India - B&W or Color

36cm2 · Apr 3, 2012

Going to India (Hyderabad, Bangalore and New Dehli) for a couple weeks. Will be carrying a Perkeo II and a Plaubel Makina 67 with me throughout the trip. I typically only shoot B&W, but wonder if the subject matter lends itself more to color. If you've photographed there, would you recommend:

(1) loading the PM67 with Portra 400 (my favorite color film) and the Perkeo with TMax 400 (favorite BW film);
(2) forgetting about color and focusing on normal vs. low light ranges by loading one with TMY2 at 320 and the other with Delta3200 at 1600;
(3) something different (preferably not thread-jacking different).

Thanks so much for your help.

All the best,
Leo

labyrinth photo · Apr 3, 2012

you'd regret not shooting a bit of colour in india.

Shangheye · Apr 3, 2012

I have shot there, and I think it depends on your objective. As travel photography goes, India without colour would be senseless, but it works in B and W for documentary. If you look at my galleries you should see some examples....particularly from the I Am A Tamil series. I shot both, with B and W as my main film type. Rgds, Kal

Colin Corneau · Apr 3, 2012

Kal's stuff is very strong (I remember his Tamil series well) and between his view and those of friends who've travelled many times there, seems like you'd be well placed to bring some colour.

That's what I'm going with, also, as I'm headed nearby (Nepal) in just a few days!

amsp · Apr 3, 2012

I think if there's one country on earth you'd want to bring color film to it would be India.

36cm2 · Apr 3, 2012

Thanks guys. Kal, very nice work. Colin, enjoy the trip. I hope to go to Nepal someday as well. Hopefully with much time and a 4x5 kit.

Thomas Bertilsson · Apr 4, 2012

Check out Guillaume Zuili's work from India in black and white. Not sure it would have been better in color.

cjbecker · Apr 4, 2012

labyrinth photo said:
you'd regret not shooting a bit of colour in india.

I dont regret it.

here is what I imaged over there. Dead Link Removed

MattKing · Apr 4, 2012

If you have never been to India, I think that it would be a mistake to exclude yourself from the option of colour.

Take extra film, and let the photographic opportunities help you make your decision.

NB23 · Apr 4, 2012

It's difficult to see in BW and in color at the same time or switch as opportunities come by. I've done it formy Last Cuba series and it worked but it killed my focus a bit.
Having shot exclusively kodachrome in 2009 and 2010, I can tell you it was a delight. I developedca sharp vision for colors and forms while BW called for moments instead.

For India, i think I'd go exclusively color. Look At McCurry's work.

MDR · Apr 4, 2012

Take both some scene cry out for color and some for B/W. India is a colorful country but color can sometimes be distracting. Make sure that your color photographs are about more than just beautiful color or your risk to come home with the same photographs as everyone else (with exceptions). McCurry is a good example although his photographs have beautiful colors they are about more than just color.

Have a nice trip.

Dominik

ooze · Apr 4, 2012

I went to India 11 years ago and shot only B&W...which I regret now.

debanddg · Apr 4, 2012

If it's the streets that interest you [and more so since your itinerary mention only 3 cities], B&W is fine. But if your interest covers other stuff as well, colour would be your best pal. However, as someone earlier said that the focus of your attention shifts the moment you switch between colour and B&W, you will have to take a call accordingly.
And by the way, pack as much film as possible since the chances of getting the films of your choice is almost zero in most photography stores here. If you need any help, please feel free to PM me - have stayed in Delhi + Bangalore for the last 18 years and so may be able to offer some help.

Have a great time here.

Cheers
Deb

David Henderson · Apr 5, 2012

ISO is important too.

This is going to complicate your thoughts further, but after a very recent trip to India I found myself shooting at ISO 1600/3200 a lot more than I expected given that you are scarcely ever allowed tripods in interiors. Even outside in the markets I was very often at ISO400 given that the sun was very bright and shots containing both sunlit and shady subjects were ugly so I concentrated on shade. In short I think you need to be equipped to handle a very wide range of exposures and two bodies may not enable you to handle all conditions in B&W and colour.

darkosaric · Apr 5, 2012

When I went to Thailand - they told me that I must shot color also - so I carried 35mm color film in small minox and B&W in nikon. Color photography is simple not for me - and this did not changed in "color screaming" Thailand. No good color photos from Thailand...

But You can bring some color films and some small camera extra - just in case

stavrosk · Apr 5, 2012

I think it is a mistake to go there having decided in advance.
Is it so hard to have some color film and not use it rather than going there and regretting not bringing it?

And maybe it is a sin what I am about to say but a color photograph may be converted.

India for me is one of the most color-demanding destinations.

Shot 100% color and have not regreted it.
http://stavroskirimlidisphotography.blogspot.com/search/label/India

36cm2 · Apr 5, 2012

So I've got a bunch of Portra on the way to supplement the B&W.

Darkosaric, don't worry. Neither my black and white nor my color photos are likely to be very good. Half the fun is trying.

Stavrosk, I love "Windows and Door".

David Henderson. I can't agree with you more. I had the same problem on a different trip a few years ago. That's why my initial preference was one body at mid iso and one at high.

If I could get my Olympus XA to meter at 1600, I'd use that in a minute. I have a stylus I could bring instead, but P&S makes me want to vomit and medium format is so much more enjoyable in the darkroom.

I also need to keep things light and compact, as I'll have a baby strapped to me for much of the trip.

I guess I could just shoot the interior stuff with the Portra and see if all the raves about its wide latitude are for real.

Thanks for the tips.

markbarendt · Apr 5, 2012

36cm2 said:
I guess I could just shoot the interior stuff with the Portra and see if all the raves about its wide latitude are for real.

Thanks for the tips.

While I agree that Portra has great latitude, it does have real limits and the quality is generally better close to its rating.

Interiors also introduce color temperature problems, extra exposure can help fix that but it ain't perfect and rating your film slower isn't normally what you might want indoors.

DesertNate · Apr 5, 2012

I would bring a bunch of Portra 400, and some Velvia for outdoors. You can always print black and white if you need, but if you shoot BW negs, you sure can't make it color later.

Colin Corneau · Apr 5, 2012

FWIW, my ratio is about 3/4 black and white and 1/4 colour films...hedging my bets, I guess. Seems like good advice

EASmithV · Apr 5, 2012

DesertNate said:
I would bring a bunch of Portra 400, and some Velvia for outdoors. You can always print black and white if you need, but if you shoot BW negs, you sure can't make it color later.

I know some who would disagree

India - B&W or Color

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