Input needed (wanring, nude photography)

[Efergoh]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/gunnfixr/jen101.jpg

The film is Ilford Delta 3200 35mm It was shot indoors under studio lights, and developed with Rodinal for 11 minutes. The film came out with a very low contrast and quite grainy.

The photo linked was printed with a split filter. 10 seconds with a 0 filter and 20 seconds with a 2 1/2 filter.

I wanted to keep the rich black in the background, but I want to lighten the skin tone without taking too much attention away from the knife.

Any ideas? Should I just leave it as it is? Is this even a worthwhile photo, or should I move on and maybe reshoot it?

 

[fightheheathens]

i do really like the composition and feel of the photo and i feel that the Ilford 3200 grain suits this photo. So dont throw it away.

However, If i remember correctly when i have shot the Delta 3200 and then developed with either Ilford OR TMax my developement time was around 15 minutes. I dont know about the stuff you used. But im thinking that maybe a longer developing time would make it less flat.

As far as the actual printing goes, maybe try using a magenta filter cranked way up. That would give you more contrast and you might get lighter skin while keeping the black backround.

 

[LaFoto]

I'm so sorry that I cannot say one word about neither film not the development steps, for I understand NOTHING of those things.

But I can say that I much like the composition here and the lines given by the hips, stomach, legs, pubic region, belly button, all against this all black background, all curved, soft, mildly lit (a bit dark, I think) ... with the contrasting shaving knife against it, all bright and shining. So yes, I do like the concept but cannot say how you could have made the outcome any better in the darkroom. I know next to nothing of darkroom work. Sorry.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I don't like it at all. It looks bland, lacks contrast, In my opinion grain and young nude women don't mix, and to me, it just sort of doesn't make sense. What the heck is a knife doing on her stomach?

 

[LaFoto]

It has been used to shave off the pubic hair, I would think. Or that is the meaning.

 

[abraxas]

Edgy.

Good idea- done. Move on to the next.


(I'm thinking maybe a butter knife would be cool?)

 

[Flash Harry]

google, "the massive dev chart" before developing film of any type in anything, then I suggest you test a roll first before deving any work you consider critical. I would work on your lighting too.

 

[Efergoh]

The lighting seems spot on, and I exposed as per my hand held meter.
The contact sheet shows a good image, and was not dark like this is here.

This one just has be scratching my head. I love this image, and I really want to salvage it if I can.

The chart I have calls for straight D76 for 14 minutes, or Rodinal for 11. If I were to use D76 mixed 1:1 and developed for 30 minutes...would that decrease the grain?

 

[Torus34]

Easiest way to decrease grain is a film change to something like Ilford's ISO 50 Pan-F. A useful developer for that film is Kodak's Microdol.

 

[loves_guitar]

How did you get a model to do this?

 

[Efergoh]

How did you get a model to do this?

Whiskey

 

[Efergoh]

Of course, I jest.

The model is the wife of a good friend. It wasn't much more than asking her if she would sit for me. Nudes were not on the table, nor were they originally considered. The plan was to shoot portraits for my class. The more we shot, the more we talked about this that and the other (photography related), the more she was interested, and expressed interest in shooting nudes. Her husband was on hand for the shoots, so she was comfortable enough.

All you have to do is ask. The worst that can happen is that they say no.