Playing with textures

oriecat · Apr 5, 2004

I shot a roll of Ilford Pan F 50, about 90% self-portraits. Well I learned my lesson there! That stuff shows every pore and skin imperfection I've got. And the definite lack of grain really helps me see how much I like it. So due to my high standards for self-portraits to be seen by anyone other than myself, I was ready to write them all off, when I decided to try printing through something to distort and soften. First thing I found was a thin white t-shirt.

Result:

I then found some tissue paper and did it again for comparison:

These two are both lacking in contrast and a bit dark. I will revisit them and play s'more. I did try printing with a #5 filter to see what happened and the whole thing actually went dark. I will work on it tho...

I then revisited a neg from earlier in the evening that I generally like, excepting the unflattering details

(and scratches! dunno how I got those

). This one was also printed with the tissue paper, and a #4 filter.

Thoughts, etc? Anyone have other things they use to print though like this? I need to scour the house and see what else I can find...

voodoocat · Apr 5, 2004

That's pretty cool orie :thumbsup:

I know precisely what you mean about panf showing every little pore and imperfection... I had a shot left on the roll so I took one of myself and when i scanned it my reaction was "ugghhh"

motcon · Apr 5, 2004

absolutely beautiful, my dear. great composition and mood. try crumpled up tracing paper, nylon, vaseline on glass....

love them.

motcon · Apr 5, 2004

try to split filter print the first one just as you've done. i love it. given what i see, a lot more highlight exposure would ruin it. it could use about a 1/3 more in that area, though.

motcon · Apr 5, 2004

matter of fact, i take that back. the first scan is, now that i've come back to it again, dead on.

i love it.

yeah, sheesh. don't change a thing. would break my heart.

oriecat · Apr 6, 2004

Are you sure about that, will?

Thank you

manda · Apr 6, 2004

we couldnt have Will's heart broken, now could we?

what an inventive girl. so u actually printed these on a white t shirt??
im such a dark room moron.
love the 2nd shot, send me the original please?!

motcon · Apr 6, 2004

manda said:
we couldnt have Will's heart broken, now could we?

oh, there are some that are cold and callous enough to want that, but the strange thing is they don't have clear reasons as to why...

ksmattfish · Apr 6, 2004

Cool, Orie. So you are laying the diffusion material on the paper? Stretching them across the lens (enlarger or camera) can also do fun things, although you probably wouldn't get the cool texture you got. It's hard to tell by the scan, but I like the texture from the weave of the t-shirt.

Hold onto those straight prints, too. When you are an old photog you will enjoy the fine details. Instead of "That stuff shows every pore and skin imperfection", you'll be thinking, "Wow! I had really great skin back then..."

oriecat · Apr 6, 2004

manda said:
what an inventive girl. so u actually printed these on a white t shirt??
im such a dark room moron.
love the 2nd shot, send me the original please?!

no, I didn't print them ON a t-shirt, I printed them THRU a t-shirt. The tee (or tissue) was laid on top of the photo paper, so that the textures shown through when the negative did.

I didn't even print the originals, I saw the test print, went "Eww!" and stopped at that point. I may go back and properly finish though. I could always scan my contact sheet for you.

oriecat · Apr 6, 2004

ksmattfish said:
Cool, Orie. So you are laying the diffusion material on the paper? Stretching them across the lens (enlarger or camera) can also do fun things, although you probably wouldn't get the cool texture you got. It's hard to tell by the scan, but I like the texture from the weave of the t-shirt.

That sounds like a cool idea, Matt, I will have to try that too. Yeah, the weave is more apparent in the print. I hate scans.