Shooting with two bodies (color and b/w) ?

[juppmain]

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Hi, 

 

Recently I have a hard time to decide between black and white and color when out shooting.

I mainly shoot travel/street. How do you decide between color and black and white when you go out with one camera? Until now my approach was to go out with a Leica M and one lens (most of the time a 35mm lens).

Can you share your experience with that matter? How do you do it? Carry two bodies? If you are out with two cameras, do you have lenses with the same focal length on each body?  

 

 

thank you 

 

cheers, jupp

 

 

 

[jaapv]

A colour body and a Monochrome should do the trick. The basis is visualizing your end result at the time of capturing the image.

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[Mute-on]

Since you are posting under the film Leica section, I assume you are using film (rather than a digital Monochrome and colour digital body). In that case, two bodies is what works for me. I either use them for two different focal lengths, say 35 and 50 or 28 and 50, or similar focal length lenses from different eras, say 28 Elmarit ASPH for colour and 35 Summaron for black and white.

 

Either way, I enjoy working with two bodies, but only with one lens for each.

 

Enjoy!

 

J

[spydrxx]

I have told myself that two bodies was the answer for years, as I naggingly debated with myself which to take, color or B&W film. In the end, I have always resolved the issue by telling myself that the challenge is to make do with tool/s I have, and therefore forced myself to commit to one or the other for a day's shoot...a self-issued challenge. Now, with digital ruling the photography scene, and the ability to use my Leica lenses on a digital body (not Leica - too expensive), the color vs B&W choice no longer exists, as the capture is always in color and I can convert to B&W in post processing if desired. I think this is the way increasingly most people will go. But back to film...color processing has become an issue in recent years, such that I haven't touched it since Kodachrome processing ceased to exist, for other emulsions it is hard to find locally and expensive in all cases...so I only shoot B&W film these days (color is reseved for digital).

[friedeye]

While this may be heresy on this forum, remember that you can convert a color scan to B&W in post, and use the color channels to help with your PP.

 

90% of the time, I shoot B&W. But there are family occasions and scenic subjects that call out for color.  Sometimes I'll want a print in B&W and do a conversion, like I do with my M9 files.  Works nicely.

 

And you don't have to run around with two bodies - which, I find, attracts a lot of attention.

[250swb]

Hi, 

 

Recently I have a hard time to decide between black and white and color when out shooting.

I mainly shoot travel/street. How do you decide between color and black and white when you go out with one camera? Until now my approach was to go out with a Leica M and one lens (most of the time a 35mm lens).

Can you share your experience with that matter? How do you do it? Carry two bodies? If you are out with two cameras, do you have lenses with the same focal length on each body?  

 

 

thank you 

 

cheers, jupp

 

I don't really get this, you mean you flit about seeing a colour photo here and a B&W photo there? Just stop doing that. 

 

There are plenty of photographers with who have created self motivated body's of work with both colour and B&W, and they've managed it by concentrating on one thing at a time. Go out the door in the morning with either your B&W head on, or your colour head on, but leaving home like the Two Headed Monster (Muppets) isn't a plan.

[01af]

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Switching between black-and-white and colour on a shot-to-shot basis doesn't work. Heck it even doesn't work on a day-to-day basis. So either shoot colour. Or shoot black-and-white. Don't try doing both at the same time; it would only lead to mediocre results.

[LorenzoLandini]

Jupp,

 

Are you doing your own printing in a darkroom for both color and B&W? That would be the only situation when you need two cameras, otherwise a B&W conversion in post-processing would be even better than using color film. Particularly at the beginning if you haven't made your mind on whether your creative mind has a better vision for B&W or color. 

 

Besides, I second the above comments that perhaps you should make your own mind before going out shooting and decide whether you will be shooting B&W or color. I doubt it that you will be focused and creative if you have to figure out what to do at each shot. I personally decide beforehand what I want to do and at times I am in the mood for B&W, I am focused on that and I "see" in B&W, focused on texture, contrast, lights and shadows rather than color. And I don't care if I will miss a shot or two because I don't have a color film in the camera that day. In any case I get more out of the day because I am focused on one thing. 

 

Cheers, 

Lorenzo

[plaidshirts]

I'd like to present a different point of view from the last 2 commenters.

While I agree you should have a pretty good idea what you'll be shooting so that you can transfer the images in your mind to your camera, there are moments that just happen around you that makes you think: "This would look great in color or B&W".

I have an m3 with a 50/2 lens and an m6 with a 35/2.5 that I use this way. I may start shooting with one or the other, but if the occasion arises, I wouldn't hesitate to reach into my bag and grab the other.

I can't emphasize enough though that the artist should have a clear vision in mind before shooting whether it's b&w or color. You still have to decide which film the scene requires.

A good rule of thumb for me is: shoot mostly with b&w, but for those times the color of the subject plays an important role, go with color.

[juppmain]

Thank you all for your comments.

Very nice to read all the different approaches how to deal with that matter.

I will try different techniques, and report back what works best for me.

Edited April 6, 2017 by juppmain

[earleygallery]

Switching between black-and-white and colour on a shot-to-shot basis doesn't work. Heck it even doesn't work on a day-to-day basis. So either shoot colour. Or shoot black-and-white. Don't try doing both at the same time; it would only lead to mediocre results.

I have no trouble in working with B&W or colour at the same time. When I see a scene I tend to think of it as a colour image or a B&W image instinctively.

 

I am a Gemini so perhaps that's why.

 

To the OP, just take one body and shoot C41 colour film and you have the option then to present the final image how you wish.

 

One of our most esteemed members who makes superb B&W images revealed he shot on Agfacolour film!

[stevesurf]

 

Can you share your experience with that matter? How do you do it? Carry two bodies? If you are out with two cameras, do you have lenses with the same focal length on each body?  

 

Great question and the extra body is actually more to be faster with a different lens with different properties, like wide open sharpness, wider perspective or quick street portraits with nicer bokeh.  Yes, two different film types is a great choice and I even have brought two types of color only Cinestill on two bodies and the color vs B/W you mention.

 

The two body lens combinations I go for mostly are M7/28 Elmarit M7/50 Summilux, but with my M7s having both had repairs within two years, I am thinking of using MP instead.

 

I carry both in a Billingham Eventer with the flap open - it makes for security, less obtrusive and fast access.  Enjoy!

[01af]

When I carry two (analog, 35-mm-format) bodies then both are loaded with B/W film—one intended to be developed according to the film's box speed, the other intended to be developed according to N-1—i. e. pulled one stop below box speed. So much for "the Zone System cannot be applied to rolls of film."

[ShivaYash]

I sometimes carry three film bodies. They are pretty small. Two colour and one black and white.

 

 

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[pico]

Presuming that you are shooting film with no interest in digitizing, I suggest two bodies. Before digital that is how I worked, and it was entirely good. Swapping lenses is no trouble. Go for it. Unlike digital, when you change lenses there is no serious dust issue: each frame is a new sensor.

 

Aside: a fanatical National Geographic photographer (who once worked for me) had two identical camera bags, each with identical Leica M cameras and lenses (two bodies to each bag), one bag for color (all Kodachrome in those days), the other with Tri-X. Of course that was in our younger days when schlepping all that was easier. I'm retired, he is retired, Kodachrome is retired and Tri-X has been changed and is, FAPP retired.

 

Do your thing and do not look back.

Edited April 7, 2017 by pico

[michaelwj]

I'll just add my experience to the above.

 

As background, I used to shoot digital and all colour (I don't like digital B&W - never used an MM though but that's another topic...). I then went to only B&W film for the last 4-5 years, and then a few months ago, decided I wanted some colour too on a regular basis (I'd used colour for one off projects here and there). 

 

I shoot with two bodies and one lens. I shoot Portra160 at EI125 in a chrome M4 and HP5+ at EI1000 in a black M6. The lens is a pre-asph 35mm summilux which I swap between the bodies. Some friends think I'm a bit crazy but there's reason and logic to follow.

 

I get easily confused so I don't go out with both at the same time (that's why I only have one lens ) and the bodies are different colours as well. The EI of the two films is different, so it's not a shot by shot sort of thing, it's a bright/dim swap. Doing the day I shoot the M4/Portra160 set, and in darker times/places, I swap to the M6/HP5+ set. I find Portra160 is great in the sun, while inside I can still go to 1/60th at f/2. The latitude it good but not too good, so I can still get nice shadows. The colours are great, a little subdued, not digital like but pure film loveliness. Pushed HP5+ on the other hand has a great contrast and subtlety. Again, nothing digital can come close too, and nothing at all like a converted scan from colour film. Both these films suit how and what I like to photograph, and so I feel like I get the best of both colour and B&W.

 

In the end, I really like my set up and I suggest you give it a shot and see how you go. In an ideal world I'd have a second lens on the other body (I'd get a v1 2/35 for the M4 if you're wondering), but that'd cost a boat of money that I'd prefer to spend elsewhere and I'm not swapping lenses that often - at most once a day.

[arno_nyhm]

i would rather not take out more than one body at a time. despite frome the hassle with different ways of approach to the lightning of a scene there is an even more important reason for this:

 

i care, how people see me.

 

and i dont want to be recognized as the nerd carrying two analogue cameras with him. and then there ist the problem that i wouldget lost in all those straps aroun my neck or whatever and i would almost be sure to miss at least 50% of my shots due to my fight with all those straps. so i just go with KISS (keep it stupid simple) and take out just one cam.

 

if you really think you will be doing b&w and color shots in the same shooting, you can use C41 collourprintfilm. there should be only few problems to print b&w from this if it is really necessary. and its cheap.

[Ko.Fe.]

i would rather not take out more than one body at a time. despite frome the hassle with different ways of approach to the lightning of a scene there is an even more important reason for this:

 

i care, how people see me.

 

and i dont want to be recognized as the nerd carrying two analogue cameras with him. and then there ist the problem that i wouldget lost in all those straps aroun my neck or whatever and i would almost be sure to miss at least 50% of my shots due to my fight with all those straps. so i just go with KISS (keep it stupid simple) and take out just one cam.

 

if you really think you will be doing b&w and color shots in the same shooting, you can use C41 collourprintfilm. there should be only few problems to print b&w from this if it is really necessary. and its cheap.

 

HCB was known for using one M3 with bw film and one with color (he didn't like the color, but it was required for some assignments). Was he the nerd? Maybe. But I don't care how some people were recognizing him. And he kept second one in the pocket

 

"Few problems" to print from C-41 is the absence of bw darkroom paper for color negative film. Kodak panalure is gone. This is how color negative looks on regular bw darkroom paper:

 

[arno_nyhm]

HCB was known for using one M3 with bw film and one with color (he didn't like the color, but it was required for some assignments). Was he the nerd? Maybe.

 

are you HCB?

 

or are you just trying to compensate not beeing as good as HCB by carrying two cameras??

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Hallo,

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...

 

Since I usually photograph outdoors, my rules (with exceptions) are quite simple:

Summer = color,

Winter = black and white,

Dark hours in summer = winter.