Evening star., 1950-02-26
Camera Angles
Bosic Faults in Color Photography
BY Alexander J. Wedderburn
Curator Of Photography
The Smithsonian Institution

BY Alexander J. Wedderburn
cvrater Of Photography
The Smithsonian Institution
There are four basic faults re-
sponsible fu. most failures in color
photography. These are aside
from ordinary miShaps common
to both monochrome and color
work, such as failure to advance
film, double exposures, etc. Briefly,
they are: Faulty exposure. incor-
rect lighting of the subject, use
Of the wrong filters and selection
Of the wrong Aim type for the
light used.
Any one OF these mistakes is
enough to kill a color picture. All
may be easily avoided. with the
possible exception of the exposure
problem. Most of us who use
color film know. by this time, that
emulsions will vary, from one
batch to another, as much as half
stop in speed. This is a problem
that has yet to be solved by the
manufacturer - yet emphasizes
the need for exceptional care in
computing an exposure for color
film.
Exposure problems are most
easily and accurately solved with
an exposure meter Of the photo
electric cell type. But If you do
not have one and must take your
color pictures anyway. be sure to
use the exposure guide that comes
with the film. This guide or ex-
posure table Is most nearly effec-
tive when average subjects are
photographed under normal con-
ditions. Extremes in lighting and
other conditions will make it
necessary for you to give more
or less exposure than called for
in the exposure guide, according
to the circumstances.
As a few examples, when shoot
ing out OF doors in winter, you
find it advisable to close your lens
opening by a full stop when snow
is on the ground or, as an alter
native, double the shutter speed
you would use under normal con-
ditions. But, with no snow on
the ground, you will soon discover
that greater exposure than nor
NAL is called for. Again, when
conditions are normal and the
subject is quite dark, you may
find it desirable to increase the
aperture by one-half stop. Con-
versely. a subject that is very
light will require an exposure one
half stop less than that given
under normal circumstances.
Get a Critic for Your Work.
Before you decide to make any
changes in your color shooting
habits. be certain in your own
mind that such step is needed
If, over a period of time, your
color filming has been consistently
good We advise you to keep right
on operating the way you have.
An occasional failure will happen
to anyone and should be disre-
garded. If you do not feel quail
fed to reyder an opinion on your
own work then go to some compe-
tent person whose Judgment can
be relied upon. II you don't know
a good color man, 60 to your
camera dealer and you will be
given all the help you need.
There are a few tell-tale indi-
cations that will help you decide
whether q color transparency is
over or underexposed. If the
colors appear dark and there is
little or no detail in the shadows
you may correctly conclude that
the shot was underexposed. On
the other hand. washed out, weak
looking colors and a lack of detail
IN the highlight areas will point to
overexposure.
There is only one way you can
be reasonably positive that you
will get an accurate exposure
First. shoot the scene at what
ever exposure you think should
be given. Then make another
shot at "a stop greater and an
other " stop smaller than the
first. This process can be car
ried still further. but is not ad-
vised because of the cost in film.
This can only be done in situa-
tions where more than one shot is
possible. When taking pictures of
action in color you will just have
to be accurate to begin with.
Getting Diffused Light.
Subject lighting is another i'm
portant point. The brightness
range Of the color Aim that you
use will do just so much and no
more. When brilliant sunlight and
dense, black shadows are included
in the scene you cannot expect to
get back a transparency that is
well balanced or truly representa-
tive of the actual colors involved
in the extremes. In such cases
you will either have to be salts
fed with what you will get or for
get the picture.
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