More grain!

[skorpiius]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Colin Corneau]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Use shitty expired consumer film and under expose

 

[skorpiius]

Use shitty expired consumer film and under expose

I think this + cropping is the way to go.

 

[bdial]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Sirius Glass]

Kodak Tri-X in a half frame camera

 

[MartinP]

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]

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]

This is what you need!

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

 

[skorpiius]

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]

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