Slow speed portrait examples with portra 400

Good morning everyone,

I'd like to ask if anyone has tips for shooting portraits with available light - using portra 400 without pushing the film in development. Are people getting good results with people posing and holding that pose at say 1/15 or 1/8 of a second using 6x7 and higher cameras? Just trying to get a feel for how do able this is for TLR and RF shooting with large negatives.

Thanks!

With 400 I.S.O film at the boxed speed, a cable release and a sturdy tripod 1/15 or 1/8 of a second are no problem indoors shooting portraits by window light, but a large white reflector is also very handy to bounce some of the light back into the shadows to balance the lighting.

Thanks! Appreciate the input.

This works best if you learn about/work on techniques for posing that allow people to be comfortable when relatively still.
A tripod is almost mandatory. Portrait work really benefits from being able to shoot while watching and making eye contact with the subject, rather than looking through the viewfinder. So it is best to learn how to pre-focus and then notice when re-focusing will be required.

Thanks Matt! All good advice - much appreciated.

Stationary props can help as well. There is a reason that there are countless examples of portraits where the subject - usually but not exclusively male - is photographed leaning on a lectern, with their eyes at the same subject to camera distance as a spot on the lectern .

sixby45 said:

Good morning everyone,

I'd like to ask if anyone has tips for shooting portraits with available light - using portra 400 without pushing the film in development. Are people getting good results with people posing and holding that pose at say 1/15 or 1/8 of a second using 6x7 and higher cameras? Just trying to get a feel for how do able this is for TLR and RF shooting with large negatives.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Believe it or not :

28mm 3sec. !!!!!!!

I guess 1/8 sec with 120films in bw is no problem. The problem is allways the model. If she isn't able or if she isn't willing it is not on you (the photographer) never come on such thoughts.
It is then the wrong model. To be faire and to be kind to models is of course normal.
But if it will not work -....... you are the master !...


with regards

Study Vermeer. And Rembrandt. Their exposure times were stupid long, yet they made some pretty good portraits in natural light. August Sander, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Andre Kertesz also worked mainly with natural light.

Get people to look into the camera and imagine the viewer of the final photo. Then, if someone is nervous, I will NOT take the photo. Fake them out a few times. Wait until they crack up or settle down. Most people will put on a 'photo face' of some sort that they learned from their friends or family or Instagram, and most likely you want to get through this. Once they relax into the process, holding still for 1/8 second will be fine.