Critique Second portrait session with film

[manda]

Hi all,

I've been eager to explore my photography with film for a second time.

Would love some CC on my skills (but not the model). I asked this teen to be a willing guinea pig via Instagram.

F100 + 100m macro. Porta 400 and Tri-X 400 BW.

#1 I often use this park and know this area has lovely light. I wanted to see how Porta created colours with the pink bricks.

Amanda Herbert Photography by M@ndy, on Flickr

#2 Another favourite area. I've included this shot because I found a setting within Alien Skin to process the photos with less blues.
Amanda Herbert Photography by M@ndy, on Flickr

#3 Initially I thought I was more interested in colour film. Then I decide that I could convert colour into BW via LR. Infact, I've blogged nearly all BW film shots. I literally spent 20 minutes taking 36 frames and ran around the park with this teen.

I actually think this energy created more engaging photos.
Amanda Herbert Photography by M@ndy, on Flickr

#4
Amanda Herbert Photography by M@ndy, on Flickr

#5 I prefer other images, but the background gates were green and I was fascinated to know how the 'colours' would translate to BW film.
Amanda Herbert Photography by M@ndy, on Flickr

Thanks Mandy

 

[Kei]

Nothing really wrong with any of those. Portra always seems to look great even in mildly dull weather. With the monochrome shots, have you tried using coloured filters to influence skin tones?

To give you an idea:

Yellow - considered the standard b&w filter. Darkens blues whilst lightening yellows, greens & oranges

Orange - stronger effect of the above. Considered ideal for female portraits as it smoothes out blemishes & freckles. Lightens darker skin complexions Also excellent for landscapes gives a nice dark ble sky.

Red - the extreme of the above. Not so good on portraits unless you intend to make them look very white and very smooth. Great for big blue skys.

Green - considered good for male portraits or where you want a little more texture in the skin. Works well with very pale complexions and obviously intensifies darker complexions. Not a lot of use for anything else.

Blue - a more extreme effect of the green. Freckles will really stand out and gravelly skin will look extreme. Will make dark skinned complexions almost black.

The blue filter effect can be had by simply using an orthochromatic film instead of a panchromatic film. (Ortho film isn't sensitive to the red end of the spectrum whereas pan film is) Make up colours and eye colours play some part too. Matching the filter colour to the eye colour will result in a lighter iris. The opposite colour will darken. There are also varying degrees of colour intensities and half way colours like yellow-green.

Shooting without coloured filters is perfectly fine, particularly when light is limited. They can add something more to your mono images when you want more control of the tones. (Most of the effects are difficult to achieve in post as you don't have as much control)

If you do consider getting any, look at used ones as they are quite cheap because they are pretty much useless on digital cameras.

 

[manda]

Nothing really wrong with any of those. Portra always seems to look great even in mildly dull weather. With the monochrome shots, have you tried using coloured filters to influence skin tones?

To give you an idea:

Yellow - considered the standard b&w filter. Darkens blues whilst lightening yellows, greens & oranges

Orange - stronger effect of the above. Considered ideal for female portraits as it smoothes out blemishes & freckles. Lightens darker skin complexions Also excellent for landscapes gives a nice dark ble sky.

Red - the extreme of the above. Not so good on portraits unless you intend to make them look very white and very smooth. Great for big blue skys.

Green - considered good for male portraits or where you want a little more texture in the skin. Works well with very pale complexions and obviously intensifies darker complexions. Not a lot of use for anything else.

Blue - a more extreme effect of the green. Freckles will really stand out and gravelly skin will look extreme. Will make dark skinned complexions almost black.

The blue filter effect can be had by simply using an orthochromatic film instead of a panchromatic film. (Ortho film isn't sensitive to the red end of the spectrum whereas pan film is) Make up colours and eye colours play some part too. Matching the filter colour to the eye colour will result in a lighter iris. The opposite colour will darken. There are also varying degrees of colour intensities and half way colours like yellow-green.

Shooting without coloured filters is perfectly fine, particularly when light is limited. They can add something more to your mono images when you want more control of the tones. (Most of the effects are difficult to achieve in post as you don't have as much control)

If you do consider getting any, look at used ones as they are quite cheap because they are pretty much useless on digital cameras.

This is wonderful thanks - I'm waiting to see some filters in a car boot etc. and have a play!

I'd forgot to ask my question - I purposely over exposed my film by +2/3 on the porta to ensure a lighter, airy tone. I'm guessing the winter morning sun wasn't the same as the golden light hours. Also, did I need to have an airy field backdrop rather than the grey concrete?

Thanks Mandy

 

[Kei]

I also tend to air on the side of overexposure with negative films, both colour and black and white as slightly denser negatives are easier to work with. If you ever dabble with slide film, it can be a lot more tricky as half a stop over or under can make or break an image.

With the mono shots, the background primarily just needs to remain smooth and not distracting. (doesn't really matter what the colour is, as it'll generally come out grey) I think the bricks in the first image work well as the colours marry up with some of the facial features. Being honest I've seen so many beautiful shots from portra that I've bought a 5 pack to try out.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

•
I was so impressed by the glow in your first session that
I am quite sorry to say that this one doesn't work for me!

 

[manda]

•
I was so impressed by the glow in your first session that
I am quite sorry to say that this one doesn't work for me!

I agree - it's not as successful as my first session.

Primarily because I was working with a stranger and tend to pour myself into making them comfortable over technicalities.

I was also working close to mid-day light and had to manage the reflector without an assistant.

Finally, as I was working with a teen I was much more conservative with my approach on the day was well as my processing.

I learn through failure and am already understanding the craft more. I absolutely loved working with film and it's definately tapping into my right hand side of the brain!

I've blogged the digital and film photos on my website if you want to see the full set.

Mandy

 

[Kodiak Qc]

•
After 40 years in the trade, I still haven't found a failsafe recipe!
Keep rocking Amanda!

 

[manda]

I have another shoot tomorrow, so I've been looking again at the photos and doing some more research. Others have said they overexpose by a stop or 1.5 stop with porta, I'm also thinking my photos were underexposed. I might try and really push them to a lighter exposure.

In my forth session, I'm going to use a light meter.

I've processed some more piccies with my typical digital workflow this time:

 

[pentaxpete]

Filipinas always want 'Lighter Skin' as if they have their typical brown skin they think they look like Poor Gypsies as my Filipina Wife says and their TV ads are FULL of 'Skin Whitening Potions' -- you have over -done it with the lightening . When we come back to Cold England our neighbour Cathy is out in the garden in her Bikini trying to get 'Brown !! What a load of old Codswallop -- she will probably get a Melanoma -- she already has Breast cancer .

 

[joxby]

I sort of agree, though its not lightness of colour as in the rendition of it that bothers me because the b/w ones are the same, its the luminosity, the skin brightness compared to its surroundings.
Its like there's a faint cone of vignette with a face at the center.
I guess I'm saying the lighting doesn't look natural one way or another.
They are sweet pictures but they don't look like picture shot in a park with available light, on film.
Commercially, nobody will care.

 

[manda]

Thanks for your honest feedback - I'm going to use a light meter set to 100 Iso for my next session with Porta 400 to see if I can improve my exposures. I'm sure that will rectify w few of my errors. Mandy