Birds with B&W film

phil146 · Jan 11, 2015

Wondering if anyone has shot birds in B&W? Specifically, I'm thinking about large birds like herons, egrets, or even gulls, since I have shot many in color with a digital camera. Always amazed at the way feathers transmit or reflect light and wondering how they would look with B&W film, like HP5 or Delta 400. Depending on conditions, I may push HP5 one stop to ISO 800. Any suggestions or examples from others greatly appreciated! Phil

Rick A · Jan 11, 2015

I think a more appropriate question would be, who hasn't shot birds in B&W. I've shot birds since the early 60's with B&W film using everything from asa 32 to 400, never seen the need for super fast past that.

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 11, 2015

Much of the popular bird photography of the 1980s and 90s was shot on Velvia 50 and Provia 100, so apart from flight shots, there's no obvious reason to be using a high speed film for B&W bird photos.

bobwysiwyg · Jan 11, 2015

A possible exception being hummingbirds, which I have a fascination with. If the goal is to stop their wing motion, not likely to be done with film.

snapguy · Jan 11, 2015

hummm...

How to stop hummingbird wings with film? Use a very short-duration flash. Piece of cake.

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 11, 2015

Wing-stopping hummingbird shots involve two or three flash heads of very short duration, often set up at a feeder.

phil146 · Jan 11, 2015

Thanks, everyone. Actually, I am intending to do some birds in flight, especially herons and egrets. I know from using digital that a shutter of 1/1600 or faster helps stop feather motion. Using a 300mm f/4 lens at f/5.6 works well. I'm anxious to shoot some film on birds in flight while I'm in Florida.

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 11, 2015

So try Delta 400. It has a nice smooth look and should get some gradation in the highlights, which you need birds that have a lot of or almost all white feathers, as some herons and egrets do.

gone · Jan 11, 2015

It works best if you catch them in flight when shooting B&W, as you don't have the advantage of the bird's colorful feathers. I recommend using Microdol-X 1+1 with Arista EDU Ultra 100 because it will minimize the grain in the sky and clouds. Before switching to that I was using Tri-X and D76, or TD-16 (D76 clone), and things would get pretty grainy in the skies. A shutter speed of even 1/250 will stop motion (even feathers).

bobwysiwyg · Jan 11, 2015

snapguy said:
How to stop hummingbird wings with film? Use a very short-duration flash. Piece of cake.

Don't own a flash. Usually prefer ambient light, but I see your point if I did own one.

pdeeh · Jan 11, 2015

There was a bloke called Eric Hosking who used to take the odd snap or two of birds.
Often in black and white.

Worth looking out for ...

phil146 · Jan 11, 2015

Thanks again. Have some Delta 400 and 100, and HP5. Should have plenty of chances at wading birds.

munz6869 · Jan 11, 2015

Here's some birds I shot last week whilst wandering around the outback. Emus and Zebra Finches, both handheld with Mamiya 645 Super and 300mm lens on Fuji Acros Neopan 100

Marc!

Sirius Glass · Jan 11, 2015

Sure, why not shoot black & white? For example a photograph of an egret could be stunning. You would not egret it!

Alan Klein · Jan 11, 2015

Most birds are so colorful, it's a shame to use BW.

Sirius Glass · Jan 11, 2015

Alan Klein said:
Most birds are so colorful, it's a shame to use BW.

Crows, Sea Gulls, turkeys, ... Black and brown are the most common colors for birds in North America.

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 12, 2015

You position yourself with a good background and the light in your favor, and then hope you see something interesting, facing the right way, and when you think you've got the perfect shot, take five more that you think are perfect and one or two might be. Birds in b&w are a greater challenge than in color, I think, since it can be hard to identify the bird without color. Occasionally, though, I see an interesting B&W bird photo, and I want to try it again.

phil146 · Jan 13, 2015

Hi all,
I do remember seeing a book by Hosking many years ago-found a web site of his work-nice stuff-thanks, pdeeh.
I appreciate seeing a few birds from "down under", Marc. I'm thinking of large wading birds.(like the emus)
I know I won't "egret" chasing some wading birds(SiriusGlass) since I've been after them for the past 6 trips south to Florida. Alan-I have thousands of digital color bird images from shooting them over the past 6 years, so I'm ready to see what I can do with film. I'll have to be disciplined since I could burn through a roll of 36 exposures very quickly. Looking forward to the challenge with camera, film, and in the darkroom.

ME Super · Jan 13, 2015

This was taken on Provia 100F at a lake about 15 miles from my house. I don't remember whether I asked for a push process on this roll or not. Judging by the contrast of the other pictures on this roll, I don't think I did, but if so it was at most 1 stop.

I realize this is a color picture, but went ahead and shared to show that it is possible to do bird photography with a 100 speed film, so I wouldn't worry much about whether your film is fast enough or not, if your film is at least ISO 100.

phil146 · Jan 16, 2015

Thanks for posting that shot-looks like a mute swan? Good lighting on the feathers-kind of like the shots I envision. One advantage to shooting in Florida-birds are more approachable than in most other places so it's easier to get relatively close up shots, especially of wading birds.

ME Super · Jan 16, 2015

Yes, it is a Mute Swan. IIRC, I shot it a few hours before sunset. It took off from the lake and I had enough time to raise my camera to my eye, compose, and make this shot. Now if I'd had my wire filter on the lens...

Birds with B&W film

phil146

Rick A

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

bobwysiwyg

snapguy

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

phil146

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

gone

bobwysiwyg

pdeeh

phil146

munz6869

Sirius Glass

Alan Klein

Sirius Glass

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

phil146

ME Super

phil146

ME Super

Birds with B&W film

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency