau, Les Flics et la Pluie (1945):

[Nesster]

There are two things going on here: Photographer's depression with the dark rainy weather is one. It just feels like it is bad. But the second thing, as Orio points out, often once you give into the lack of lots of light, the light that is there can be beautiful and can illuminate things in very nice ways indeed. And wet pavement is usually a great thing for photography. And why God made umbrellas (but for some reason neglected to give us the three hands we need to work the camera and hold the umbrella)

[Orio]

[Laurence]

I use the umbrella in my hiking as a shield. I'm usually away from a trail, so I just bash all the plants ahead of me
and above me with the umbrella so that some of the water can shake off, and I can actually make it through with
drowning!

Okay you guys who talk about getting good shots in even the darkest light - I hear you, and I stand corrected! I will
quit whining and go out and shoot.

[Minolfan]

[Orio]

[peterqd]

I don't see what's so terrible about any of the photos Ian, I think you did well in the circumstances. But it has to be B&W in poor grey light - colour would be useless. I think No 1 could perhaps be better if you'd used the light to help you rather than fighting it, by taking it from the other side of your father and with the light shining on his face.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Well, it was almost as dark this morning and I shot another roll. Waste of time, just more dull, dark crappy results. These were the only two worth showing.

[kansalliskala]

I have similar problem, wanted to test if Kiev light leak repair works but it's so dark I can't tell the difference.

[F16SUNSHINE]

I think it would pay huge dividends to invest some time learning about the fundamentals of the "Zone system".
With successful B+W film photography. The photographer chooses how to manipulate the seen for the desired results.
You have control via Film sensitivity, exposure, developer type, development time/temp, agitation, and, if you do so .. printing to get the desired results.

You need not use the zone system in it's entirety to benefit from the basic principals.
Learning to observe luminance in a scene and choosing where your important exposure "zone" lies and, whether or not you will be blocking highlights or shadow exposing for a particular zone will improve any photographers keeper rate.

Creating a B+W image is can be a simple matter of recording a scene within the basic limits of "standard" exposure and development.
However, if you want more from B+W images. Learning how to manipulate the medium to your vision of the seen is essential.

Try finding a copy of "The Zone System Craftbook" by John Charles Woods. Or read Adams "The Negative" (and "The Print" if you will be wet printing)
Also consider finding a spot meter to use until you have trained your own internal brain meter to view subtleties in EV.