Understanding Dynamic Range

Dynamic range is the span between the darkest and brightest parts of a scene that a medium can capture with detail. Understanding it explains why some scenes are easy to photograph and others force difficult choices.

This guide covers how to read dynamic range, how different films handle it, and practical strategies for challenging lighting.

What Dynamic Range Means

Dynamic range is measured in stops — doublings of light. A scene with 10 stops of dynamic range has highlights 1,024 times brighter than shadows (2^10).

In practical terms: a scene with 10 stops of dynamic range means the brightest area is about 1,000 times brighter than the darkest area.

The eye: About 20 stops of dynamic range when adapting between scenes, but only 10-14 stops at any moment.

Film: Typically 7-13 stops depending on type.

A typical sunny scene: 10-12 stops from deep shadow to bright highlight.

The mismatch between scene and capture medium is what makes exposure interesting. Something has to give.

Reading Scene Contrast

Before deciding how to expose, assess the scene's dynamic range.

Spot Meter Method

Take readings from the darkest and brightest areas where you want detail:

1. Meter the shadow area (where you want texture, not pure black)
2. Meter the highlight area (where you want detail, not pure white)
3. Count the stops between them

Example readings:

• Shadow: f/4 at 1/60
• Highlight: f/16 at 1/60
• Difference: 4 stops (f/4 → f/5.6 → f/8 → f/11 → f/16)

Four stops is comfortable for any film. If you find 8 stops or more, you'll need strategies.

Visual Assessment

With experience, you can estimate contrast by looking:

Low contrast (3-5 stops):

• Overcast day
• Open shade
• Flat, even lighting
• Fog, mist

Medium contrast (5-7 stops):

• Hazy sun
• Mixed sun and shade
• Early/late day sun
• Diffused indoor light

High contrast (8-12+ stops):

• Midday sun with deep shadows
• Interiors with bright windows
• Backlit subjects
• Night scenes with artificial light

Film Dynamic Range

Different films handle contrast differently.

Negative Film

Colour negative (C-41):

• Usable range: 10-13 stops
• Very tolerant of overexposure (up to +3 stops)
• Less tolerant of underexposure
• Can handle most daylight scenes with room to spare

Black & white negative:

• Usable range: 8-10 stops with standard development
• Can be extended with N- development
• Shadows controlled by exposure, highlights by development
• Very flexible in printing/scanning

Slide Film

Colour reversal (E-6):

• Usable range: 5-6 stops
• Very unforgiving — what you expose is what you get
• Blown highlights cannot be recovered
• Rewards careful metering and modest contrast scenes

Comparing Films

Handling High Contrast

When scene contrast exceeds film range, you have choices.

Accept the Loss

Sometimes the best approach is accepting that you can't capture everything. Decide what matters:

Preserve shadows: Expose for shadow detail, let highlights blow. Good for subjects in shade with bright backgrounds.

Preserve highlights: Expose for highlights, let shadows go black. Good for slide film and dramatic effects.

Split the difference: Compromise exposure captures neither perfectly but gets something from both. Works with high-latitude negative film.

Reduce Scene Contrast

Wait for better light:

• Overcast diffuses sun
• Golden hour reduces contrast
• Shade provides even light

Use fill:

• Reflector to bounce light into shadows
• Fill flash to lift shadows (see flash photography guide)

Compose differently:

• Exclude the extreme tones
• Shoot with the light, not against it
• Frame to avoid bright sky or deep shadow

Expand Film Range

N- development (black & white): Reduced development time compresses highlights while leaving shadows relatively unchanged. Useful when highlights are too bright.

Push/pull C-41: Some labs offer push/pull for colour negative, though it's less effective than with B&W.

HDR scanning: With negative film, scanning shadows and highlights separately and combining can recover enormous range — but requires careful scanning and editing.

Handling Low Contrast

Flat lighting can produce muddy results. Options:

Accept It

Sometimes flat light suits the subject — soft portraits, misty landscapes, documentary work.

Increase Contrast in Processing

N+ development (black & white): Extended development increases contrast by building highlight density.

Scanning/printing: Digital adjustments to contrast curves, levels, and curves can add punch.

Paper choice (darkroom): Higher contrast paper grades compensate for flat negatives.

Add Contrast with Technique

Wait for better light: Sometimes the scene needs sun or directional light.

Use artificial light: Flash or constant light can add contrast and direction.

Practical Scenarios

Sunny Day Portrait

Problem: Subject in shade, bright background in sun. Perhaps 8 stops of contrast.

Approach:

• With colour negative: Expose for the subject (shadows), let background blow. The latitude handles it.
• With slide: Either use fill flash, move subject to match background lighting, or accept silhouette.

Interior with Windows

Problem: Properly exposed room makes windows pure white; exposed windows make room black. Could be 10+ stops.

Approach:

• Expose for what matters (usually the interior)
• Accept blown windows, or
• Wait for overcast day when contrast drops, or
• Light the interior to match window brightness, or
• Composite multiple exposures (digital hybrid workflow)

Backlit Subject

Problem: Face in shadow, bright light behind. Classic meter-fooling situation.

Approach:

• Meter the face, expose for that reading
• Add +1.5 to +2 stops from overall meter reading
• Use fill flash to balance
• With negative film, generous overexposure of background is fine

Sunset/Sunrise

Problem: Bright sky, dark foreground. Extreme contrast.

Approach:

• Choose: silhouette foreground against dramatic sky, or
• Expose for foreground, accept washed sky, or
• Use graduated ND filter to balance, or
• Shoot into the golden light rather than toward the sun

Dynamic Range and Film Choice

Choose your film for the conditions:

High contrast scenes (bright sun, interiors):

• Colour negative gives most latitude (Portra 400, Ektar 100)
• B&W with room for N- development (HP5, FP4)
• Slide only if you can control/reduce contrast

Low contrast scenes (overcast, shade):

• All films handle well
• Higher contrast films (Velvia, Tri-X) add punch
• N+ development for B&W if needed

Variable conditions:

• ISO 400 colour negative is most forgiving
• HP5/Tri-X handle wide variety

Metering for Dynamic Range

Different metering approaches for different ranges:

Average Scenes (5-7 stops)

Centre-weighted or matrix metering usually gets it right. Minor corrections at most.

High Contrast (8+ stops)

Spot meter critical areas. Place shadows at Zone III and check where highlights fall (see our Zone System guide for details on zone placement). With slide, place highlights at Zone VII and accept shadow loss.

Very High Contrast (12+ stops)

Pick your priority — shadow or highlight — and expose accordingly. No exposure captures everything. Consider HDR techniques in post, or accept the limitation.

Summary

• Dynamic range is the contrast span your medium can capture
• Colour negative handles 10-13 stops; slide only 5-6
• Assess scene contrast by metering shadows and highlights
• When range exceeds film capacity, choose what to preserve
• "Expose for shadows" with negative film; "expose for highlights" with slide
• N+/N- development adjusts black & white film range
• The best solution is often better light or composition

Understanding dynamic range explains why some scenes are easy and others require compromise. Once you see light in terms of stops and ranges, you can make informed choices about what to expose, what to sacrifice, and when to wait for better conditions.