Is this just me or what?

neea · Dec 21, 2006

It seems ... that when I have color film in my camera I cant seem to find anything that's colorful enough to want to take pictures of and always think 'That'd look way better in b&w'.
I now have b&w in my camera and last nights sunset and this mornings sunrise ARE BEAUTIFULLY BRILLIANT in... COLOR.
errrrr

Super_Villian · Dec 21, 2006

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a second camera to me. :sexywink:

Big Mike · Dec 21, 2006

Ha ha...ya, that has happened to me too.

A few years ago, when I still shot a lot of film...I was out at the in-laws farm and they were making up baskets of food to be blesses for Easter. Full out Ukrainian...with fancy colored eggs and printed cloths etc. They asked me to photograph the baskets for them...but of course, I only had B&W film.

It did work on some level...because the baskets of food looked the same as they would have 60 years ago...when their parents made up baskets....but it still would have been better in color.

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a second camera to me.

Or a digital

selmerdave · Dec 21, 2006

Big Mike said:
Or a digital

Or a manual camera so you can take the film out mid-roll. Keep a decent stock of film on hand so you have the types of film you normally shoot available. I frequently switch film a few times before getting through a roll.

Dave

terri · Dec 21, 2006

When I'm wandering around to shoot, I do like having one camera body loaded with B&W and another with slide film. I do it all the time. Second choice is to switch it out mid-roll, as Selmerdave suggested. It's easy enough.

But I shoot B&W print film to the virtual exclusion of everything else. For me, color is something to think about later. I might hand color the image, or tone it, dual-tone it, make a bromoil print.....etc.

Getting a good B&W negative is the key. Color is a non issue, it's too easy to add on later, if needed.

Torus34 · Dec 21, 2006

I think most folks, with time, end up using the two-body solution.

A nice alternative is to use a 35mm for color work and a classic twin lens reflex for b&w. Many of the older twin lens reflexes either had no light meter, or it may no longer function. In the absence of a hand-held light meter the 35mm, if it contains a light metering capability, can be pressed into service.

mysteryscribe · Dec 21, 2006

NO No you are all wrong. Full of beans I tell you. Sheet film is where its at. Just carry a couple of film holders of each. Then pop in the one you want..... So what if you have to pull a trailer behind your car to carry the camera and tripod.

Torus34 · Dec 22, 2006

The biggest problem of the film-holder 4x5 [or larger] rigs is the year of weight-lifting needed to prepare for lugging them around! ;-))

mysteryscribe · Dec 22, 2006

even the 2x3 is a little heavy not so much the film holder, or really the camera, not even so much the tripod. It's that fifty pound block of concrete I use to steady the tripod.

I am thinking about going to a cloth bag an just filling it with gravel and rocks when i get to yellowstone should save me one mule anyway.

ThomThomsk · Dec 22, 2006

mysteryscribe said:
NO No you are all wrong. Full of beans I tell you. Sheet film is where its at. Just carry a couple of film holders of each. Then pop in the one you want..... So what if you have to pull a trailer behind your car to carry the camera and tripod.

Who was it who said there is nothing worth photographing that is more than a few steps from your car? Fella called Weston I think, or was it that other bloke, somebody Adams...?

ksmattfish · Dec 22, 2006

ThomThomsk said:
Who was it who said there is nothing worth photographing that is more than a few steps from your car? Fella called Weston I think, or was it that other bloke, somebody Adams...?

It was Weston's son, but I can't remember which one.

mysteryscribe · Dec 22, 2006

Probably Bret the lazy bastard....

Adams pack muled into jellystone.... and Eddie walked all over mexico and california... even photographed the migrant camps during the depression for the wpa. Those guys suffered for their art.

Cole was the more energetic one. He build Edward a small one room house studio/apartment in his later years. That is an inspiration for me. I have a larger room full of stuff and Edward lived and worked in that space. Truly amazing how little stuff you really need to make great photographs.

To be honest I think Brett helped with the studio construction.

markc · Dec 22, 2006

That's one thing I love about the Canons. The IR diode messed with being able to use IR film, but it made it very easy to refeed film back to the last exposure you used. I just jotted down what the exposure count said on the film canister. I never had a crossed frame or wasted one. The custom function that left the tail out was real handy too.

ladyphotog · Dec 23, 2006

Just buy a manual leader puller (just a few bucks) and your problem is solved. You can rewind the film and load another roll then reload the original roll. Just make sure you keep track of what frame you are on so you don't double expose any frames.