RBSinTo Loc: Toronto, Canada

This was taken on a horribly contrasy f16 kind of day down in Kensington Market, which is here in Toronto.
I noticed a woman wearing a wonderful straw hat, and she was standing outside a cafe in the bright sun. Behind her was the interior of the cafe, which was in deep shadow and outlined her exquisitely
She was looking away from me, what could be seen of her face in shadow, so I exposed for the hat to give her an air of mystery.
My main concern was getting lots of detail in the hat and jacket, so I went with a standard bright, sunny day exposure (5.6/ 1/1000th), knowing that the areas in shadow would be dark.
Any more exposure (which I could have achieved by opening up the lens) would have caused the brightest areas on the jacket and the front of the hat brim to start to blow out, and perhaps even reveal details in the background.
And detail in the shadowy face was not what I wanted. It has to remain in shadow to achieve the effect I wanted.
For me, this image turned out exactly as I visualized it, when I saw the scene.
The shot was made with a film camera from the early to mid 1960s which had a meterless prism attached, so any metering for the scene had to be either from experience using the f16 rule as a reference, or alternately using my handheld incident light meter (which I always carry.)
However, this was a candid street scene and I didn't want to risk disturbing the moment by approaching the subject to first ask if I could take the shot, and then by metering with the hand-held meter. So I went with experience, and got the shot I wanted.
Had I not known and understood the f16 rule, I might have been lucky and guessed the exposure, but then again, maybe not. And that's why I think more knowledge is better than less.
motorized Nikon F with meterless, eyelevel prism
Nikkor 180 2.8 ED AIS manual focus
Agfa RSX 100 ISO colour slide film
exposure from experience 5.6 @ 1/1000th

Lazy Old Coot Loc: Gainesville, Florida

I like it, a lot! good comp, detail and as you said, it has an air of mystery about it. ...... Coot

bakedtator Loc: Corpus Christi Tx

Awesome shot! You nailed it. I got to hand it to yall.....The pioneers...film photographers....experience was a necessity. I watched my father growing up with his nikon f3 and learned a great deal always asking questions and wanting to shoot. Again....Awesome shot!

WAL

One of the most interesting and appealing pictures I have seen posted here. I think I may have to change that to the best.

I would be interested in details on how the film was scanned. I have recently purchased a Canon 9000 f. I have made a few scans 35 mm & 120 with it using Canons software. While I see potential the software is beyond my patience. I think I am thinking of getting Silver Fast. I have Windows XP and it is getting to feel. I am not sure what will work with it.

Any thought or recommendations would be appreciated.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Excellent shot.

nairiam Loc: Bonnie Scotland

Absolutely stunning shot!

Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

Thanks for the lesson in proper exposure. The results were well worth the care you took in creating the image.

dugole Loc: Matawan, New Jersey

A perfectly executed shot - sets a certain moodiness and mystery. I really like it, RBSinTo!

RBSinTo Loc: Toronto, Canada

Thank you all for the kind words.
I originally posted this in the Photo Analysis section as a lesson for another member who was having trouble with his bird photo exposures, but the Moderators saw fit to move it here. I hope dieseldave got to read this before it was moved.
WAL,
I shoot virtually nothing but 100 ISO colour slide, except when I need more film speed (indoors for example), and then I use 400 ISO colour slide and push it one or two stops. My film is developed for me by Black's, a Canadian photography chain.
I scan my slides with a Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400 scanner through Vuescan software into Photoshop CS3.
For the most part I do as little post-processing as I can as I was taught years ago to do as much pre-processing to my photos as is practical before pushing the shutter button. Besides, my photoshop skills are meager and very rudimentary at best and much of my work isn't pretty anyway, so it doesn't really require beautification.
I don't know if this helps you, but if there are any other questions I can help you with, just ask.
Robert

rlaugh Loc: Michigan & Florida

I like this!

jwt Loc: Texas Hill Country

Beautiful shot. :thumbup:

Photoman74 Loc: Conroe Tx

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

iDoc Loc: Knoxville,Tennessee

Love your image and your discussion.

RBSinTo Loc: Toronto, Canada

Again people,thanks for the compliments.
I'm glad you are enjoying this image.
Bob & iDoc,
While I don't do it with every photo I post, more and more lately I've been adding a narrative on my thought process to arrive at the composition and exposure I wanted for the shot.
I started doing this on another Photosite when I participated in a weekly topic-shoot that was about photographing strangers, which of course is my photo passion.
Many of the other participants who hadn't tried street photography before, found my explanations instructive, so I've tried to continue doing it when I feel the photo warrants it.
I think it would be instructive if everyone stated their intentions when they first came upon a situation they wanted to shoot and explained their reasons for doing what they did.
It would I think make critiquing and commenting easier and give the viewers some insight into how we each decide what we want our photos to look like.

xxredbeardxx Loc: San Clemente CA.

Very nice. Thanks for the info along with the photo.