The Smooth Guide to Photography
              How to get started ...
  • Basic Camera Equipment
    • Standard Camera Lenses
    • Equipment and Materials
    • Etiquette
    • Camera Care
    • Picture Elements
  • Health and Safety
    • Responsibilities
    • What the Law Requires
    • Safety in Photography
    • Safety in the Darkroom, Processing Room + Studio
    • First Aid
  • Film
    • Shutter Speeds
    • Aperture
    • Exposure
    • Lighting Conditions
    • Film Processing
  • Black + White Film
    • Developing Times
    • Processing
    • Tank, Spiral + Core
    • In the Darkroom
    • Printing Papers
    • Exposure for Multigrade Paper
    • Assessing Negatives
    • Printing Film
    • Making a Contact Sheet
    • Making a Test Strip
    • Processing the Print
    • Using the Enlarger
    • Film Cropping
    • Burn-In and Dodging
    • Photograms
  • Technical Term Glossary
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F
    • G - H - I
    • L
    • M - N - O
    • P - R
    • S
    • T - U - V - W
MAKING A TEST STRIP
A test strip is used to determine the correct exposure for a print.  Several exposures are made onto the same sheet of paper.  This is the only really reliable way to establish exposure.  When this is developed, it is easier to see the correct exposure for the print.
This test strip was exposed at:

  • 5 seconds  -  Too pale
  • 10 seconds - Too pale
  • 20 seconds - To  bright
  • 40 seconds - Better contrasts
Picture
It was decided that the correct exposure would be at 40 seconds for better contrasts and to give an accurate representation of the hair and skin.
This strip was exposed at:

  • 5 seconds -  Too pale
  • 10 seconds - Still pale
  • 20 seconds - Better contrast
  • 40 seconds - Too dark
Picture
It was decided that the correct exposure would be at 14 seconds for better contrasts, and to give an accurate representation of the puppy's hair and a good black nose.
  • Place a large sheet of opaque card nearby
  • Halve a sheet of printing paper - or cut a strip of at least 2 inches wide.  Replace the paper in the bag.
  • Lay it diagonally across the picture - shiny side up.  In a landscape picture, this diagonal strip ensures that the sky and land are included in the assessment.
  • Stop down the aperture.
  • Switch off the enlarger and allow any vibrations to settle down.
  • Switch on the enlarger and expose the whole sheet for 5 seconds - use the timer and concentrate on it.
  • Place the opaque card over the sheet and switch on the enlarger again for a further 5 seconds.
  • Switch off the enlarger.
  • Move the card across a further section (quarter) of the strip.
  • Switch on the enlarger and expose for a further 10 seconds - keeping an eye on the timer.
  • Switch off the enlarger.
  • Move the card across a further section (quarter) of the strip.
  • Switch on the enlarger and expose for a further 20 seconds - keeping an eye on the timer.

DEVELOP THE STRIP
  • When the strip is dry, examine it closely in normal daylight.
  • Work out the exposure time for the best band in the strip.
Exposure times for a test strip are:
  • 5 seconds on the overall sheet
  • + 5 seconds of one strip
  • + 10 seconds of another strip
  • + 20 seconds of the final strip
ACCESSIBILITY AND FONT ADJUSTMENT
SITE MAP
Acknowledgement:  
Tutor:  Peter Perry

These notes are an accumulation of those written by myself - or obtained from the College during the course.
  • Putney Public Library
  • Wandsworth Reference Library
  • Earlsfield Library

​This is not a commercial site.
Polly Healy  - Course Work :  2000
SOUTH THAMES COLLEGE,  LONDON, SW18 2PP
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Copyright:  THE SMOOTH GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY - How to get started ...
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                        See other Smooth Guide sites:
www.animalsandenglish.com
www.englishlanguagetips.com
www.smoothguide-mahjong.com
www.smoothguide-internetfundamentals.com
www.smoothguide-kenyacoast.com
www.healyshandyhouseholdhints.com
www.smoothguide-sunbury.com
  • Basic Camera Equipment
    • Standard Camera Lenses
    • Equipment and Materials
    • Etiquette
    • Camera Care
    • Picture Elements
  • Health and Safety
    • Responsibilities
    • What the Law Requires
    • Safety in Photography
    • Safety in the Darkroom, Processing Room + Studio
    • First Aid
  • Film
    • Shutter Speeds
    • Aperture
    • Exposure
    • Lighting Conditions
    • Film Processing
  • Black + White Film
    • Developing Times
    • Processing
    • Tank, Spiral + Core
    • In the Darkroom
    • Printing Papers
    • Exposure for Multigrade Paper
    • Assessing Negatives
    • Printing Film
    • Making a Contact Sheet
    • Making a Test Strip
    • Processing the Print
    • Using the Enlarger
    • Film Cropping
    • Burn-In and Dodging
    • Photograms
  • Technical Term Glossary
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F
    • G - H - I
    • L
    • M - N - O
    • P - R
    • S
    • T - U - V - W