Out of my first box of 25 sheets of HP5 8x10 I've exposed and developed 20 sheets and contact printed 3 sheets. I am shooting portraits. At this point I'm just making pictures of my family, I am not ready to subject my clients to my abuse yet.
It's not easy, is it?
I fell in love with Avedon's American West series years ago. I've always liked his 8x10 portraits. Penn's, too. I wanted to do work like that.
So I've pretty much dialed in exposure and development. For me, the HP5 is best exposed at around 250 or so, and normal development is right around 9 minutes. I have even contracted development to keep details in highlights that would have blown out.
My problems are related to length of exposure--the kids blink or sway in the 1/4 second exposure; and focus--with the 360, even at f32, there' little or no depth of field, and if the kids shift forward an inch by shifting their weight on their feet, the eyes are soft.
I guess I would consider 'pushing' the film to get faster shutter speeds with those small f stops. But I am not sure that's really going to make my faces any brighter.
Thinking about the American West series as an example. (White backdrop, north side of a building to give open shade with a bright sky). The exposures must have been fairly short. We don't see blinking eyes or evidence of movement of the eyes or hair or clothes blowing in the wind. Also, there's enough DOF to hold focus eyes to ears, so he must be using a fairly small aperture. So, it's at least a 30th of a second? and at least f45? that would (based on my experience so far) an EI of about 1600. I'd be thrilled with an honest EI of 800. Is that possible with any common film/developer combo.
(And I'm talking about REAL EI 800. With most film, exposing at a higher EI seems to wind up with highlights that get denser but not much increased shadow detail).
Anyway, after 20 sheets of film I realize how much more practice I need. I hope to have a scanner soon so that I can share some of my images.
Thanks
Neal
It's not easy, is it?
I fell in love with Avedon's American West series years ago. I've always liked his 8x10 portraits. Penn's, too. I wanted to do work like that.
So I've pretty much dialed in exposure and development. For me, the HP5 is best exposed at around 250 or so, and normal development is right around 9 minutes. I have even contracted development to keep details in highlights that would have blown out.
My problems are related to length of exposure--the kids blink or sway in the 1/4 second exposure; and focus--with the 360, even at f32, there' little or no depth of field, and if the kids shift forward an inch by shifting their weight on their feet, the eyes are soft.
I guess I would consider 'pushing' the film to get faster shutter speeds with those small f stops. But I am not sure that's really going to make my faces any brighter.
Thinking about the American West series as an example. (White backdrop, north side of a building to give open shade with a bright sky). The exposures must have been fairly short. We don't see blinking eyes or evidence of movement of the eyes or hair or clothes blowing in the wind. Also, there's enough DOF to hold focus eyes to ears, so he must be using a fairly small aperture. So, it's at least a 30th of a second? and at least f45? that would (based on my experience so far) an EI of about 1600. I'd be thrilled with an honest EI of 800. Is that possible with any common film/developer combo.
(And I'm talking about REAL EI 800. With most film, exposing at a higher EI seems to wind up with highlights that get denser but not much increased shadow detail).
Anyway, after 20 sheets of film I realize how much more practice I need. I hope to have a scanner soon so that I can share some of my images.
Thanks
Neal
