Shooting Mostly Expired Film

[Authentic Southerner]

Hello all... new to the forums and as I have mentioned elsewhere...sort of a serious amateur... I shoot digital but also quite a lot of expired film (35mm & 645) and will appreciate some feedback.... I hope to grab a few of my shots and share them here in the galleries for polite critique..

I sometimes develop my own B&W which I understand introduces another layer of variables into the equation....along with the others like old cameras, diminishing eye sight, etc etc...

This one I took on the Big Sur coast last summer Pentax 645n ...as I recall it was expired 220 Kodak txp 320 film. (this roll was sent out to Dwayne's for development)... I scan with an Epson V700 and generally use Aperture (although I am beginning to wonder about that choice)..

Appreciate your thoughts and comments.

 

[Authentic Southerner]

another... I think this was Ilford 3200 @1600 Pentax 645n..on a tripod..... Any thoughts ?

 

[480sparky]

Classic medium.... classic subjects.... well composed and exposed......classic!

 

[bribrius]

These are great.

 

[Authentic Southerner]

thanks for the kind words guys.. much appreciated..

 

[limr]

Really like them both, but especially the tones and creamy oof of that second shot. I love me a Pentax lens

 

[Authentic Southerner]

Will post a few more from the B&W vault... and ask some specific questions about each... this one is not a very high resolution file...I know it was shot with a Pentax 645n and I think the film was Ultrafine 400... but Im not 100% sure on that .... My question on this photo in particular is what folks think about the exposure ? as you can see from the background, it was very bright outside the tent these pickers were playing under... but wondering if the banjo player (main focus) is underexposed... and perhaps leaning towards sepia from the scan edit ? I really liked that this guy has this old 5 string banjo and that very odd marimbula ... sitting at his feet.... Obviously I wish I could have eliminated the guy upper right but as we know it is not always possible to get perfect framing in real life situations... Thoughts ? Comments ??

 

[Authentic Southerner]

Another low res file but again shot with a Pentax 645n and I seem to recall Ilford 3200.. probably at 1600...I paid $10 just to get in to a local "tattoo festival" and found some interesting subjects there who didn't seem to mind posing for my photographs !! It wasn't like they could go anywhere... I don't know whether this photo is technically right or not but I sort of like the image... the colors on the tattoo artist's arms were wild... so the b&w definitely gave it another "look"...

Thoughts ?

 

[kdthomas]

There's just something about film. The expression on the onlooker's face is what makes the third one. I dig the coastline shot most ... lots of detail keeps me looking at it

 

[gsgary]

Nothing wrong with out of date film ive shot 36 years out of date and it looks great, try that with digital forgot it's not been around that long

 

[bribrius]

Will post a few more from the B&W vault... and ask some specific questions about each... this one is not a very high resolution file...I know it was shot with a Pentax 645n and I think the film was Ultrafine 400... but Im not 100% sure on that .... My question on this photo in particular is what folks think about the exposure ? as you can see from the background, it was very bright outside the tent these pickers were playing under... but wondering if the banjo player (main focus) is underexposed... and perhaps leaning towards sepia from the scan edit ? I really liked that this guy has this old 5 string banjo and that very odd marimbula ... sitting at his feet.... Obviously I wish I could have eliminated the guy upper right but as we know it is not always possible to get perfect framing in real life situations... Thoughts ? Comments ??View attachment 95548

nominated POTM.

 

[LostLensCap]

These pictures make me want to break out my SRT 201 and go buy some HP5 and some developing tanks. (almost) Maybe next summer when I retire and have more time.

 

[bribrius]

These pictures make me want to break out my SRT 201 and go buy some HP5 and some developing tanks. (almost) Maybe next summer when I retire and have more time.

i liked the one i just nominated as i enjoy photos that can capture a culture in that moment in time. I see it as a cultural photo. It is also very well done considering the circumstances.


da da da.. dooo... da da da...

 

[LostLensCap]

Another low res file but again shot with a Pentax 645n and I seem to recall Ilford 3200.. probably at 1600...I paid $10 just to get in to a local "tattoo festival" and found some interesting subjects there who didn't seem to mind posing for my photographs !! It wasn't like they could go anywhere... I don't know whether this photo is technically right or not but I sort of like the image... the colors on the tattoo artist's arms were wild... so the b&w definitely gave it another "look"...

Thoughts ?View attachment 95549

Years ago I had a Mamiya C330 TLR. This shot reminds me of the look it produced.

 

[Authentic Southerner]

thanks for the nomination ! I have always liked that photo...also more for the story it tells... to fill in some context that photo was taken at Merlefest (nothing to do with Merle Haggard although he did perform that year)...an annual Americana/Bluegrass festival in North Carolina...great festival by the way... most folks camp, lots of campfires and picking... the festival sets up "picker's tents" near the entrances with different themes...and folks (often well known performers) stop by and play, sometimes for hours.... I have seen Hippie New Grass guys sitting next to Old Time Mountain Men in overalls and work boots jamming together... it is truly a great scene... I hope this is not offensive.. but as a native Alabamian... those Alabama boys, although very *popular* are known around these parts as more a Holiday Inn Lounge Act than *real* ..... I hope I can embed this video from Merlefest... this is the sort of thing one sees everywhere at Merlefest...
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="Peter Rowan Yungchen Lhamo Mandolin Orange - I m Calling You - YouTube" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

well damn... I don't think I have the skills to post an embedded youtube video...