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Which b&w film for Verdun?


Mystic

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Good morning,

next weekend Im traveling to Verdun. But Im not sure which kind/s of film I should use.

 

In my bag I got my Fuji S5 Pro + Nikon 17-55 and my Leica R8 + 50mm Summicron + Ilford Delta 100 .... and..... ???

 

Im thinking about an iso 400 film because Im not sure if iso 1600 isnt a bit too much maybe.

 

Which advise would you give me?

 

Best regards

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Im have to say, you're absolutely right. Its difficult find find an answer to that question but im really not sure about the situations/locations there.

So I guess I'll probably buy 1-2 iso 400 and 1 iso 1600 film just to get sure.

 

I want to take some pictures with a special athmosphere, maybe a little bit grainy ....?

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My two cents. If you plan on visiting World War I sites in the Argonne forest, ISO 400 is nearly a must for hand held shots. The weather tends to be cloudy, and the forest thick. (my personal preference wold be ISO 400 color this time of year for the fall colors). If you're doing city shots, the architecture and scenery in general tend to be intricate, and I'd use the Delta 100 for maximum detail.

 

My input for a very difficult to answer question. You need to think through all the other variables -- what are you shooting? what time of day? how much enlarging? etc. etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...
You may want to check out the Verdun WWI - Google Maps of my travels there. I posted many Verdun images on my website: World War I. Please mind the warnings to stay on the established paths.

 

I was at Ossuaire de Douaumont in the Sixties before they had the paths they have today. One could walk into the battlefield and pick up pieces of helmets, and there were still unexploded ordinances all over that area of France. When Charles de Gaulle was to visit, the French and US Army sent in ordinance disposal people to remove such so that the parking areas could be expanded. It was a haunting experience.

 

Bring some fast film. The windows around the bottom of the Ossuaire reveal the bones of thousands of unidentified soldiers.

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  • 1 month later...

I wish I could show you some pictures but the photo laboratory which I trust is on vacation :o.

Next week they are finally back again and I cant wait to give them my black and white films.

 

It was truely impressive and more than I expectet. The battlefield area and Fort Douamont we visited has had a disturbing aura and I really felt how much happened there.

With every step I took, I had more and more respect of all that massive walls and dark alleys.

I will tell you the whole story when I got the pictures, now I only got my digital photographs.

 

Here is a little example for you how.

 

 

Best regards

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Im have to say, you're absolutely right. Its difficult find find an answer to that question but im really not sure about the situations/locations there.

So I guess I'll probably buy 1-2 iso 400 and 1 iso 1600 film just to get sure.

 

I want to take some pictures with a special athmosphere, maybe a little bit grainy ....?

 

Any reason why you want to take only 3 rolls of film?

 

I shot some travel editorial work in Copenhagen recently. I think I took 40 rolls of film for a week, with a mix of emulsions and speeds. I had everything I needed for every situation. I didn't shoot them all, but I had the comfort of being prepared.

 

Film is small and light and, if you buy in bulk, also fairly cheap. If I were making a special trip to somewhere that was deeply meaningful, I'd be taking a great deal more than 3 rolls.

 

EDIT - sorry, I've just read the entire thread and realised you've returned. Apologies for offering advice after the fact :-)

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