Writer

[fotografr]

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I shot this for a book jacket and wanted to come away with something different. What I ended up with was one of the most difficult printing sessions I've ever had in the darkroom. M6, 50 cron, Tri-X, Scanned from print.

[mgcd]

Brent - This is a striking image! I can see how you would have had printing obstacles. I really like how you handled the "contre-jour" and managed to wring out the tonalities. Out of curiosity, did you use one or two filter printing? It was drilled into me, ions ago, by my college B & W darkroom teacher and mentor, Bob Acciaro, that the zero-five printing technique would be the one indicated for such a wide array of tonalities. I am just curious as to how many people still use the technique?

[jackart]

Another superb porttrait in this forum! You got lighting near perfectly shaped! Good exposure in tricky situation.

 

-jaak

[meatboy]

A very creative and different set of lighting for a portrait. I like the backlit hair, - as it turned out I scanned an old slide today with much the same effect from a outdoor portrait I took 10 years ago. I like this, a very dynamic image.

 

Tim

[rainer_p]

.....I think you did already a good job in the darkroom. just needs to be more precis in the masking of the lady (trousers).... mgcd must be talking about this splitgrade technic that would be actually very good for this image.

I use it rarely but would love a splitgrade modul from Heiland (or something like this) but a bit costy.....

 

anyway, good work

[stuny]

Brent -

 

Wonderful, and I'm in agreement with nearly all of the above. How did she like it? What did the publisher think?

[fotografr]

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Thanks for the comments. I'm pretty rudimentary when it comes to darkroom printing. I just use my Leitz Focomat II with colorhead and dial in the contrast changes. So this would have been a one filter printing. I once considered a splitgrade but decided against it.

 

The author and publisher both liked the photo a lot, even with the problem areas.

[jmr]

Brent,

 

great technique and a wonderful expression and pose from the subject into the bargain.

[ptomsu]

großartige Lichtführung

[tomparis]

Interesting portrait and great (but difficult!) light.

Yes, splitgrade printing technique would be a good idea here. But you don't need to afford the costy module for that. A color head or separate filters do just fine. First exposure for the lights, second for the shadows. And the good thing is that burning/dodging becomes more flexible since you decide during what exposure you do it, and it also becomes hardly noticeable.

For that picture it's worth a try!

 

Greetings

Thomas

[mgcd]

Brent - In the same vein, I use a set of Ilford B&W darkroom filters. The set may have cost $40, perhaps less at the time, it was not expensive at all. I use the Zero filter to expose for density and the Five filter to expose for contrast. I know you and they are happy with the results, it's really all that matters.

[lambroving]

Brent,

 

It was a great idea and an excellent shot in spite of its technical difficulties. It's FAR better than a "dust jacket". You really have a knack for relating to subjects and relaxing them, so that shot speaks volumes.

 

Now..., if you'd only had your new 50 when you shot this...

[beramos]

Brent,

Superb light situation control. Well done.

-

BR

[wda]

Brent I like the natural expression and the way light reflects from the wall to illuminate the face.

 

David

[Overgaard]

This is actually a shot I like better the more I look at it. When I read a book I will turn it around from time to time and have a look at the writer - somehow trying to see what might be going on in his og her head.

 

I find this portrait perfect for that. Because each time I look at it, I'm getting more and more convinced she has some special ability to imagine stuff and put it in writing. At this point I'm even convinced she has a special insight. It's very good and very interesting.

[martinop]

Her expression + the framing, lighting and textures draws one's interest.

Well executed.

[gverdon]

Brent, a sensitive portrait, with your usual deep contact with your models. Light is very dificult but also extremely weel used.

I just have a problem with the tonal gap between the hand and face skin.

 

Cheers,

Gérald

[erl]

Brent,

 

I can easily concurr with most comments above. A wonderful "feeling" is generated by this image, which is what sets it apart from common author illustrations.

 

My other observation is that (probably) the TriX useage is what sets it apart from that which would have been achieved by most digital cameras. A great demonstration IMHO of film superiority for a given task over digital. NO, I am not bashing digital. I use it as well as film.

 

Digital may have made your complex manipulations much easier, but probably would lack that 'look' you have achieved.

 

Cheers,

ERl