Using Velvia for family shots

[dkmoore]

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Call me crazy but I love the look of Velvia even with people/family shots.

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[dkmoore]

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[dkmoore]

Whoops! I thought the original post was deleted. My bad for the double post. 

[A miller]

beautiful.  you can't go wrong with a well exposed slide.  For me, though, Portra 160 is the KING of family photos... ♥️  You will retain more color and detail in the sky rather than having it all washed out, for example. 

Edited May 5, 2019 by A miller

[dkmoore]

I was wondering about that, in bright sunshine the sky is always awful. 

Would a polarizing filter help with Velvia sky?

I too love Portra. 

[fotografr]

32 minutes ago, dkmoore said:

Would a polarizing filter help with Velvia sky?

 

I think you'd be better off with a graduated ND filter, but I don't shoot enough film anymore to be giving expert advice. I shot Velvia heavily until my switch to digital and often used a graduated ND for landscape work.

Edited May 5, 2019 by fotografr

[Stuart Richardson]

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The problem is one of dynamic range and exposure...slide film has a small dynamic range...roughly 4-5 stops. Velvia is the most contrasty of slide films, and has the smallest dynamic range, so if you expose for shots like this where people are not in direct sunlight and have a bright background behind them, you are going to blow out the sky. This is one reason why portaitists tend to prefer films like Astia (RIP) or EPN (RIP), which were designed for medium contrast and natural colors, or they chose color negative which has at least double the dynamic range (though it has a hard time recreating the snap and vibrance of slide images).

In general, I think solving this problem requires different techniques....changing the camera position so that they subjects are not as backlit, or using fill flash to balance the exposures. In these pictures the people appear to be in open shadow, so the correct exposure for them is likely several stops wider than that for the area in direct sunlight, which is why the skies are blown out. I do not think a polarizer will make any difference here. It is primarily to cut down on reflections and to increase the contrast in skies. It can darken blue skies, but I do not think it would be enough in these pictures.

[dkmoore]

4 hours ago, fotografr said:

I think you'd be better off with a graduated ND filter, but I don't shoot enough film anymore to be giving expert advice. I shot Velvia heavily until my switch to digital and often used a graduated ND for landscape work.

I'll try it out (Graduated ND). I primarily shoot digital as well but enjoy the option of film occasionally.

[dkmoore]

3 hours ago, Stuart Richardson said:

The problem is one of dynamic range and exposure...slide film has a small dynamic range...roughly 4-5 stops. Velvia is the most contrasty of slide films, and has the smallest dynamic range, so if you expose for shots like this where people are not in direct sunlight and have a bright background behind them, you are going to blow out the sky. This is one reason why portaitists tend to prefer films like Astia (RIP) or EPN (RIP), which were designed for medium contrast and natural colors, or they chose color negative which has at least double the dynamic range (though it has a hard time recreating the snap and vibrance of slide images).

In general, I think solving this problem requires different techniques....changing the camera position so that they subjects are not as backlit, or using fill flash to balance the exposures. In these pictures the people appear to be in open shadow, so the correct exposure for them is likely several stops wider than that for the area in direct sunlight, which is why the skies are blown out. I do not think a polarizer will make any difference here. It is primarily to cut down on reflections and to increase the contrast in skies. It can darken blue skies, but I do not think it would be enough in these pictures.

This is a lot of great insight and information. When I am taking family shots I often ignore everything other than exposing for them and capturing a moment.

If I was shooting landscape I would take more care.

If I can cheat via a filter that would be useful/cool for these type of "day to day" family shots.

[fotografr]

2 hours ago, dkmoore said:

I'll try it out (Graduated ND). I primarily shoot digital as well but enjoy the option of film occasionally.

That filter also works great with digital shots. Nice looking family, by the way.

Edited May 6, 2019 by fotografr

[dkmoore]

8 hours ago, fotografr said:

That filter also works great with digital shots. Nice looking family, by the way.

Thank you. I am a very lucky guy.