About to do some filter experiments with B&W portraits

hoffy · Sep 5, 2017

Hi Folks,

I want to do some experiments with different colour filters on portraits. While I understand the basics from playing digitally (reds smooth blemishes, blues exaggerate them), I am not 100% sure whether that will translate across to film and each films own idiosyncrasies.

While I have used Red and Green in the field before on film, I am not sure what will happen if I start using blue. I have read (but not seen) that blue may kill contrast.

I want to be able to bring out freckles and blemishes. I am also keen to see what filters does to tattoos and similar body art.

Typically, films could be Ilford FP4+/HP5+/Delta 100, Acros and/or Foma 200.

Does anyone have any tips or pointers on where to start, without spending a wad on filters that may be useless?

Cheers

RalphLambrecht · Sep 6, 2017

hoffy said:
Hi Folks,

I want to do some experiments with different colour filters on portraits. While I understand the basics from playing digitally (reds smooth blemishes, blues exaggerate them), I am not 100% sure whether that will translate across to film and each films own idiosyncrasies.

While I have used Red and Green in the field before on film, I am not sure what will happen if I start using blue. I have read (but not seen) that blue may kill contrast.

I want to be able to bring out freckles and blemishes. I am also keen to see what filters does to tattoos and similar body art.

Typically, films could be Ilford FP4+/HP5+/Delta 100, Acros and/or Foma 200.

Does anyone have any tips or pointers on where to start, without spending a wad on filters that may be useless?

Cheers

Hoffy, freckles would respond to green the best but in general iI limit myself to yellow because,it gives the most realistic view with the exception of emphasising blue venes.

Slixtiesix · Sep 6, 2017

This will be a very rewarding experiment I think. Curious to see the results! To accentuate freckles, I would suggest light blue or also green.

Michael L. · Sep 6, 2017

These links may prove helpful:
http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/using-coloured-filters-in-black-and-white-photography
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/black-and-white-filters-tutorial
But perhaps you are already familiar with them?

hoffy · Sep 6, 2017

Thanks. I hadn't read those, no.

hoffy · Sep 21, 2017

Thought I would pop in - I finally scanned the experiments I tried and here are the results (Yes, this is word for word the same post on another forum):

Dave by Ashley Hoff, on Flickr

Dannielle by Ashley Hoff, on Flickr

Andrew by Ashley Hoff, on Flickr

All shot with the same setup:
Rig: Toyo 45A, Caltar II E 210 F6.8 lens on Foma 200
Lighting: 2 Softboxes in a clamshell configuration

The effect wasn't as strong as I was expecting, but I think the lighting configuration flattened out the skin a bit.
Dave was shot with a green filter.
Dannielle was shot with a red filter.
Andrew was shot with no filter.

I think the next time I have a chance in the studio I will try a different light setup to see what I can achieve.

Cheers

tedr1 · Sep 21, 2017

Nice work

ozphoto · Sep 21, 2017

I assisted a photographer for many years, and he did a shoot with a friend who was a bodybuilder:

This guy is *not* Afro-American, he is Caucasian. The photographer simply used an 80B filter on Tri-X and shot with some mood (for this shot), others were shot similarly but on a white background.

hoffy · Sep 21, 2017

Now, THAT is the effect I am after! Thanks for that Nanette!

ozphoto · Sep 21, 2017

hoffy said:
Now, THAT is the effect I am after! Thanks for that Nanette!

If you want to see further shots from this particular series, they start at #7:

http://www.adambruzzone.com/gallery_nudes.html

hoffy · Sep 22, 2017

ozphoto said:
If you want to see further shots from this particular series, they start at #7:

http://www.adambruzzone.com/gallery_nudes.html

OK, think I might have a look at them when I get home

macfred · Sep 22, 2017

A 47b filter might give another interesting solution on b/w film (though it's not easy to focus with).

macfred · Sep 24, 2017

Found the thread with the 47b filter : https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/black-and-white-film-filter-for-skin-tones.208911/
A photo friend tried a B&W Schneider Kreuznach KB20 filter with comparable results.

pentaxuser · Sep 24, 2017

ozphoto said:
I assisted a photographer for many years, and he did a shoot with a friend who was a bodybuilder:

View attachment 187090

This guy is *not* Afro-American, he is Caucasian. The photographer simply used an 80B filter on Tri-X and shot with some mood (for this shot), others were shot similarly but on a white background.

This is quite incredible. Can you say how much "mood" contributed here in terms of the lighting to get this very tanned look? On the other site given as links there seems comments to the effect that green would act in the same way but I have never seen green produce this effect unless the model was considerably tanned in the first place. Was the print overexposed to aid the tanned rendition.

I am not trying to be "picky" but would simply like to ascertain how much the 80B's contribution was.

Thanks

pentaxuser

macfred · Sep 24, 2017

pentaxuser said:
... but would simply like to ascertain how much the 80B's contribution was.

Same here ! It's a great photograph - undisputed. But in comparison with the 47b filtered image from the photo.net - thread, I guess there's some more fiddling behind.

macfred · Sep 24, 2017

pentaxuser said:
... On the other site given as links there seems comments to the effect that green would act in the same way but I have never seen green produce this effect...

My daughter Mia has some freckles and I tried to enhance them .
I used a B&W Schneider Kreuznach green filter (3x / +1.5 stops) with only a light effect. I just ordered a KB15 (equal to 80B) and I will try it again.

Mia by Andreas, on Flickr

pentaxuser · Sep 24, 2017

Thanks macfred. I await ozphoto's response with interest. I mention the over-exposure explanation as I recall taking pictures of my son's bride,now wife, with Neopan 400 at the wedding, probably without any filter as the shot was indoors> When doing the print I made a test print where I over-exposed considerably several sections and I was surprised how tanned she looked without it affecting her bride's outfit. If you had not known the real colour of her skin you would certainly have taken her for a very tanned person and the rest of the picture would have still looked relatively OK

pentaxuser

Gerald C Koch · Sep 24, 2017

Instead of reinventing the wheel why not invest in a book on portraiture. It will contain more that just filtration but also other aspects of this branch of photography. The book will probably cost less than the film expended in the 'experiments.'

hoffy · Sep 24, 2017

Because its more fun to experience for yourself what can be achieved.

ozphoto · Sep 25, 2017

pentaxuser said:
This is quite incredible. Can you say how much "mood" contributed here in terms of the lighting to get this very tanned look? On the other site given as links there seems comments to the effect that green would act in the same way but I have never seen green produce this effect unless the model was considerably tanned in the first place. Was the print overexposed to aid the tanned rendition.

I am not trying to be "picky" but would simply like to ascertain how much the 80B's contribution was.

Thanks

pentaxuser

I'll have to check with him for you to answer these questions - I didn't work on this particular shoot, he shot it a couple of years prior to me commencing work with him.

I met him when I was at college, and remember him explaining the effect to me (pretty much what I stated above); when the shot was shown to the class, I let others comment on it, without them being told how it was shot, only commenting when pressed by the lecturer.

Could be a couple of weeks - he's currently shooting in China.

Gerald C Koch · Sep 25, 2017

hoffy said:
Because its more fun to experience for yourself what can be achieved.

Still I would recommend a book. It might be fun to read! To repeat there is more to portraiture than just filters. Lots more if you are interested in doing a good job of it.

ozphoto · Sep 25, 2017

Ok. I was able to chat to the photographer last night, as he was chilling out after the day's shoot. He can't recall every tiny detail (they were shot over 20 years ago), but he was able to recall the following:

Images shot on the black background were shot on Tri-X
Images shot on the white background were shot on 400 TMax
Underexposed by about 2/3 of a stop
He only used gridded lights on the model
Shot them on his Blad
Full-frame
The printer undertook a lot of dodging and burning in - these are analog prints, made before the dawn of the digital age
All images were printed on Ilford paper (but he can't recall the actual name of the paper)
He thinks the owner of Atkins Technicolor still has one of the series hanging in his office

In his own words: "I was after the contrast!"

I did meet the model around 2006/7 at the photographer's place; I guess we usually describe his skin-tone as "olive" (?), ie: not whiter-than-white, like Northern Europeans, but he's not overly tanned either.

HTH, Hoffy et al.

hoffy · Sep 25, 2017

Cheers!

About to do some filter experiments with B&W portraits

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