More grain!

skorpiius · Sep 25, 2015

People often talk about clean digital vs grainy film, but I thought it would be fun to take some colour photos and make the grain go crazy, maybe almost to abstract amounts.

At first I was sure I should just use some 400 iso 110 film, but then I thought that using an slr would allow me a lot more control as far as under exposing.
Any suggestions for a) specific film b) specific processing, to get some grainy grainy colour photos?

Thanks

absolutedesmond · Sep 26, 2015

I imagine that pushing the film would give you more grain, but would also mess with contrast. Maybe use expired film to compensate as i sometimes notice reduced contrast with expired film. Especially with high iso. This is pure speculation though as i have never pushed colour film

bernard_L · Sep 26, 2015

Underexpose. Need to experiment to find out just how much, but around 3-4 stops should work. No need to ask for push development. Then s**n; the auto-adjustment of the black and white point will stretch the contrast and amplify the grain. Plus only the highest sensitivity part of the emulsion will be in effect.

Rudeofus · Sep 26, 2015

I read that retained silver increases granularity of colour film, so bleach bypassing may be worth looking into.

Colin Corneau · Sep 26, 2015

Is colour film really structured the same as black and white film? I'm thinking in terms of silver chunks that make up actual grain, as opposed to dye layers...looking forward to being educated more on this one, but the two films are different kinds of beasts, no?

blockend · Sep 26, 2015

Print big or shoot half frame.

A trainee on the C41 lab I used ruined a film two years ago. The grain was so big I could see it on the negatives! I strongly suspect she used very high temperatures. She looked hung over and was more interesting in talking to last night's date on the phone. I knew it wouldn't end well when I left the film with her and she said the usual operator should have been there by that time.

Ron789 · Sep 26, 2015

Nice idea!
To get some examples, you may want to look at this:
http://www.huismarseille.nl/fotograaf/leo-divendal/
or this (scroll to bttom of page):
http://www.leodivendal.nl/afgeronde_projecten/afgeronde_projecten.html

I think he just did huge enlargements and then took only a very small part of the negative.

skorpiius · Sep 26, 2015

Hey thanks Ron, yeah I was thinking that *maybe* grain could be made excessive but in an aesthetically pleasing way. The way I look at it, film is rapidly approaching the day where it's more of an art supply, so why not use its supposed weaknesses as a strength.

Sirius Glass · Sep 26, 2015

I choose traditional grain film rather than the tabular gain film because the traditional grain film provides as much grain as I am interested in and does not over do the grain size. If I wanted more grain I would use the traditional grain film and develop in something other than replenished XTOL.

GarageBoy · Sep 26, 2015

Use shitty expired consumer film and under expose

skorpiius · Sep 26, 2015

GarageBoy said:
Use shitty expired consumer film and under expose

I think this + cropping is the way to go.

bdial · Sep 27, 2015

Colin Corneau said:
Is colour film really structured the same as black and white film? I'm thinking in terms of silver chunks that make up actual grain, as opposed to dye layers...looking forward to being educated more on this one, but the two films are different kinds of beasts, no?

Simplistically, color film is three B&W films layered together, each layer is sensitive to a different color. The dyes are formed where the developed silver grains are, then the silver gets removed by bleaching. The grain appearance is still there but it's dye.

Photo Engineer has posted a lot of detailed descriptions of how color films are constructed and work, and Laser has written an interesting book that is specific to the Kodak color films detailing how it's done.

AgX · Sep 27, 2015

Colin Corneau said:
Is colour film really structured the same as black and white film? I'm thinking in terms of silver chunks that make up actual grain, as opposed to dye layers...looking forward to being educated more on this one, but the two films are different kinds of beasts, no?

To put it very simplistic: silver-grains versus dye-clouds

ciniframe · Sep 27, 2015

There was a article in a 1982 or 83 Popular Photography titled "The Incredible Shrinking Format".
The photographer profiled was using 110 negatives with 400 ASA color print film to achieve very grainy enlargements. I think he was shooting with a Minolta 110 zoom, the original model. The prints had a pointillist look to them, somewhat like certain Monet paintings. Interesting, but like many 'looks', gets old fairly quick.

I have that magazine around somewhere, should look up that article.

At any rate, when someone says 'big grain' the first thing I think of is 'small negative'.

Thomas Bertilsson · Sep 27, 2015

Portra 800 or CineStill in a half frame camera. Underexpose a little.

Sirius Glass · Sep 27, 2015

Kodak Tri-X in a half frame camera

MartinP · Sep 27, 2015

There is no need to look around for a rare tiny-format camera and discontinued film. Just use a wide lens and a small piece of the resultant neg. Try some underexposed, some overexposed and some exposed correctly. Print and compare

removed account4 · Sep 27, 2015

expired iso 800 color film
bracket and bring it to a minilab
when you find the exposure you like
shoot the rest like that.

perkeleellinen · Sep 28, 2015

This is what you need!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Konica-SR-V...ts-10-rolls-/231679290147?hash=item35f1296b23

skorpiius · Sep 28, 2015

perkeleellinen said:
This is what you need!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Konica-SR-V...ts-10-rolls-/231679290147?hash=item35f1296b23

That would be perfect if it was 1 or 2 rolls rather than 10

Athiril · Sep 30, 2015

Fuji C200 is both sharp/high resolving and quite grainy at the same time.

More grain!

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