Blue Filters for the "Freckle" Portraits !!

Brian M Harris · May 25, 2018

Hi,

I am looking to do some "enhanced" freckle portraits with the help of a blue filter on the front of a Mamiya RZ180mm lens.

Looking about there is quite a few different grades of blue !!

Anyone got an idea what grade/number I should be looking for.

These will be used in natural as well as studio light.

Thanks for looking

Regards

Brian

macfred · May 25, 2018

A blue (80A or 47) filter would enhance the brown-orange freckles; you can try a light blue (82A) also.

Brian M Harris · May 25, 2018

Thanks for the reply/information, to clarify I will using black & white film, not colour would these filter types still apply ?
Regards
Brian

macfred · May 25, 2018

Brian M Harris said:
... I will using black & white film, not colour would these filter types still apply ?

Yes, especially for b/w !!

Brian M Harris · May 25, 2018

macfred said:
Yes, especially for b/w !!

Thank you, I did read somewhere that a Green filter could also be used for the same/similar effect ?

Vaughn · May 25, 2018

If you can find some orthochromatic film in 120, you will get the effect you want directly. An example on 8x10 ortho x-ray film. I did not realize Calder was so freckled until I made this image. His shirt was red with black stripes, I believe.

macfred · May 25, 2018

Brian M Harris said:
Thank you, I did read somewhere that a Green filter could also be used for the same/similar effect ?

Yes, green will work also - but less strong. An example with a green filter:

Mia by macfred64, on Flickr

macfred · May 25, 2018

Vaughn said:
If you can find some orthochromatic film in 120, you will get the effect you want directly. An example on 8x10 ortho x-ray film. I did not realize Calder was so freckled until I made this image. His shirt was red with black stripes, I believe.

Beautiful portrait, Vaughn !!

Vaughn · May 25, 2018

macfred said:
Beautiful portrait, Vaughn !!

Thanks -- since I have triplets, here are all three together (8x10 platinum prints). Alex and Bryce are non-freckled, but scratches, etc do show up more.

Slixtiesix · May 26, 2018

We had someone here who posted such a portrait quite recently. He had used a blue filter as well.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/freckles.155680/

Daire Quinlan · May 28, 2018

Yeah grab yourself some ... X-Ray film;

or some Ortho plates if you can find them.

I've shot with an 80a filter before, it never quite seems to have the same tonality as a true ortho emulsion. OTOH I've done it infrequently enough that it could just be sample variation.

Blue Filters for the "Freckle" Portraits !!

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