# 3200 ISO shooting in Alcatraz at night, any tips?



## xypex982 (Oct 17, 2009)

I'm going to San Fransisco over Christmas and am going to do a night trip to Alcatraz. I was planning on taking my AE-1 and throwing in either Delta or Tmax 3200 film in. I was wondering for anyone who has been there do you think that will do? Also how should I meter? I usually use 400 stuff, and have used 800 gold twice so I haven't shot in really dark areas yet and want as much help from you guys as I can get before I go. I am hoping 3200 will be enough so I don't have to use my flash, opinions comments?


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## Mike_E (Oct 17, 2009)

The only time I used 3200 I used the prints to sand a desk after.  LOL

No really, lots of grain but if that's ok...


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## xypex982 (Oct 17, 2009)

Haha good one
No worries I'm a fan of grain.


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## Actor (Oct 18, 2009)

Is this an organized overnight trip or are you doing this on your own?  When I was there we were told not to miss the last boat back to Fisherman's Wharf.

You can push Kodak 3200 to 6400 or even 12800.  I want to try that sometime.

I've used Kodak Portra 1600 (no longer available) pushed to 3200 and IMHO gotten good results.  I have also used Kodak 3200 to photograph my daughter's high school orchestra (she was second violin) in a "no flash allowed" venue and the grain was not objectionable.


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## den9 (Oct 19, 2009)

bring a light tripod


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## xypex982 (Oct 19, 2009)

Actor said:


> Is this an organized overnight trip or are you doing this on your own?  When I was there we were told not to miss the last boat back to Fisherman's Wharf.
> 
> You can push Kodak 3200 to 6400 or even 12800.  I want to try that sometime.




Umm its with my parents, we bought tickets, its not with a school or anything.

Id like to as well but my AE-1 meter can only go up to 3200...although my A-1 can do 12800, but I don't trust that thing too much. Don't know it well and it has bad shutter squeal.

I know 3200 tmax is a lot of iso I'm just worried about the conditions that may be there and 3200 not being enough. I mean I don't want to use wide open (2.8 for my wide angle, or 1.8 for my 50mm) and get no DOF on every shot.


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## Actor (Oct 19, 2009)

xypex982 said:


> Actor said:
> 
> 
> > Is this an organized overnight trip or are you doing this on your own?  When I was there we were told not to miss the last boat back to Fisherman's Wharf.
> ...


I'd clear it with the park service.  If they say OK then take extra food, water, extra warm clothes and blankets.  They told us that they occasionaly have tourists miss the last boat and when they find them the next day they are miserable.



> Id like to as well but my AE-1 meter can only go up to 3200...


Just set the meter for 3200 then stop down an extra two stops (for 12800).


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## teneighty23 (Oct 19, 2009)

xypex982 said:


> I'm going to San Fransisco over Christmas and am going to do a night trip to Alcatraz. I was planning on taking my AE-1 and throwing in either Delta or Tmax 3200 film in. I was wondering for anyone who has been there do you think that will do? Also how should I meter? I usually use 400 stuff, and have used 800 gold twice so I haven't shot in really dark areas yet and want as much help from you guys as I can get before I go. I am hoping 3200 will be enough so I don't have to use my flash, opinions comments?



are you wanting outdoor night shots? or indoor shots? like with the buildings lights? i have no idea how it is lit, but i used 3200 in a museum and it was fairly dark, and i used 1/60th second speed for my absolute slowest speed, all others were very fast, it was a lot of fun, tripods were not allowed there, nor are they fun in busy areas. my suggestion for high ISO film is to use a shallow depth of field, not that you have to use a wide aperture for high ISO, but it makes the film grain stand out SO much clearer. since you like the grain, which i also do, you will be happy!
T-max ISO 3200, F-4.0
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





also remember to expose brighter than the meter says too, you want to burn in all the detail you can. low light shots almost never blow out unless you shoot into direct light or something. (also within reason)
man i wish i was in your place, that sounds like such a great idea!
check out my gallery if you like HIGH ISO
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/black-white-gallery/180331-u-b-c-museum-anthropology.html


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## xypex982 (Oct 20, 2009)

are you wanting outdoor night shots? or indoor shots? like with the buildings lights? i have no idea how it is lit, but i used 3200 in a museum and it was fairly dark, and i used 1/60th second speed for my absolute slowest speed, all others were very fast, it was a lot of fun, tripods were not allowed there, nor are they fun in busy areas. my suggestion for high ISO film is to use a shallow depth of field, not that you have to use a wide aperture for high ISO, but it makes the film grain stand out SO much clearer. since you like the grain, which i also do, you will be happy!
T-max ISO 3200, F-4.0 

also remember to expose brighter than the meter says too, you want to burn in all the detail you can. low light shots almost never blow out unless you shoot into direct light or something. (also within reason)
man i wish i was in your place, that sounds like such a great idea!
[/QUOTE]

Nice man, great tips!
I have no idea how it is lit either. I may do a few outside shots, but mostly indoors, any more tips now that you know that? Like maybe a few of the area where they could hang out at during their "recess" I guess you could call it. I just want good shots of cells and corridors, give it that old grainy grungy spooky look ya know. I don't know if tripods are allowed but I don't plan on taking one. Plus I think with  50mm and 28mm lens I will be able to handhold slow shutter speeds. I plan on getting these developed at a local lab, because I know they will do a better job than I will, plus I want prints.

Over expose a tad? How much a stop? Less more? Give me a ball park range. I plan on taking two rolls so I can do a few shots to bracket.

Lastly any tips from you guys on how to focus well with a prism in low light conditions? Maybe Ill bring a flashlight to brighten up the scene to focus then turn it off. Since I don't want or think I can use high f-stops to get a large DOF and compensate for focusing errors. Although my 28mm's infinity is something around 15ft so I if I'm worried about focusing I can hopefully step back and set it to that.


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## teneighty23 (Oct 21, 2009)

xypex982 said:


> Nice man, great tips!
> I have no idea how it is lit either. I may do a few outside shots, but mostly indoors, any more tips now that you know that? Like maybe a few of the area where they could hang out at during their "recess" I guess you could call it. I just want good shots of cells and corridors, give it that old grainy grungy spooky look ya know. I don't know if tripods are allowed but I don't plan on taking one. Plus I think with  50mm and 28mm lens I will be able to handhold slow shutter speeds. I plan on getting these developed at a local lab, because I know they will do a better job than I will, plus I want prints.
> 
> Over expose a tad? How much a stop? Less more? Give me a ball park range. I plan on taking two rolls so I can do a few shots to bracket.
> ...


well its hard to say still i suppose since the lighting could only be a guess from us, 3200 speed will be your best bet tho and im sure it will be adequate for all shots you want. if i was taking a pic of a cell lit by a single bulb overhead i would expose for the wall most lit and then push it up a half stop over exposure and then bracket 3 shots from there, one over and one under stop, i do recommend bracketing too, low light plays tricks on cameras so bracket to make sure you get the shot, bring extra rolls with you too, you never know what you may find.:thumbup:


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## Actor (Oct 21, 2009)

The national parks web site U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America says the park closes at 4:00 p.m.  Although it does not specifically say so, I don't think they want you spending the night.  Food is allowed only on the dock and the picnic area.  Without the Park Service's blessing I don't think this is a good idea.  The buildings are locked at night so you will be limited to shooting outdoors, unless you can manage to get yourself locked indoors, a fate that many people did not enjoy.


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## apertureman (Oct 23, 2009)

teneighty23 said:


> [also remember to expose brighter than the meter says too, you want to burn in all the detail you can. low light shots almost never blow out unless you shoot into direct light or something.



*How many stops exactly would you recommend to overexpose* the 3200? I would love to do some low light high ISO photography.

Thanks.


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## teneighty23 (Oct 24, 2009)

apertureman said:


> teneighty23 said:
> 
> 
> > [also remember to expose brighter than the meter says too, you want to burn in all the detail you can. low light shots almost never blow out unless you shoot into direct light or something.
> ...



well night photography is very situational, but my best shots are usually ~1 stop overexposed. like i said earlier, if you overexpose your image, you will allow the film time to burn in all the details. therefor all the information is captured.  if what im shooting is fairly noteworthy, i will bracket 3 anyways to be sure, i recommend it, unless you know your camera well and are fairly confident in your exposures.:thumbup:


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## xypex982 (Oct 26, 2009)

Actor said:


> The national parks web site U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America says the park closes at 4:00 p.m.  Although it does not specifically say so, I don't think they want you spending the night.  Food is allowed only on the dock and the picnic area.  Without the Park Service's blessing I don't think this is a good idea.  The buildings are locked at night so you will be limited to shooting outdoors, unless you can manage to get yourself locked indoors, a fate that many people did not enjoy.



They have night tours in it. I was at a legit place that does em, they had day and night ones. Still do in fact.


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## gsgary (Oct 27, 2009)

This is Ilford HP5 at ISO3200





And this is Ilford Delta 3200 at ISO6400


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## taskoni (Oct 27, 2009)

den9 said:


> bring a light tripod



... and don't forget a crowbar too 

Good luck with the shoot!


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## xypex982 (Dec 25, 2009)

Going tommorrow. I plan on bracketing and definatly overexposing by a stop as suggested to help the image get burned onto the film. What I'm wondering is I was given an example where he would meter the best lit wall. Well this baffles me because from what I've read is the old saying "expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights," so wouldn't that mean meter and shoot according to the shadows, and try and devolop so your highlights don't get blown out?

Just a little confused...I think I'll do ok, I just want to clear that up.


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