How can you balance exposure between a subject and background in film photography?

1 Understand the exposure triangle

The exposure triangle is a concept that explains how three factors affect the exposure of your film photos: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Aperture is the opening of the lens that controls how much light enters the camera. Shutter speed is the duration of time that the shutter is open and allows light to hit the film or sensor. ISO is the sensitivity of the film or sensor to light. These three factors are interrelated, and you need to adjust them according to the lighting situation and the creative effect you want to achieve. For example, if you want a shallow depth of field, you need a large aperture, which means you need a faster shutter speed or a lower ISO to avoid overexposure.

2 Use a light meter

A light meter is a device that measures the intensity of light and helps you determine the correct exposure settings for your film camera. There are two types of light meters: incident and reflective. An incident light meter measures the light falling on the subject, while a reflective light meter measures the light reflected by the subject. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the scene and the type of film you are using. For example, an incident light meter can be more accurate for scenes with high contrast or backlighting, while a reflective light meter can be more convenient for distant or moving subjects.

3 Choose a film stock

The film stock you choose can also affect the exposure and the balance between your subject and background. Different film stocks have different characteristics, such as grain, contrast, color saturation, and dynamic range. Dynamic range is the ability of the film to capture details in both the highlights and the shadows. Some film stocks have a higher dynamic range than others, which means they can handle more exposure variations and preserve more details in both bright and dark areas. For example, Kodak Portra 400 is a popular film stock that has a high dynamic range and a natural color rendition, making it suitable for various lighting conditions.

4 Use filters

Filters are accessories that you can attach to your lens to modify the light that enters the camera. Filters can help you balance the exposure between your subject and background in several ways. For example, you can use a neutral density filter to reduce the amount of light across the entire scene, allowing you to use a slower shutter speed or a larger aperture without overexposing your image. You can also use a graduated neutral density filter to darken only a part of the scene, such as the sky, while leaving the rest unaffected. This can help you avoid blown-out highlights or underexposed foregrounds. Another type of filter you can use is a polarizing filter, which can reduce reflections and glare, enhance contrast, and deepen colors.

5 Experiment with exposure compensation

Exposure compensation is a technique that allows you to override the exposure settings suggested by your light meter or camera. Exposure compensation can be useful when you want to achieve a different mood or effect in your film photos, or when you want to correct for the limitations of your metering system. For example, you can use exposure compensation to intentionally overexpose or underexpose your image, creating a high-key or low-key effect. You can also use exposure compensation to adjust for scenes that are too bright or too dark, such as snow, sand, or night. Exposure compensation can be done by changing the aperture, shutter speed, or ISO, or by using a different film speed than the one indicated on the film box.

6 Review your results

One of the challenges of film photography is that you cannot see your results immediately, unlike digital photography. This means you need to be more careful and deliberate with your exposure settings, and also more patient and flexible with your outcomes. However, this also means you can learn a lot from reviewing your results after developing your film. You can analyze your film photos and see how your exposure choices affected the balance between your subject and background, and what worked and what didn't. You can also compare your results with your notes or metadata, if you recorded them, and see how different factors influenced your exposure. By reviewing your results, you can improve your skills and confidence as a film photographer.