Florence

[Paul Karl]

Hello everybody,

Here is my last portrait.
F90X /Tri-X & Rodinal

 

[weepete]

Sweet

 

[runnah]

Beautiful portrait

 

[tirediron]

Nicely done; a very 1980s feel to the image.

 

[Seadawg]

Yes, i agree very nice...

 

[timor]

Portrait is nice. But I gonna be a bit rough on you.
Why against the light. Especially with automatic exposure.
Why TriX.
Why TriX in Rodinal ?
You placed her face in the shadow and probably didn't compensate for it. Her skin should be in zone 6-7, but now is in zone 3. Or she has such a dark skin ?
TriX in medium or large format is OK for portraits, but hardly in small format. Why ? Look at her face. This is not a skin of young woman. Unless she is 80, but looks so good. Now, Rodinal only added to the roughness of the grain as this developer cannot unlock the best properties of modern TriX (now called TX as this emulsion has just a little to do with old TriX). Why don't you use Tmax 100 for such a portraits ? In proper light it will give you a smooth gradation and very little grain if you will use Rodinal (But sensibly, no 1 hour stand, portraits do not need replated silver.)

 

[Paul Karl]

i agree with your review.
1.Why against the light. Especially with automatic exposure.
In order to archive this look.
2.Why TriX.
Love the look of the Tri-X, the grain & the contrast.
3.Why TriX in Rodinal
Here the dilution was 1+50 with moderate agitation. In order to reduce the grain and increase the acutance/sharpness. i use rodinal this time because one of my favorite photographe use it and i want to give a try. micmojo : here is no why

Tmax 100 : i live in Belgium, it isn't a joke , we don't have enough light in cloudy day to use such slow films.
If a want very little grain or no grain, i used my DSLR.

Which developer can unlock the best properties of modern TriX ?

Thanks for your helpful review, it help my to progress.

 

[timor]

TMX is only two stops slower than TX. Which in portrait photography might be also an advantage. Hm, I am in Toronto, and believe me, I didn't see the sun for two weeks now and so will be on for the next few months. Yet my base film is only ISO 250 and often I shoot at 160. For most static subjects ISO 100 will be sufficient in most situations. Just try it.
Most modern emulsions will respond well to less aggressive developers, using lower pH. The other factor would be less silver solving action. Structure of grains of silver halides in emulsions became more "sophisticated" and (modern TX is not the same film Ansel Adams knew) there is virtually no need to use ultrafine developers. I have better results using Dektol than D76 with TX. The whole idea is to not to over develop. That will preserve the delicate tonal separation and apparent sharpness at the same time by keeping the silver grains only at minimum size and nice shape. This will eliminate the need for solving silver action, which, in case of D76, will leave the grains of silver sponge like and with jagged edges which works against good tonal separation and acutance.
Rodinal has too high pH for TX causing non proportional development of grain. Again it works against tonal separation by increasing local contrast and build uneven grain. But higher pH of Rodinal will work well with Tmax 100.
D76 has way too much sodium sulfite which will dissolve a lot of silver from already formed image. With known effect.
The whole thing requires a bit of conscious experimentation to have a fun with it, but then, "fun" has very elusive meaning.

 

[Paul Karl]

Very interesting! Thank you very much.
What about the Kodak Xtol ?

I have also a technical question here :
Snow/ski photography | Photography Forum
Can you take a look ?

 

[bribrius]

TMX is only two stops slower than TX. Which in portrait photography might be also an advantage. Hm, I am in Toronto, and believe me, I didn't see the sun for two weeks now and so will be on for the next few months. Yet my base film is only ISO 250 and often I shoot at 160. For most static subjects ISO 100 will be sufficient in most situations. Just try it.
Most modern emulsions will respond well to less aggressive developers, using lower pH. The other factor would be less silver solving action. Structure of grains of silver halides in emulsions became more "sophisticated" and (modern TX is not the same film Ansel Adams new) there is virtually no need to use ultrafine developers. I have better results using Dektol than D76 with TX. The whole idea is to not to over develop. That will preserve the delicate tonal separation and apparent sharpness at the same time by keeping the silver grains only at minimum size and nice shape. This will eliminate the need for solving silver action, which, in case of D76, will leave the grains of silver sponge like and with jagged edges which works against good tonal separation and acutance.
Rodinal has too high pH for TX causing non proportional development of grain. Again it works against tonal separation by increasing local contrast and build uneven grain. But higher pH of Rodinal will work well with Tmax 100.
D76 has way too much sodium sulfite which will dissolve a lot of silver from already formed image. With known effect.
The whole thing requires a bit of conscious experimentation to have a fun with it, but then, "fun" has very elusive meaning.

dude. I get back into film you gonna be my new pal.......

 

[timor]

Very interesting! Thank you very much.
What about the Kodak Xtol ?

I have also a technical question here :
Snow/ski photography | Photography Forum
Can you take a look ?

Xtol is a lot like D76 with different reducing agent. Same massive quantities of sodium sulfit. The problem is, even, when diluted D76 or Xtol still have this bad proportion of sulfit to reductant. The smallest amount of metol per film I am using that I know of is 1/3 of a gram. That's enough to develop a film, and in short time to. Tmax 100 in 7.5 min at 20C. Developer is a Beutler formula.
Here is a sample:
http://images37.fotosik.pl/784/98a2fb4b184afcefgen.jpg
Phenidon is even more effective and by much.

For the other part Tmax 100 (TMX) will be very useful for what you plan. Use orange filter with factor at least 2. sample above was shot using red filter. This is straight print from 35 mm neg. No dodging, no burning, however the bush in the front of the image should be dodged to reveal a bit of the detail. Don't forget to calibrate the camera for the filter. Take a reading without the filter and then with it. See, if camera adjusted the exposure by the factor stated on the filter. If is not, correct it with ISO setting. Don't forget to change that for shooting without the filter.

 

[Paul Karl]

Thank you for your response.

In fact, I am not really satisfied by the D76 in fact, a little satisfied more with the rodinal.
I would like to keep it simple and used only easy available rev like Kodak / Ilford etc .
I order everything here : Schwarzweiss Filmentwickler
What is your advised rev. for portrait on 400TX and on Tmax 100?

Your result is impressive ! Detail everywhere great contrast and sharpness.
For what I plan ,i will use T-max 100 in 135 format and orange filter(red filter will be too much?). But what is the most suitable rev ?
Kodak Dektol ?


Tri-X 400 at 320 iso with rodinal 1+50.

 

[kdthomas]

Nicely done; a very 1980s feel to the image.

I think it's the spectacles that make it "80s" for me ... was that what you got?

 

[Didereaux]

Well, since no else mentioned it, let me. That gawdawful piece of tree trunk on the left side. CROP IT!
...oh yeah and that big one up in the left corner has to head for the fireplace as well.

 

[sonubhoi]

Nice photo