time of day for your shooting

Question: do you see more quality shots using color film if you shoot
early and late in the day versus mid afternoon.

I exclusively try to limit my shooting to times when the sunlight is
warm and colorful. I've lost too many good compositions because of the
harsh direct afternoon light. I have had great shots taken at mid day
but usually under specific compositons - under shade or cloud cover, or
places where reflections are preferred such as water surfaces, river
beds with bright colored dirt, etc.

But in general, I prefer dusk/dawn shooting becasue of the warmer
results - and the creativity seems to be pumping more because of the
more vibrant colors. Also, I like to take into the cost of film and
devolping/processing charges. It's a waste when you only get 1-2
keepers per roll. The % should be higher if you want to make a profit.

Any thoughts on this? Agree/disagree?

Jim

Kernix wrote:
Question: do you see more quality shots using color film if you shoot
early and late in the day versus mid afternoon.

I exclusively try to limit my shooting to times when the sunlight is
warm and colorful. I've lost too many good compositions because of the
harsh direct afternoon light. I have had great shots taken at mid day
but usually under specific compositons - under shade or cloud cover, or
places where reflections are preferred such as water surfaces, river
beds with bright colored dirt, etc.

But in general, I prefer dusk/dawn shooting becasue of the warmer
results - and the creativity seems to be pumping more because of the
more vibrant colors. Also, I like to take into the cost of film and
devolping/processing charges. It's a waste when you only get 1-2
keepers per roll. The % should be higher if you want to make a profit.

These principles have been around a very long time. There'll be
exceptions, as you partially noted, but they work for a lot of images in
color, film or digital. I haven't shot B+W for 35 years with a few
exceptions, so I'm not sure the advantages are nearly as clear.

--
john mcwilliams

Kernix wrote:

Question: do you see more quality shots using color film if you shoot
early and late in the day versus mid afternoon.

I exclusively try to limit my shooting to times when the sunlight is
warm and colorful. I've lost too many good compositions because of the
harsh direct afternoon light. I have had great shots taken at mid day
but usually under specific compositons - under shade or cloud cover, or
places where reflections are preferred such as water surfaces, river
beds with bright colored dirt, etc.

But in general, I prefer dusk/dawn shooting becasue of the warmer
results - and the creativity seems to be pumping more because of the
more vibrant colors. Also, I like to take into the cost of film and
devolping/processing charges. It's a waste when you only get 1-2
keepers per roll. The % should be higher if you want to make a profit.

Any thoughts on this? Agree/disagree?

Jim


Yes and no.

It's harder to get the light you want at mid-day, but sometimes that's
when you have to shoot. So you have to develop the techniques to get
good shots at any time of day.

Kernix wrote:

Question: do you see more quality shots using color film if you shoot
early and late in the day versus mid afternoon.

I exclusively try to limit my shooting to times when the sunlight is
warm and colorful. I've lost too many good compositions because of the
harsh direct afternoon light. I have had great shots taken at mid day
but usually under specific compositons - under shade or cloud cover, or
places where reflections are preferred such as water surfaces, river
beds with bright colored dirt, etc.

But in general, I prefer dusk/dawn shooting becasue of the warmer
results - and the creativity seems to be pumping more because of the
more vibrant colors.

Those are the sweet spots, also know as the magic hour.

The lower contrast is also important to slide film shooting.

Portraits can be done in mid day with a little care by having the
subject in the shade and the background brightly lit by the sun. Use a
warming filter in this case to cut the blue tones in the shade.

Cheers,
Alan

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