film shooter workflow..

mysteryscribe · Jun 15, 2007

I hear that word used a lot... Workflow... and I hear a lot of people asking scanner questions. For about the last week I have been looking into all of it. I don't know if anyone cares how it goes, but just in case I thought I would explain how I plan to flow the work.

To begin with I have the luxury of choosing what work I do. Not may people who are contemplating hanging out a sign can say that. I realize how fortunate I am. I can do jobs that fit my workflow rather than trying to make the flow fit the job. Lets assume I go back to shooting the same kinds of weddings I shot eight years ago. When I was training my son and law and we needed to work every weekend to get him ready.

...THE PLAN...SATURDAY AFTER THE WEDDING...

Five rolls, four of them 24 exposure film. Typically my part of a 2pm sat wedding is done by no later than five p.m. That's what the basic package calls for so lets assume that is true.

Drop the film off for development only at 5:30...
return at 6:30 to check the negs...
I usually shoot no more than five rolls. One of those is a 12 exp 400 speed for the balcony or back of the church shots. Then probably four more rolls of the real deal.

SUNDAY BEGIN WORKING THE FILM..

Scan the film as negative scans. Two clicks per scan. As they work I can make a nuisance of myself here between clicks. I think I can probably get the negs all scanned by midday monday at the latest. (I tried scanning as positives but they are just to shakey that way)

So Monday after noon I can run them though my negative program not from the scanner. For the most part it is a one click program to do several functions. I think I can finish that on Tuesday.

From what I can see, for my taste, i need to do a batch increase of the contrast about ten percent. And a series of rotations in a batch type enviornment. That all might go into wed. All the while I'll be bugging you guys. I also have to make a very low res copy to email to the Bride. So I should have my hundred shots ready to email to the bride by Wednesday.

Now just have to wait to see if it works in real life like it does on paper. I doubt that it will. But I have been working to see how it goes.

j_mcquillen · Jun 15, 2007

(I tried scanning as positives but they are just to shakey that way)

What did you mean by that exactly? Does it make a big difference to sharpness scanning as negative opposed to positive? Is this something particular to your scanner only, or to all?

Curious to know, as I've just bought a new scanner which I'm still getting to grips with

mysteryscribe · Jun 15, 2007

they varied in quality on me. color balance ect. Just more iffy scans. I might have the options wrong on my scanner though. It's till new to me but this seems to work so I'm going to stay with it.

It could be the scanner settings but I find it easier to scan them as negatives then use another software to convert them. Probably just my lack of scanner ability but the negatives inverted by other software are terrific. If you have a good editor it might have a negative inverter, if so give it a try with the same negatives both ways and let me know. Ill see if i cant make two scans as a comparison. and post them on this thread in a few minutes I'm still playing with the scanner.

mysteryscribe · Jun 15, 2007

Now let me see if I can get this explained how it happens for me. If I shoot a roll of film It will be in more than one location and lighting situation. Each time I change locations (at least the very least) I have to prescan and change the color and lighting balance. So it is a bit iffy what I am going to get matchup wise.

I have a small program that I can click on his jacket as a negative and it will change it to a positive and it will almost always be the same density and color. The one on the left went through that program. There is also a white balance and color match part of the program but I didn't use that.

So the one on the right took a prescan and the one on the left didn't. I think I would have to prescan every negative to be sure the color was close because I couldn't batch white balance at least not with my software.

But the small program I have will pretty much keep the color balance th same no matter what the shooting condition and do it when it converts to a positive image more or less. It's just more convenient there is nothing wrong with silverfast software at all. This just works better for me.

I can scan directly to a file as a negative with no corrections. Then download the whole folder to my small color thing.. Do almost all the colors at the same time I convert them from neg to positive. Then batch the contrast and even the orientation to a great extent. Even though those are in different programs entirely. It sounds complicated but for me it seems easier. At least thats the plan. If you want the name of the program to try I can get it for you.

ps overlook the images very old negatives and I didn't feel like cleaning them just for this... Yes I know there are shadows on the wall.