First black and white shots

Jewel · Jan 16, 2004

I finally got around to trying a black and white film. I would have liked mre contrast, but it wasn't a contrasty day - overcast, a bit of rain (you can see ripples in the water in the first shot from the rain), and we were in and out of shade too. Still, I think they turned out pretty well for a first go.

Thorniest Whisper · Jan 16, 2004

Jewel, I like those. How did you tint them? I really like the water lilies, but I love the last one! Very introspective

Jewel · Jan 16, 2004

Hi Thorny

They haven't been tinted - it's the film. It's the Kodak B&W that goes through normal colour processing (can't remember the name, I threw the box out). The actual photos don't look tinted, but the scan seems to show some colour.

I love the last shot too - that's my chief assistant, riding buddy and partner. I think the look is "will you just hurry up and finish that film!" :lol:

I'm going to have to get that one enlarged and framed - a bit of a contrast to the glamour shots we had done a couple of years ago.

By the way, all the photos were taken about 200 metres from home - we're lucky enough to have some natural wetlands and a billabong at the end of our street, and we'd just had enough rain after some prolonged drought to bring the area back to what it should be. The last couple of days have seen about 6+ inches of rain so it's all under water now.

Cheers
Jewel

Thorniest Whisper · Jan 16, 2004

Jewel. C41 I think is what it's called. I use it instead of B&W only because I don't process my own film and I don't have a good lab to go to for B&W. But when I scan mine I don't get that color to them and when I take them to process I ask for no color saturation at all (not that the high school boys at the lab know what I mean or that I do either!).

I was viewing the forum with my god daughter and I told her "look' it's a billabong!" I think she thought I was pulling her leg. Thanks for the validation :lol:

cowbert098 · Jan 16, 2004

you have some great photos

Jewel · Jan 17, 2004

I think it's because I get the developing lab to scan the photos.

Glad to hear I got you in the goodbooks with the god daughter!

For the record, when a river gets close to the coast (or on a flat area) it meanders around. Billabongs are old river bends that have become land-locked due to the course of the river changing over time.

BTW thanks Cowbert! Must admit to a certain amount of envy when I see yours - they are usually so clear!

J

Tyjax · Jan 17, 2004

Just for the FYI file. That film is Kodak T400cn. And its good enough for what it is. If you are ever going to print in your own darkroom from the negatives its a pain in the arse. Very, Very hard to up the contrast with that film. I beleive it is the color of the anti-halation. Which comes in at a very light restricting dark orange. I am not sure why Kodak has chosen that color for the anti halation but never the less... All in all good film for the casual black and white. if you want rich contrast and meaty darks grab some Ilford HP5 and have your local pro lab develop and print it for you... You will be wowed.

Jeff Canes · Jan 17, 2004

Jewel, I guessing that you scanned the negatives and not the prints. And also that you scan as color and not B&W. When shooting B&W I mostly use C-41 B&W (and mostly Ilford) myself and sometime get green negatives, usually it just a few frames with the rest of roll coming out fine. I got a roll 120 Ilford XP2 back last week 5 out of 12 frames were green. Why I do not know

These are the link to C-41 B&W that I know of and have used

Black & White 400 is a consumer film designed to be printed in mini labs on color paper
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2/3/9/543/1094/1100&pq-locale=en_US

Portra 400BW marketed as a pro film for pro color paper
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...bw/portra400BW.jhtml?id=0.1.18.14.21.20&lc=en

T400 CN marketed as a pro film for B&W paper
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof.../t400cn/t400cn.jhtml?id=0.1.18.14.21.22&lc=en

Ilford XP2 C-41 B&W for B&W paper
http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/pdf/XP2SGB_QX.pdf

Konica also make a C-41 B&W, I has never used this film
http://www.konica.com/products/film/#mvx400

Jeff Canes · Jan 17, 2004

I like in #2 how the green showed up at the base of the flower

Jewel · Jan 17, 2004

Thanks Jeff and Tyjax

Jeff, the developing lab scanned the photos, so I don't know which technique they used. I have noticed in the past that their scans don't do justice to the shots, but not owning a scanner it's my little cop-out.

Thanks for the hints and links on the films, guys!

Cheers
J

vonnagy · Jan 17, 2004

nice pics jewel! do you live Queensland? just curious.

dig the second pic alot, wish my first b&w's came out as good as yours

ksmattfish · Jan 17, 2004

The big advantage to the C41 BW films is their incredible exposure latitude. Most of it can be shot from ISO 50 to 800 with no change in development.

Have you seen the Kodak Gold 800 (C41 color) commercial where the family is out on the beach in the bright sun taking pics, and then later, just as the sun has set they are out on the beach again taking pics in the dark? Kodak is trying to push Gold 800 as the all-purpose magical film; it's magical alright, cursed, the pics suck no matter what the light.

Anyway, these C41 BW films can pull that off; they're the magic film. Shoot it in the sun at 100 or 200, and then walk inside and shoot it at 400 or 800 on the same roll. No special dev instructions necessary; just drop it off at the lab as usual. I like it for when I don't know what the lighting is going to be; it can be very all-purpose.

My only problem with it has been the contrast issue as Tyjax mentioned. But I think this only happens when you're trying to print on traditional BW paper from the film designed for printing on color paper. The orange base makes it tough.

BigRC · Jan 18, 2004

Excellent pictures Matt. Love the little ripples in the water on the first one.

Jewel · Jan 18, 2004

Hi Vonnagy

Yup, I'm in Brisbane. What gave it away?

Matt, I understand what you mean about the 800 film - I haven't used it but I've shot a lot of 400 Gold and HD. Great if the light is good, but I took one shot at night in a well-lit restaurant, and fiddle with it as much as I want, it is still really grainy. Pity, because it's a really good photo too! I imagine the 800 would be even worse. Must admit, I was impressed with the B&W film though.

Thanks BigRC!

Cheers
Jewel

ksmattfish · Jan 18, 2004

Tyjax said:
I beleive it is the color of the anti-halation. Which comes in at a very light restricting dark orange. I am not sure why Kodak has chosen that color for the anti halation but never the less...

The orange base is necessary for getting proper color balance on regular color print papers. It's not the anti-halation layer.

For instance, when creating color-photograms (created without a neg), you still need to put in a blank color neg in the enlarger to provide the orange to get proper color balance.

They put the orange base on some of the C41 BW films so that one-hour labs have an easier time getting neutral BW on color paper.