Just need some advice plz

lozzperson · May 4, 2005

hey, woo this is my first post, anyway i gotta project to do called 'human form' & i'll be takin photos of semi nude people, probably just in their house so i just wondered if any of you could give me some advice on how to go about doing it and which iso film speed to use - cuz film speeds confuse me. cheers
btw i dont think ive posted this in the right place lol soz

KevinR · May 4, 2005

Welcome,
Need to know a few things to give you a good recommendation.
Color or B&W?
What kind of camera and lens are you going to use?
Are you using available light or trying to use some kind of lighting set-up?
Will you be using a tripod?

Big Mike · May 4, 2005

Welcome to the forum.

Film speeds are pretty easy. A higher ISO number means the film is more sensitive to light. Which means that you can use a faster shutter speed or a smaller aperture. However, the higher the ISO of the film, the more grain you will see. ISO 100 would be a low ISO (slow film) and ISO 800 would be a high ISO (fast film).

Deciding which film to use really depends on a lot of factors. Usually, less grain looks better but sometimes a lot of grain makes for a nice effect. If you are using a tripod and have adequate lighting, then you would not need the extra 'speed' of a higher ISO, so you could use slower film to get sharper photos.

As for taking semi-nudes...your best bet would be to get some books on the topic...and pay specific attention to lighting. It's all about lighting.

thebeginning · May 4, 2005

Big Mike said:
your best bet would be to get some books on the topic...and pay specific attention to lighting. It's all about lighting.

*ding!*

lozzperson · May 5, 2005

Hey thanks for all your help ppl, very grateful,

KevinR said:
Welcome,
Need to know a few things to give you a good recommendation.
Color or B&W?
What kind of camera and lens are you going to use?
Are you using available light or trying to use some kind of lighting set-up?
Will you be using a tripod?

In answer to these..
i'll be usin b&w film
a 35mm lens, cuz its all i got lol
and i havent got any proper lights so its just gonna have to be indoor lighting
and as for a tripod.. i wasn' planning on using one.

craig · May 5, 2005

Heavy subject. I know for sure it will take a lot of work. Look at the nudes of masters in paint and photography. The shape of the body will be most important. I would say that if you are using available light; find a south facing window. If you go with the table lamp set up; bounce the light off of a piece of foamcore or whatever. These set ups will produce soft light that I prefer. Ultimately it is up to you and the subject. Carefully consider the background. If it is too distracting it will kill the shot. When choosing film also consider that a slower ISO (25-100) speed will provide strong contrast. A higher ISO will provide "muddier" tones.

Do not forget the tripod. We can not wait to see the results.