rebride

Where did you get all that from? Did I miss reading something?

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

I don't think that's a proper or responsible answer to the problem. I think that was what JudyTee23 was trying to say.

rebride

Doogie has not complained about his professor.
I think he is enjoying being a college student.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Sorry, but I read that as a complaint about the instructor. What say you, Doogie?

photocat Loc: Atlanta, Ga

Perhaps Doogie hasn't a complaint about the instructor but Judy and I certainly have questions about how these questions aren't being answered in person within the class environment.

It is certainly hard to know exactly what is going on, except the OP is having good question , run of the mill questions that any beginner has and is coming to a website forum for answers. ]

Some of us are suggesting that these should be addressed in his class.

rebride

Doogie is probably in the darkroom watching silver halide magically dancing in glow of a red light.
To question what is happening in the class, sure.
To question the integrity of the instructor, to say he is rude and cavalier. To judge someone on just one out of context quote. Now that is scary.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

I like you think he needs talk to his instructor and ask for help! Also from the way he describes the problem I think it's in the development of the film that is giving him thin neg's. as you said. That’s why I sent him the link, this way he will be able to rule out the issue he's having.

WAL

Buy a cheap SLR and set it to auto. You'll be much happier. There is no reason for you to learn how to develop 35 mm film.
Find another instructor.

Zero_Equals_Infinity Loc: Canada

I am taking that as firmly tongue and cheek.

Shooting film is a worthwhile experience, as is learning about pushing, pulling, the Zone system, and many of the other traditional methods.

Even though I do not shoot film any more, my experience with film provided a firm foundation for my digital work. And I still use the darkroom for printing, (because there is nothing so nice for some images as making a digital negative, and contact printing in Platinum / Palladium.) I love the whole process, from measuring and applying a correction curve from step wedges to pouring the developer over the exposed print and watching it "magically" jump out of the paper. Yes, there are more variables, more places where an error can be made, but when it is right, it is so, so right. (And it feels a lot more like making art than simply hitting the print button.)

doogie Loc: Washington

Sorry one and all!!!!

And yes, I was actually doing exactly this today! "Silver Halide dancing" :) Finished shooting a role of HP5 400 after school today, and that is why I am late to the forum. My apologies in advance.

My Professor ( Actually a really good guy) answers my questions, and then I ask him five more questions for every question he answers. Today after asking him a question he looked at me and said.

"Every time I see you your eyes are always full of a million different questions; And you have a couple more million you'd like to ask don't you?"

The basic problem is that for every question I get answered about 10 more take it's place.

Ok, now for this meter stuff. Thank you one and all for clearing up the basic thing about the correct number. That kind of makes sense now. Well sort of... Million questions...

I switched over to Tmax 100speed for now. As I have more of it and from how I understand it, 100 speed takes more light and can endure a longer exposure with a finer grain result in the final processing.

As to my negatives. The lab tech says, and I quote: " You are as anal retentive and spazmotic as the Dean of the department about your film and how you develop it. Double and triple checking EVERYTHING. Don't loose that. it is a good thing kid"

Apparently my new nick name is Film Spaz. LOL.

In anycase. I figure that first metering the mud will be helpful. I did that with this last roll of 400 speed. After I metered (With the Camera) the shadow of the mud then I took the Exposure intended. One of the 2nd year students suggested I try that trick. They said it is an old trick that a lot of photographers used in the old days when not everyone had a light meter or a grey card available. The guy that told me the trick is about to graduate and he said he uses that trick with Every single exposure he ever takes. It hasn't failed him.

So I'm trying it.

Now this BDE thing is a little bit more of a challenge to me. And the Zone thing is absolutely blowing my mind.

All I want is for my photographs to acurately show what the light I'm seeing through the lense makes me feel and hopefully be able to give whoever looks at my photographs a sense of how it might actually feel to be where I'm taking the picture. I don't know how else to put it except that when I look through the lense I see temperatures and light; not a snapshot. Hope some of that makes a little sense. If it makes sense to me then It has to make sense as to why this BDE/Zone thing is frustrating.

Zero_Equals_Infinity Loc: Canada

Some will say it is dated, but I say this is the classic book on "The Camera" see http://www.amazon.com/Camera-Ansel-Adams-Photography-Book/dp/0821221841

Then pick up "The Negative" see http://www.amazon.com/Negative-Ansel-Adams-Photography-Book/dp/0821221868

And lastly, "The Print" see http://www.amazon.com/Print-Ansel-Adams-Photography-Book/dp/0821221876


If you are heading toward film and traditional printing, this set of books is the ultimate.

(Ask your instructor about them, and see if you can acquire or borrow a 4" x 5" view camera.)

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/

JudyTee23 Loc: Eastern U. S.

Mogul- I am sorry for this delayed response, but I work long days, Art classes, 9AM-4PM, Mon. through Fri., Photography class, 7-10 PM, Mon. through Fri. I usually spend an additional hour or more with individual students to help them with any difficulties. So, I do not get back to quarters until well after 11PM.

Recognizing that this is a Photography Forum and not an Education Forum, I will try to be brief.

The overall tenor of the OP's post indicates to me, at least, that he does not enjoy a good relationship with his instructor. In the recent past, he has asked several questions which could have readily been answered by any decent instructor.

Like you, I tend to doubt that a full-fledged, tenured, "professor" would be teaching a photography class. It matters not who teaches a class, but the quality of the instruction is paramount.

Three years ago, when my college was trying to develop a worthwhile class in photographic basics, I sat in on classes at other institutions. I was often appalled at the poor quality of instruction being offered. Clearly, it was difficult to find instructors who knew the subject matter and also had the necessary communication skills to impart their knowledge to others. That may be part of the problem our OP is encountering.

I have no problem with the OP studying how to use film, as long as the subject matter was preceded by a good grounding in basic optics and other fundamentals of photography. Too many courses do not provide a sufficient foundation. Also, too many courses tend to emphasize "digital" rather than "photography."

My short, seven-year career at a small, conservative, basically liberal arts college, does not qualify me to engage in a detailed dissertation regarding the status of many of our educational institutions. I understand most of your concerns and share some of your observations. I would be happy to engage you in such a discussion via PM if you so desire, taking into account my heavy work schedule.

I am barred by college policy from mentioning the name of the institution on the Web, so please do not ask.

Have a nice day.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Film Spaz, first of all do not apologize. You've done nothing to warrant it. Second, you and I may expect to hear from the more politically correct members who find your nickname offensive. Well, I think it's funny, but then I'm just a small town hick (another politically incorrect term). Finally, I did some research and found:

http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2010/12/mud-cracks-near-trona-california.html

Now, mind you, I am not an ardent admirer of photographs of mud, especially cracked mud. What I was able to determine, however, is that, given the ISO, shutter speed and f/stop used (and employing a bit of interpolation), the photographer had determined (probably without realizing it) that the Exposure Value (EV) of the sun-lit mud was 15, a number that is significant because it is the EV applied to the "sunny 16" rule, which defines optimal exposure. And THAT, my friend supports, by practical application, the lab tech's theory. It's a stretch, but the numbers do match up.

By the way, if you ever want to explore the subject of EV, may I suggest an interesting site on the subject:

http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

Good luck with your studies.

doogie Loc: Washington

Hmm. You know this EV thing seems to make a lot more sense for some reason than the BDE. Not quite sure why. I'll print out a copy and try it out. Who knows? I might actually be able to master it. Which of course would be humorous. IMO. And as for the new nickname I aquired at school. I actually kind of like it.

And as for the political correct thing. Hmm. Well I did have a Captain once tell me never to go into politics as that would require a filter of some sort so that those lobbyist people wouldn't get "Offended" lol. I don't sugar coat anything, and I rarely am politically correct as a general rule. I've always thought of Being Politically correct as sugar coating for the majority of the crowd. And that's me putting it nicely.

V/r,
Doogie

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

You are (or were) a Navy Corpsman playing with the Gyrenes. No one will EVER accuse you of political correctness!