Amen.
Hi y'all, it's me, Christopher Nisperos. I don't post much these days but due to a lack of time, I usually "lurk-browse" a bit. In this case, I couldn't help adding my ten cents. However, but before wading it, here's a quick story to set the tone of my reply:
In the olden days, when I served as a tech rep for the distributor of Nikon, Mamiya, Bronica, Sigma, Durst, Metz, Sinar/Bron, Kindermann, et al (same distributor), I worked at zillions of trade shows, 'in-store demos', seminars and lectures fielding ga-billions of tech questions from consumers. It became quickly obvious to me that WE photographers are obsessed with questions about technical details regarding equipment, materials and techniques that may
or may not (at all) be very important to the result of our efforts. We hair-splitters (yes, I often count myself among the group) are known to the manufacturers as "techno-weenies". We ask questions such as, "How many elements are in this (Leitz/Nikkor/Zeiss) lens?", which could just as well be answered with, "As many as were deemed necessary" (and yes, I'm very aware that certain users need and use this information for valid reasons, so please save the logical explanations for another day. Most who ask these types of questions never buy the equipment ... we just wanna show that we know stuff).
Therefore --about getting the film noir "look"---, just a reminder: Don't rely on anybody's book or advice for a definitive answer. Sure, ask a few questions, but then
test for yourself. Then test again. What counts most is our
vision of how we want a photo to look: how we visualize the result (can you spell A-n-s-e-l ?).
Almost ANY film (and developer combination) will work --or, at least get you very close to what you have in mind-- if you do it right. "Film noir" is mostly about LIGHTING ... even with flashlights, kerosene lanterns or candles... especially since there is not a single, "standardized", formulized, 'official' film noir look! (yurisrey said something to this effect .. perhaps others too on the thread.. I haven't read all posts). Alton's book shows lots of examples, but not a whole lotta lighting schemes. It's also useful to read-up on the history of this lighting, particularly the influence of early German cinema lighting.
So, my dear colleagues, let us stop splitting hairs and asking endless questions (the French have a very comical-if-obscene expression for this: "enculer les mouches"
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/enculer_les_mouches).. Get out there and try a few things. Then GIVE advice here, to help stop the next fly buggerer.
Like i said, just my ten cents... maybe even a quarter. Sorry if this seems as if coming from my 'high horse'...that's not my intent. I just wanted to inspire some action (and am curious to see some results!)
Good light,
Chris
