[pure-silver] Re: portraits for a book

  • From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 14:33:56 -0700

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stein" <rstein@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 2:24 AM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: portraits for a book


>
> Dear Shannon,
>
>    I cannot comment about publisher's requirements but I 
> can second what
> Richard Knoppow said re. distance from the subject and 
> choice of focal
> length. Whatever format you are going to work in, think in 
> terms of a focal
> length that is 1.5 to 2 times the diagonal of your 
> negative.
>
>     As far as film goes....well tell us more about the 
> look of the image
> that you want to present. If it is graininess that moves 
> you the TRI X in
> 35mm blown up suitably might be the way to go. If you want 
> smoother results
> perhaps the same film in medium format or 4 x 5. Or if you 
> are wedded to the
> 35mm size try a lower ASA film like T MAX 100 or Ilford FP 
> 4. As you are
> supplying lighting for your portraits you will have to 
> supply a little more
> but the results in smoother negs will be worth it.
>
>    Lighting is simple. $ 20,000 of strobe equipment and a 
> studio the size
> of a zeppelin hanger is all you need. Or a nice clear 
> lounge room window and
> a reflector or two. I favour the zeppelin hanger option 
> myself. Haunt the
> local bookstore for lighting books and try to get 
> something written by the
> British author Roger Hicks. He is funny and accurate in 
> what he writes
> about.
>
>     Uncle Dick
>
>
   A reminder that Tri-X in 35mm and roll film is not the 
same emulsion as Tri-X sheet film. Why Kodak decided to use 
the same name for two very different emulsions is beyond me. 
The 35mm and roll film ISO-400 Tri-X is the stuff that made 
the film's reputation. It is a medium-toe, general purpose 
film. Tri-X sheet film, ISO-320, is the very long toe film I 
wrote about earlier. The two films have significantly 
different tonal renditions. If the sort of tonal rendition 
given by Tri-X ISO-400 film is desired in a sheet film then 
a medium or short-toe film should be chosen. Kodak T-Max, 
Iford HP-5, Agfa Agfapan 400, Fuji Neopan 400, are all in 
this catagory.

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 

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