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Shooting color film for BW converson channel control


johnwolf

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I shot a roll of film this week--my first in many years since going digital. I mainly shoot urban and rural landscapes in BW, so I used Ilford FP4. While shooting, I immediately noticed how conditioned I am to analyzing a scene in terms of the gray tones possible through color channel control in post-processing. I actually felt pretty limited by the BW film I was using. I know I can use filters, but that's nothing compared to the channel control possible through imaging software.

 

So I'm wondering, do any of you who want BW final output shoot color film only so you have the tone control offered by color channels? I've been away from film for so long, I'd like your thoughts on the pros and cons of this approach. As always, appreciate the help.

 

John

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Channel conversion on color neg images does work pretty well - I've tried it myself extensively. But it's different that what you get using real filters: more digital, harsher edges, less halation... in other words, it starts to look like a digital picture.

 

The single advantage is you can use multiple digital filters to adjust contrast all over the image: deep red for sky, yellow for foliage, infra-red for light tones, etc, all in the same image. You can create striking images with immense tonal range.

 

The single disadvantage is it can look like you did all the above, too. Therefore negating most of the reason for wanting to work with real b+w.

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Photoshop has channel mixer. Also image-adjust-convert to B&W and color sliders in dialog box.

 

Raw convert has a way to convert to B&W also.

 

Bring into PS, add a grain layer, Soften with gausian blur, Use blend if to confine the grain to middle tones. Use option or windows equivalent to split the slider to soften the transition for no grain to grain, to no grain.

 

Add a small curve so it liiks like film Guaranteed you can print this and mimic any film you want and you can`t tell it from film .

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John -- I agree that colour neg film and good digital B&W conversion routines offer significant flexibility. I have recently started to use Apple's Aperture and find this gives me the best B&W conversions I have ever managed. But I think it is important to say here that my aim is to make a scan from C41 film look convincingly, authentically B&W, not to try and make digitally shot photographs look convincingly film-like. There is a subtle difference.

 

One of the greatest downsides of digital manipulation -- look on any photo forum including this one to prove the point -- is that it focuses far too many photographers on the digital mechanics rather than the *content* of the photograph. It is all too easy to become primarily a software operator rather than a photographer....and while not wishing to knock anyone's digital darkroom skills, I am still convinced that it is harder to take a good, lasting, aesthetically pleasing photograph (one which satisfies numerous 'readings') than it is to sit in front of a computer screen.

 

Just my opinion, of course.

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Thanks, everyone. Really appreciate your thoughts. I do feel that Silver Efex Pro and color channel control has improved my BW work significantly. But I'll try both approaches, as well as the yellow filter suggestion.

 

John

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Hi

 

A pola filter can help colour or mono shots, (e.g. to darken a blue sky) and I normally also carry several shades of yellow, yes been known to not remove them on changing to color film. The filter factors can depend on the type of film, some are very red sensitive some a lot less so, but with mono this (exposure) is not so critical.

 

Some people use single coated lenses for color or monochrome.

 

When you are shooting for a mono image you may need to be more abstract, about subject.

 

If you have a M8 or M9 and you go faster then 650 ISO then you may need to convert to mono.

 

Noel

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...I normally also carry several shades of yellow, yes been known to not remove them on changing to color film.

 

Yup, been there <grin>.

 

When I was shooting b&w yellow filters lived on my lenses. I used to feel rather naked without one.

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