How can I get harsher contrast and darker blacks from Kodak T-Max 400 while scanning?
Asked 10/7/2020
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I shoot Kodak T-Max 400 and scan my negatives. I want stronger contrast, very dark blacks, and less shadow detail in the final image. Can this be achieved while keeping normal development time, or would I need to underexpose/push the film? Is T-Max 400 a good choice for this look?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
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Here's the frame challenge answer (https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/66377/what-is-the-xy-problem)
You want increased contrast in the end result...this doesn't mean that you need increased contrast in the negative.
The negative is simply a means to an end and it should give you the most detail possible so that you have the most amounts of "ends" available to you.
You can always increase contrast to the point that you lose shadow detail or highlight detail in the final print...but you cannot get those details back in the final if you've killed them in the negative.
Your negative should give you the best possible base from which to work. For most films, this is at or just slightly below box speed and developed normally. Since you're scanning, get the highest quality scan that you can, milking as much detail out of the negative as possible.
Now that you have this highly detailed digital file from which to work, we can begin applying post production methods to get the final image looking as you intended.
Seems to me you need to stop messing with your film and development and start asking about post-production methods. I think that you have a misunderstanding about post pro as it applies to scanned images. The vast array of tools that you'd use to build the final print in a darkroom are available to you in an image editor and can be applied to a scanned image.
Originally by user67377. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user67377
5y ago
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If your goal is higher contrast in the final image, don’t try to bake it into the negative while keeping normal development. With T-Max 400, negative contrast is mainly controlled by development; you generally can’t increase contrast without changing development time. Simply underexposing and then developing normally will mostly give thinner, lower-density negatives rather than a strong, rich high-contrast look.
If you specifically want to lose shadow detail, less exposure will do that, but it’s usually paired with increased development to keep the midtones from going flat. T-Max 400 has only limited push flexibility compared with films designed for heavy pushing.
Since you scan, the best approach is usually to expose around box speed or slightly below and develop normally, giving yourself a good, detailed negative. Then increase contrast in the scan or edit so you can choose how deep the blacks get. It’s easy to remove shadow detail later; it’s impossible to recover detail that was never recorded.
So: for scan-based workflow, aim for a solid normal negative first, then add the harsh contrast in post.
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