Color Print From B&W Neg?

[marcmarc]

Hi Everyone,

Sorry if this is a common question asked here but I couldn't find too much info using the search feature.

I have a 120 b&w negative that I'd like to know if there's a way to get a good color 8x10 print made. I live in LA so there are a number of pro labs that may be able to do this. I was just wondering if anyone here has done this and what their results were like.

Thanks,
Marc

 

[keithwms]

Well there is handpainting....

Do you mean that you want monochrome or toned output by RA4?

Not sure what you mean... when you say colour print, do you mean b&w or toned print on colour paper, or...?

 

[2F/2F]

What do you mean by a color print? Do you mean one that is tinted/toned one color, or one that actually looks like a red-green-blue color photograph?

If you want the former, any lab with enlargers can print the neg on color paper, and tint it pretty much whatever color you would like. However, the contrast control will be limited, and black and white negs that are appropriate for printing on black and white paper seldom have suitable contrast for printing on color paper. Go to Hybrid Photo dot com to discuss the digital options, which IMO would be an excellent route, due to the lack of contrast control issue that I mentioned.

If you mean the latter, then the answer is no. You will never be able to get a "normal-looking" color print from a black and white negative. You can certainly make a color photo using the neg and various techniques, but it will not look like a regular color photo.

 

[David William White]

I've hand-coloured black & white matt fiber prints with Gallery Semi-Hard Pastel sticks. You can get those at an art store. How meticulous it is depends upon the scene. Freestyle has some hand-colouring stuff, too.

 

[marcmarc]

Thanks for the replies. I mean a print that looks as if it was taken on color film instead of b&w.

 

[David William White]

Can you reshoot?

Seriously, you've got a good thing going with your black and white prints. Why muck it up with colour?

 

[fotch]

Hand coloring, if done correctly, is beautiful.

 

[removed-user-1]

Thanks for the replies. I mean a print that looks as if it was taken on color film instead of b&w.

Sounds like you are definitely going to need a digital process. Even then, I think it is unlikely that you will get something that looks exactly like a color photograph.

 

[Bruce Watson]

I have a 120 b&w negative that I'd like to know if there's a way to get a good color 8x10 print made.

A B&W negative only captures the luminance information of the scene in question. No hue or saturation information is captured. Without hue and saturation in the negative, there's no hue or saturation in the resulting print. IOW, the short answer is: you can't get a color print from a B&W negative. If you want a color print, you have to use color film of some kind.

The longer answer is that it's possible to hand color, either by applying color to a B&W print, or by scanning the film and manipulating the image using an editor like Photoshop. Either technique requires a human to work the image, guessing at the missing hues and saturations. It won't be accurate, but it can be pleasing. The result is similar to the "colorizing" that used to be done to old B&W films if you remember back a few decades when Ted Turner tried to make doing this popular.

 

[Ian Grant]

Back in the late 70's early 80's I did a lot of colour prints from B&W negs, I had it down to an art, 15-20 mins roughly for a print on RC paper far longer with FB.

I used a combination of toning and hand colouring using retouching dyes, but I also use chromogenic processing, I'd bleach part then re-develop in a C41 developer with an added mix of colour couplers. My work was commercial and I rarely owned the copyright, and so I only have a few of my own prints left, most of the work was for album covers or adverts.

Two photographers excelled in this work in the UK James Wedge, he published a book Painted Ladies, but the absoute master who I met a few times was Bob Carlos Clarke, his best work is in Dark Summer. He was sponsored by Agfa, he's the only other photographer I know that used selective chromogenic redevelopment of B&W prints.

The work of these photographers looks like colour originals, there's no trace Marshall Oils or Crayon smeared on the images, this is perfection.

For a rough guide to what I mean look here, there are some links to images during the process, they were made during a live demonstration/lecture over 20 years ago.

Ian

 

[ully]

Sounds like a great job for Photoshop.

 

[marcmarc]

Thanks again for the replies. This was a picture of a Indian man and his son I took during a parade for Veterans Day. The man had on a red, white, and blue stripped turban that I thought was just unique so I asked if I could take a portrait of him and his son. They agreed and I emailed them a print after I developed the roll and made a print. They liked it but asked if it was possible to make a color print to show off the colors of the turban. Thus, my post here. I agree that this is one shot that would look better in color. I thought there might be a way to scan the neg and print something out in color, but I was unsure of how it would look if it was even possible. Remember back in the '80's when some clueless folks started colorizing classic b&w movies? Remember how cheesy the color looked? I know technology has advanced far beyond those grim days but still, I'm still haunted by the thought.