5 posts tagged “color film”

Why I use Color Film.
  Color films records most all the color of the spectrum, nearly all colors can be reproduced by mixing only a few basic or primary colors. Color films are made with three color-sensitive layers, each of which records the wave lengths of lights in a different third of the color spectrum. Colors negative film is processed to be the opposite in colors and density of the original scene; then it is printed onto a sheet of sensitized paper to make a positive color print.
   This is why I shoot color films to Print out my Black and White Photos the Classic way. Color films gives more details in my prints. The colors remain true and the tones are richer. I use the actual color photo as a guide when my Hand Tinting my Black and White Prints.

This is a Color Photo the Classic way.

This a Black and White Photo the Classic way, delivered inside my darkroom.

This is a Hand Tinted Black and White Photo the Classic way, Never computer aided in any way. Photo Art is Original and signed.

My Photo Art is Original. No one does it better. I can use either a Color or Black and
White negative to create my Photo Art the Classic way.

 Based on the concept of visual change in negative exposure of one stop ( a factor 2x). This change in tone is referred to as a zone in

Black and White photography. Most prints contain about 9 zones. The 18 % reflectance grey card responds to zone V (5). In the Munsell system of color notation, middle value of 5 has a reflectance of approximately 18 %.

  I print all of my Black and White Photos in the range of zone 3 to zone 8, it give me 5 zones to Hand color in the final print. Only the neutral colors ( Blacks , Greys, and Whites), have no hue and zero chroma.

  In my Prints I add color to predetermined points of interest in the fore ground , middle ground, and back ground. I will also add colors to the bottom, in the middle and on the top of each print. This enhances the third dimension and gives the print some what of a fourth dimension. The colors have a tendencey to levitate and float.

  I use only color film to create my Black and White Photo Art. Color films have three layers and Black and White Film have only two

layers. I find that color films record the true mood of each scene as it really is. Reds are red, blues are blue, and greens are green.

Black and white films records the tones and not the hues and the chroma of each scene as it exist. I use my color prints to aide in my color balancing process Hand tinting each black and white print.

 I have a simple formula that I created, to acheive my color balance and color contrast of each final print. The foreground = A, middle = B, back =      

C. The bottom = 3, middle = 2, and top = 3. I can place my hues of color in one the cubes to create unimaginable illusions of Grandeur.

Every branch of art-be it painting or sculpture, drama, music or whatever, is  the
subject to the same fundamental unchanging laws of expression. Whether it is a spot
which dominates an area, a figure on stage, or a sound in the auditorium; the
fundamental art principal remains the same.
 The simpler the subject of a Black and White photograph and the compositional features
utilized, the more important even the most minute details become. At most they may assist
in imparting to the rhythmic and logical construction.
 It is up to the individual to use his talent and perception as well as these basic rules,
to create Black and White photographs of outstanding power of expression and communication,
and thus attain artistic success. (Wiesbaden, March 1969, Harald Mante. Photo design).
 In our digitial world of photography the creative aspect of Black and White Photo Art has
been completely eliminated. Most digital photographers has little or no formal training
to create real photo art. The most feel that when a photo is in good focus and show detail
that it is considered art. Todays computer software allows a novice to acheive this goal of
capturing images that look outstanding in format. But most lack the depth of field that roll
gives in the final print. What we have is what I call dumb downed photo art. The standards
are base on ease and speed. I don't own any digital cameras for this reason. It takes away
the very freedom afforded through recording visual images. Todays photographers has become
slaves to their high tech computer software, most can't funtion without.
 We are going back to the basics of capturing our images on Black and White film or Color roll
film. If you don't have a negative in my opinion, you don't have a Photo (positive). Digital
Photography has removed zone b (negative to print) from the process. So don't throw out your
digital camera, just learn the basic of how and why photography exist. Only then can you
apply and use the laws that govern how to create better digital photos.  

**Contrast-the relative lightness and darkness of different scene-is a crucial characteristic of any Black and White Photograph. Often you want normal Contrast-a full range of Tones from Black through many shades of gray to pure White. Some scenes require low-contrast, mostly a smooth range of middle grays. Or maybe a high-contrast deep Blacks and brilliant Whites and limited details in between. The contrast of a negative has been judged or set, mostly by the subject itself. he type of film and the way it was developed.
**But you can still adjust the Contrast of the final Print by changing the Contrast grade of paper used. A paper of high-contrast increases the Contrast, a paper of low-contrast decreases it. This helps when printing the problem negative.
**A high-contrast paper increases Contrast for underdevevloped negatives, which are usually flat, and adds sparkle to scenes shot in dull light. A low-contrast paper decreases Contrast for overdeveloped negatives, which are too contrasty, and can soften overly harsh shadows and highlights.  
**Papers of graded Contrast range from grades 0 and 1 (low or soft contrast), through grade 2 (normal or medium contrast), grade 3 (often the normal contrast grade chosen for 35mm negatives) and grades 4, 5 and 6 (high or hard contrast). The basic way of changing Contrast in a print  is to change the contrast grade of paper.
**How can you tell if your negatives of normal Contrast ?  There is an old rule of thumb, lay the negative on the type of a page in a book, if you can read the type through the highlights and if you can see detail in both the shadows and the highlights. This would be considered a normal negative. A normal Black  and White negative makes a good print on grade 2 or grade 3 paper.
** I use color film to create my Hand Tinted Black and White Photo Art the Classic way. I avoid the above pitfalls by using color film negative. All color film render colors that cover the color spectrum, their colors are directly related to the Zone system developed by
the Great Ansel Adams. In color film, reds are red, blues are blue, and yellows are yellow. My " 2 Zone Technique " allows me two
manipulate the placement and choice of colors in the final Black and white Print. The colors seem to levitate because I Tone specific areas, the colors are place on shades of gray instead of typical shades of whites. Colored shades of gray creates a mood that color prints can't reproduce.
**This makes my Black and White Photo Art unique in its own way. I choose colors that bring life and make the Print surreal in nature. I try to reveal hidden details and textures unseen in most Color or Black and White Prints. Color film gives me more detail in the shadow areas than any Black and White film on the market. This is not conventional Print making Techniques, but for my purpose I find that Color film is my choice. I have been in the field over 25 years and has bought or used about 5 roll of Black and White film.
**With color film I can create a beautiful color Print or a Hand Toned Black and White Print. I find Color film more flexible and forgiving in the dark room. The Color Prints are my guide in my final Hand Tinted Print. It give me the mood of each scene as it was captured. I can choose to alter the final print or deviate from the norm. I can place colors in areas that I find of interest to enhance my composition, balance, or depth of field. Its very exciting to use this " 2 Zone Technique ". I can take any Color negative and create hundreds of Photo art without any restraints or limitations. The Prints are never the same and are original. I have tried in the past to Hand Tint a Print the same, but each Print becomes snow flake like in nature taking on its on identity. My Black and White Photo Art is never computer aided in any way.

**Color films sometimes record colors that the Photographer did not see. When this happens the picture may look wrong, but this is not the fault of the Film. The brain remembers the way things ought to look and automatically compensates for some changes in color.
**There are several different color (film)emulsion are made, each designed for a different balance of Light wavelenghts. The balance of colors in light is measured by a quality know as color temperature. Temperature serves as a guide because the spectrum of wavelenghts emitted by an incandescent light source varies as it heats up. The temperature reading is measured on the Kelvin scale. The way we see colors as warm or cool has no bearing on the actual color.
** Most Films are balanced to match the color temperature of one of three sources-midday sunlight, and two types of artificial light sources. For the most accurate color rendition it is necessary to match the film to the color temperature of the illumination and some times to add a filter as well.
** Colors add temperature to a Picture. They trigger mental associations, golden yellows, and reds appear distinctly warm, white blues and yellowish greens seem cool. But the impressions go beyond mere illusions of temperature. Furthermore, warm colors farther foward, cool colors farther back. You can use this distance effect to increase the illusion of depth within a picture simply by placing warm-colored objects against a cool-colored back ground.