Sounds like there is slightly more to the story...
The B&W prints looking olive-green. Well, that is
indicitave of 1-hour drugstore processing and not that
of real honest proofing from a professional lab.
I too have shot many a portrait, team and other event
(even quite a bit of product work) where I've handed
the exposed rolls to the client and accepted the check
in return. Where and how they get it processed and
proofed is their problem. I've probably shot 5,000
pictures that I've never seen. Also, I've, at the
request of the client, just had it processed at a
local 1-hour lab.
In my experience, the best film (Portra, etc) doesn't
handle the 1-hour labs too well. I've compared
negatives and they are substantially grainier and not
nearly as color "smooth" as those developed at my
regular professional lab. I'm not talking prints, but
the actual negatives.
So, I would suspect that the negatives from this "pro"
probably aren't as bad as initially thought. I have
never seen B&W proof prints on color paper look
anything but disgusting--especially from TMax. TMax's
base, density (thin negs), and exposure latitude is
not a match for color print film. Furthermore, the
base, being slightly purplish is color shifted enough
from normal color film that there is even a potential
focus shift in the printing/enlarging equipment.
That's one reason why it is so difficult to get sharp
B&W prints from a normal 3R/4R printing machine.
Since you will be getting the negatives (another clue
as to the photographer/client relationship), I would
get some of the more important shots reprinted at a
professional lab and look at the difference. I'm sure
you will be pleasantly suprised.
I wouldn't worry about the F-stop question not being
answered. When I'm working, I'll blow off the
"wannabes" as I'm hired to to a job, not give amatures
helpful hints on how to get around buying reprints
from me. During the formals, I have my "no-zone"
where I have exclusive access to my "space". Others
are free to take pictures AFTER I've gotten mine, but
only from outside of my zone. This means that their
pictures are never the same as mine as theirs are
taken from the side. One reason for the "no-zone" is
tripping hazards with my wires and such. One time I
made an exception to this rule, by prior arrangement,
and lived to regret it. Never again.
As a working pro, it is very important that I can
focus on my job and keep distractions to a minimum.
Furthermore, it is not unusual for the professional
photographer to be the one that keeps the entire event
on schedule and moving. We typically have to play
"wedding coordinator" in addition to our primary job.
If it was possible for me to shoot with completely
automated cameras, I would.
AG-Schnozz
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