When I'm doing portraits, I'm often not even looking through the viewfinder -- I'm trying to make eye contact with the subject.
When I'm doing portraits, I'm often not even looking through the viewfinder -- I'm trying to make eye contact with the subject.
View attachment 351304
I'd like to take some portraits in a setting I'm not overly familiar with. The subject is indoor, no flash or artificial lighting available. The light source is a window placed beside the subject. I do have a round silver panel I could use to reflect the window light on the shaded side of the face.
I will meter exposure on the subject's face with a Sekonic incident. I will use 35mm and 120 film. Camera will be handheld.
A couple of crucial considerations
The following options are out:
- My first concern is avoiding motion blur. So the film/combo chosen will need to allow me to shoot at least 1/30th with my TLR or 1/60th with my SLR
- Grain is not a concern - in fact, good looking grain (eg I find Kentmere 400 in D76 1+1 good looking) is a plus
- The film stock must not be extra red sensitive. I intensely dislike portraits rendered on film with increased red sensitivity (> 650nm usually)
I am considering the following possibilities
- Foma 400 - too much red sensitivity https://www.foma.cz/en/fomapan-400
- Ilford Delta 3200 too much red sensitivity https://www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/file/download/file/1913/product/682/
- Delta 400 - too much red sensitivity https://www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/file/download/file/1915/product/684/
- Trix 400 - too expensive for what it does (IME)
Any other combos and thoughts/experiences on the above appreciated.
- Ilford HP5+ in Microphen 1+1 exposed at 800EI
- Kentmere 400 in Microphen 1+1 exposed at 800EI
- Kodak TMAX 3200 in D76 or XT-3 1+1 exposed at 1000EI - this is only availabe in 35mm though.
- Kodak TMAX 400 in D76 or XT-3 1+1 exposed at 800EI
Personally, I’d go with HP5+ because it has great latitude and tonality.
I guess the argument against a tripod is that it completely fixes your viewpoint, which may be what you don’t want? We do know that Bown managed without in an era when Delta 3200 and TMAX 3200 were not yet available.
Good luck! I look forward to seeing the results.![]()
Personally, I’d go with HP5+ because it has great latitude and tonality.
I guess the argument against a tripod is that it completely fixes your viewpoint, which may be what you don’t want?
We do know that Bown managed without in an era when Delta 3200 and TMAX 3200 were not yet available.
Good luck! I look forward to seeing the results.![]()
The same thoughts crossed my mind..... if it is a private session, why not try some different approaches ?One can’t help but wonder who and why would set such strict limitations on a shoot that sounds like it’s conducted in relative private?
Red dominance depends hugely on the light.
If it’s gray and overcast you will get the slightly grittier look you get with blue/green sensitivity.
If it’s golden hour or direct sun then even HP5 will show some of the brightening and porcelain-ish effects of red sensitive film.
Use filters correct to this.
If you need the speed in the 1000 or higher range, TMAX 3200 will give better shadow detail than pushing a 400 speed film. It has grain, of course, but the pattern is tight. It works well with phenidone based developers. My best results have been with Microphen and Clayton F76+ or its Arista equivalent from Freestyle.
Albireo, have you taken any light meter readings to see what the illumination level is?
If you need the speed in the 1000 or higher range, TMAX 3200 will give better shadow detail than pushing a 400 speed film. It has grain, of course, but the pattern is tight. It works well with phenidone based developers. My best results have been with Microphen and Clayton F76+ or its Arista equivalent from Freestyle.
It will be interesting to hear what you conclude, in due course. Something to beware of with those very fast films is shelf-life: check the 'best-before' date on the box.Something I want to learn from this exercise is whether these super-high iso films can become a serious alternative for general available light winter photography or if they're really a specialty product for 'emergency' use.
It will be interesting to hear what you conclude, in due course. Something to beware of with those very fast films is shelf-life: check the 'best-before' date on the box.
Johnatan, I'm not sure why you're unable to pm me.
Here's a couple of examples pulled from Flickr to show what I have in mind in terms of scene settings (though I am looking for more grain and definitely not going for the clean LF look in some of these)
As you are wanting a grainier look, try Delta 3200 rated at E.I. 1250 and develop in Rodinal 1+25 for 11 minutes at 20 degrees centigrade.
That is what is recommended for that film and developer combination in the Agfa fact sheet that I have. I hope that is of some use to you.
I once shot some HP5 at EI1600 and processed in HC-110 Dil.A
The results come down to about the same as developing in paper developer for twice the development time for FB paper.
Here's what it looks like View attachment 351549
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