My Workflow With Film In Studio

Welcome back to another video! Today you will be exploring Portra 160, Fuji NS 160 and some wonderful Fuji Neopan Acros II. All these films were shot with my wonderful Bronica Zenza ETRS 6by45 camera. I shot with the 75mm f2.8 lens on location in a studio in London, England.

Every shot was carefully metered, often this needed to be changed as we switched looks and setups as you can see from the video. In this video, there are no like for like comparisons but different setups which aim to make the best of my knowledge on these film stocks. In the first set I was using Kodak Portra 160 using a one light setup capturing generally cooler tones. The latter images, involved the introduction of an Arri constant light to give a much warmer and classic look with the outfit Evie came prepared with.

As you can see from the shots generally the colours are different and as mentioned the Fuji generally has greater saturation and what appears to be a warmer tone. However this is not always the case. To add further warmth to the image, an Arri light was used in the shots with the Fuji NS 160 as well as the Acros II. It would be interesting to have compared the film stocks without this too, perhaps for another time!

Make sure that when you are shooting in studio you use a dedicated light meter. The main reason being these are more sensitive film stocks so you dont want to overexpose them. Carefully metering the shadows in particular and paying attention to where the light is falling will be critical too. Be mindful in control how and where the light is falling the best you can. An additional side benefit of being more conscious of this will slow you process down and help you to compose and frame well.

My favourite shot from the film stocks was the one with Evie looking just slightly over her shoulder in the direction of the camera while slightly perched on the wall. Also the image with her arms folded and hair coming down either side on Portra 160. The other shots were great too, like the one with her messy across her face as well the power stance near the end.

Another very enjoyable studio shoot with Portra 160, Fuji NS 160, as well as, some black and white Fuji Acros II on medium format. Have you shot with the Bronica Zenza ETRS or similar 6by45 camera in studio?

Thank you for watching all my videos, do go ahead and comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts on this shoot, the images, how you have shot with either of these film stocks? which are your likes and dislikes about them? What do you recommend I shoot next with it?

On that note I’ll see you on the next drop, in the meantime check this one out!

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How Do Portra And Fuji 160 Compare On Medium Format

I shot both Portra 160 against Fuji 160 with my wonderful Bronica Zenza ETRS 6by45 camera. I shot with the 75mm f2.8 lens on location in Central London.

Making comparisons with this camera is relatively straightforward because it has an interchangeable back. All you have to do is pop the dark slide back in, unhook it from the camera and voila you can transfer your other back and shoot away to your heart's content. This gave me the ability to make as close to a fair comparison as possible between the film stocks.

Portra 160 is one of the most, if not, the most popular portrait and fashion film stock. With its very fine grain, high saturation and low contrast it captures life like images of subjects, models, family whoever they may be - especially in medium format.

Fujicolor Pro was a line of professional color negative films from the Japanese company Fujifilm introduced in 2004 for weddings, portraits, fashion and commercial photography. It originally comprised four emulsions: Pro 160S, Pro 160C, Pro 400H and Pro 800Z. Pro 160C, Pro 400H and Pro800 Z have all been discontinued. Its main competitor was Kodak Portra.

I am comparing these film stocks to see the differences in colour, saturation. In terms of pricing in the UK both film stocks retail from about £14-15 a roll upwards so not much happening on that front but this may help you when considering your next colour negative film shoot!

From my experience with both 400 film stocks, I know that the Fuji Colour films tend to be more saturated in colour whereas Portra tends to have a cooler palette. The differences between the film stock arose due to the geography of their respective countries. The original film stocks were developed with the local population in mind and as such this has affected how skintones from different countries are rendered.

Every shot was taken on the same shutter speed, aperture and I even tried to keep framing and posing as identical and humanly possible throughout the shoot. Perhaps you could argue changing light between shots but the time taken to swap film backs was negligible. I was really trying to get the most consistent results possible.

As you can see from the shots generally the colors are different and as mentioned the Fuji generally has greater saturation and what appears to be a warmer tone. However this is not always the case. Take this shot of Charlotte standing, the warmer tones were from the Portra and the Fuji gave much cooler saturation. Both film stocks have fine film grain and unless you are really zooming in far you’re not going to see the grain.

Make sure that when you are shooting with it you use a dedicated light meter. Two main reasons, one you have paid £15 a roll for it and you better get your money's worth and secondly you need to be careful particularly in lower light conditions and carefully meter for the shadows. This will have an impact on the rendition of your image and particularly when shooting with film you need to make sure that the shadows are carefully highlighted so if you need to you can bring that back in post!

My favourite shot from the film stocks was the one with Charlotte looking just slightly over her shoulder in the direction of the camera while slightly perched on the wall. Also the image of her learning into the camera was pretty cool. The other shots were great too, like the one with her messy across her face as well the power stance near the end.

This was a fun afternoon out shooting with Portra 160 and Fuji 160 on medium format. Have you shot with the Bronica Zenza ETRS or similar 6by45 camera?

Thank you for watching all my videos, do go ahead and comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts on this shoot, the images, how you have shot with either of these film stocks? which are your likes and dislikes about them? What do you recommend I shoot next with it?

You can grab a copy of the book here
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I shot E100 vs Provia 100F this is what I found

I cannot explain how amazing Ektachrome E100 and Provia 100F look when developed. There’s something very captivating about it!

I shot both these films with my wonderful Bronica Zenza ETRS 6by45 camera. I shot with the 75mm f2.8 lens on location in a studio.

I am comparing these film stocks to see the differences in colour, saturation. In terms of pricing in the UK Kodak E100 comes in at £18 a roll whereas Fuji Provia 100F comes in at £10 a roll. There's a significant difference in price so this will be useful for you to consider the next time you will be shooting with colour slide film!

I wanted to try Provia 100F because I know Fujichrome film stocks tend to be more on the warmer side and less contrasty. I have heard Ektachrome can be more contrasty and have more of a blue tinge to the results. So let’s find out how I got along.

Metering for these films can be a bit tricky. I was using my Sekonic L-308X. As these film stocks tend to have a dynamic range of about 3-4 stops you need to make sure that you meter correctly otherwise the images won’t come out well. In practical terms in the studio this would mean taking at least two meter readings one for the highlights and one for the shadows. For film photography it's super important to make sure the shadows are metered in particular because you will not be able to raise or correct these in post as you would with digital cameras.

Every shot was taken on the same shutter speed, aperture and I even tried to keep framing and posing as identical and humanly possible throughout the shoot. Using the studio strobe lights helps when switching the film backs unlike in a natural light setting. I was really trying to get the most consistent results possible. At the end of the shoot I decided to play a little and get some different shots on each one.

I always get a separate contact sheet with my film negatives so I can see the images in colour or black and white. The beauty of slide film is that it is a colour positive film so you can see all the radiance of the images in front of you. Ektachrome and Provia are 100 ISO daylight balanced films. They deliver extremely fine grain as well as, whiter, brighter whites, and an improved tone scale. Both films claim to produce exceptional results for advertising, fashion, editorial, architecture, nature/wildlife, and other commercial applications. As well as this they are specifically designed for exposure with daylight or electronic flash.

I think the runner up would be the shot of her looking up, Provia has really highlighted the blue in her eyes but also a very true red represented in the chair and carpet too. You may be aware that I do like my black and white photography and just for fun I wondered how these images would look in black and white. They did not disappoint. The clarity and detail in both these images is incredible. The image of Natasha standing and rest her head slightly on her left hand also was great.

Overall the reds came out more pronounced, along with a warmer tone to the images throughout with the Ektachrome whereas the Provia came out with more cooler tones in studio conditions. Next time I would like to see how these films perform again in the studio or outside with strobe lighting without a plain white backdrop setup.

One of the reasons for shooting in a studio setting was to help you to save time and money before you jumped into the world of slide film photography. Now that you have seen this setup I hope you are encouraged to push yourself and dive into shooting these film stocks too.

Thank you for watching all my videos, do go ahead and comment below. Have you shot with the Bronica Zenza ETRS or similar 6by45 camera or either of these slide film stocks?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this shoot, the images, how you have shot with either of these film stocks? which are your likes and dislikes about them? What do you recommend I shoot next with it?

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A Guide to the Canonet QL17 GIII

Recently, I have been enjoying shooting with rangefinders, so decided to give this camera a whirl while out in Central London. I wanted to shoot in a variety of different settings and shoot fast to get an idea of what would be possible to create with this camera. Of course the natural choice of film for such conditions is none other than Ilford HP5.

Didn’t quite nail every composition as you can see in the video. It was great shooting in different settings and scenarios. London does allow for so much variation.

A must on film is taking shots in the London Underground. The lights, metal and plethora of people going up and down the escalators gives another opportunity to see how the lens will manage in these very low light conditions.

With these street shots I decided to shoot from the hip so to speak. Getting very close to subjects and shooting. This was a challenge to see how quickly it would be possible to focus along with a general feeling of pot luck perhaps. From these selection of images, I think they convey a good sense of what it is like to be on a busy day in London.

Also shot some narrow alleyways in London, at first I wasn’t sure that the shadows would come out at all but of course I was underestimating Ilford Hp5, even found some Parisian style streets that I never knew existed!

The best shot from my whistle stop shoot with the Canonet and Ilford Hp5 Plus has to be this one I caught of a man on his phone with a man bag in hand. It’s the details, the way he is carrying the bag, the classic watch, glasses, hat and the way he is clearly thinking about something being said over the phone, caught by the concern of his almost clenched left hand. I remember quickly framing this shot as he was about to pass and even more pleased to have caught him almost still with the motion blur of pedestrians in the background.

The runner up shot was the Marcos Mantara LM500. It's a classic British Sports car, I think this one is from the late 1990s. The company went bankrupt in 2002 but it was nice to see this classic car still out on the street. Nice little capture too!

Do you know how Canon came about? Here’s a little bit of trivia for you. Back in the day, Nikon Cameras were very hard to get a hold of in Europe or North America. The main reason for this? Nikon decided that its market was only in Japan.

Canon on the other hand decided to go global, as such, reaching out to a much larger market and reducing its costs in mass production and consequently its retail price. Canon then proliferate however Nikon continued to be regarded as the premium camera for a considerable time to come.

Overall, I was really pleased with most of the shots I took. Considering that there was no functioning light meter or any light metering from my part, these images came out well! You can pick up a Canonet between £75-250 depending on age and wear. If you like to carry something vintage, light and ‘compact’ then this might be what you’re looking for. It’s a great little camera without the bank busting cost of a Leica.

Have you shot with the Canonet QL17 or similar Rangefinder cameras such as Leica? Would you pay £100-250 to shoot with this camera?

Which one was your favourite picture from this video? What do you recommend shooting with or how to use this film for projects! Let me know in the comments below, thank you!

You can grab a copy of the book here

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This Is Why Everyone Raves About Portra 160 On Yashica Mat 124g And Nikon FA

In this shoot I mixed it up and was shooting with the Yashica Mat 124G and the Nikon FA with some wonderful Portra 160. Now in rarity we get bright blue skies in London, England. I finally had the chance to check it out on both Medium Format and 35mm and it was not going to disappoint!

Both these cameras I have shot outdoors with natural light but not in these conditions before. Previously I had shot with the Yashica and Portra 160 in very cloudy and wet weather and got some modest results and I hadn't shot Portra 160 on 35mm before so I was quite excited about this.

What I enjoy about using the Yashica Mat 124G is the viewfinder on top, you can just pop it open and there’s this little magnifying glass inside so you can go super into detail framing the shot.

One of the great things about shooting with this camera is it forces you to move, move into new angles and positions which you would not consider when using a regular 6x45, 6x7 or if you’re going full out on a 6x9 medium format camera.

The Yashica comes with a f2.8 viewing lens, but the taking lens is f3.5, which is pretty much the same as a Rolleiflex Camera. As I mentioned before, the image in the waist level viewfinder is so beautiful to look at, you want the world to look like that, especially when captured on film.

This camera is really built for natural light portrait photography and I wanted to capture something chilled and relaxed outside in this post industrial setting. So it was a no-brainer shooting with some Portra 160 because of the tonality but also perfect for the urban landscape and weather conditions we had on the day.

We started off one side of the bridge and slowly made our way to the other side grabbing the opportunity to change things up and outfits too. What I love about shooting outdoors is the almost limitless options on how to use the environment around you to create some unique shots.

The camera comes with its own onboard light meter which is a dream to use and saves you fumbling around with an external handheld one. That said I still would recommend shooting with a dedicated light meter such as the Sekonic L858D.

Which brings me on to this wonderful Kodak Portra 160. I like getting my film developed right away and as it requires C41 processing it can be a little bit of a money saver too

In my previous shoots I have often used Kodak Portra 800, this is mainly down to the very variable weather conditions outdoors but also the wider exposure latitude is much more forgiving. The bright sunny conditions provided the perfect opportunity to shoot Portra 160 as long as I kept remembering to meter on the camera.

My favourite shot from the Yashica Mat 124G was the one with Paula sitting in front of the turquoise door and the one with her standing in front of the tree which gave a real vintage vibe especially with what she is wearing and the context of the background. The other shots were great too, like this one in front of the red garage door, the colours have rendered really well here and this one of her standing in front of the green hedge.

Both Medium Format and 35mm performed beautifully on the day. It’s really down to you how you want to shoot this film. If you are shooting fashion or beauty then you really ought to be shooting in Medium Format as this will give you that added detail. Ofcourse, if you’re shooting casually then go with the 35mm for a greater range of frames!

This was a super day out shooting with Portra 160 on medium format and got to shoot some on 35mm which I hadn’t done before. I want to thank Molly aka Eclectachrome for helping filming the video on location and Paula for being our wonderful model on the day.

Thank you for watching all my videos, do go ahead and comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts on this shoot, the images, how you have shot with Portra 160 which are you likes and dislikes? What do you recommend I shoot next with it? On that note I’ll see you on the next drop, in the meantime check this one out!

You can grab a copy of the book here

The Reason Why Shooting Ilford Pan F Outdoors Is Perfect

The reason why shooting Ilford Pan F outdoors is perfect for shooting on the Yashica Mat 124G is because it suits subjects ranging from architecture and still-life to portraiture as well as fashion. It offers slow speed, high contrast, black & white film offering exceptionally fine grain, sharpness and detail.

How often have you tried to point your TLR up to shoot? It’s not very practical to do so unless you have a tripod and a very steady hand. For the casual person in public they’ll probably be curious why someone is pointing a black box upwards looking through it as if it were a periscope from a submarine. I think this picture came out pretty well, the sharp dark lines in between the bright glass contrasts well and gives an illusion of the building disappearing into the sky. 

In contrast, no pun intended, this picture taken of the Shard a little further away is a more common shot you may have seen of the same building. Have any of you been to the top of the building? Must have a pretty epic view up there forsure! 

Ilford Pan F comes in 35mm and Medium Format. It is rated at ISO 50, and is known for its high contrast, super sharp black & white film with very fine grain. Ideally you need to shoot this film studio or on a natural bright sunny day. 

Naturally, I did the opposite of what was recommended on the film box. It was another dull cold wintery day in Central London and I had a roll which I needed to use up. In hindsight, this was a mini win, namely because the high contrast of the film was the best way to communicate the physical environment and feel at the time. 

Daido Moriyama says that, ‘make sure that you really look at things, the objects, whether food or other goods, in all their variety’. You’re probably thinking, obviously! Sometimes however it's the simplest piece of advice that can get you going again. Moriyama also suggests for anyone heading out to the street to ‘put aside ‘concepts’ and/or ‘themes’. 

Ultimately, get out there and shoot, shoot, shoot. It might be that once you have gone somewhere and got a feel of the place, you’ll be able to look back at your photos and reassess. It may be that an image stands out and you may want to go back and explore that a little further with your camera. 

This is one of my favourite images from this walk. I love the dark intense contrast on the edges of the frame with the light illuminating through. It almost feels like going back a 100 years and imagining what street life may have been like with market vendors out on the street and people involved in the hustle and bustle of daily life. 

This tiny Rotherhithe watch house was established as a base for constables of St Mary's Parish in 1821.  You can see that the rectangular stone plaque above the door confirms both the function and the date of the building.  

Everytime I walk in London I find something new. This watchhouse, as well as being a base for monitoring the streets at night, was in a very useful position on the edge of the churchyard, or guarding against body snatchers.  

Body snatching was a very lucrative and commonplace back in the 1800s in London. It was of course totally illegal, because fresh bodies were always in demand by anatomists at Guys & St Thomas’s Hospital for dissection and teaching purposes. 

Until 1832, the only other corpses legally available to hospitals were those condemned to death and dissection in the courts or the unclaimed bodies of people who had died in hospitals and poor houses.The hospital which is literally around the corner is still very much in operation today! However the Watchhouse closed down back in 1836 after the Metropolitan Police was formed in 1829. 

The fine tonal grain gives the images taken on Ilford Pan F that classic feeling and look. Would be quite cool to shoot some actors in a Peaky Blinders look somewhere along here.  

I know that Ilford Pan F is rated 50 ISO however I was really impressed by how well it handled in extremely low light conditions. Take this picture, taken inside with little to no natural light coming through. I guess one of the advantages of having a TLR or any Medium Format camera with a leaf shutter is that you can really bring that shutter speed down. As such, with a steady hand, or even with the camera resting on the surface you’ll be able to capture something delicate in the most light challenging situations. 

Have you shot with the Yashica Mat 124G or similar Medium Format cameras such as the Mamiya? Which one was your favourite picture from this video? What do you recommend shooting with or how to use this film for projects! Let me know in the comments below, thank you!

Check out my last video on right here, see you there! 

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Shooting 35mm In A Medium Format Camera

A trip down some desolate urban landscapes with my Fuji GSWiii and Nikon L35AF2. The plan was to test out some 35mm Ilford HP5 Plus on the Fuji GSWiii and for some fun on the side shooting Ilford XP2 Super on the Nikon compact camera. 

There are a few little nuances that I cover in loading the 35mm on the Fuji GSWiii. With that aside, I was able to take 16 shots in total. It may have been possible to get another shot or two if I had loaded the film in a dark bag or dark room. As you will see in the video I will take your step-by-step how to load the film onto the camera. 

The weather was bright and sunny when the cloud broke. However it was extremely windy in places making the wind chill factor drop the temperature a few degrees further. Great location to shoot from however, particularly with Ilford HP5 Plus or Ilford XP2 Super. 

Loading the Nikon L35AF2 is very straightforward although there are a few little steps you need to take before you can take the film out when the roll is fully shot. As it is an old automated camera it is susceptible to stop working. This can be quite problematic especially if you don’t have a dark bag or dark room to work. Keep this in mind as it is not unusual for vintage compact cameras to start malfunctioning at some point and the cost of repair makes it redundant to remedy this issue. 

I hope you found the video helpful, particularly when coming to new locations, setting up and framing compositions. Have you shot with the Fuji GSWiii or Nikon L35AF2 or similar Medium Format or Compact  cameras such as the Mamiya? Which one was your favourite picture from this video? What do you recommend shooting with or how to use this film for projects! Let me know in the comments below, thank you!

Check out my last video on Medium Format Portraits here, see you there! 

You can grab a copy of the book here

I loaded a roll of Cinestill 800T on my Nikon FA and this happened…

I loaded a roll of CineStill 800t on my Nikon FA and this happened right in front of my eyes while I was enjoying my hot chocolate. 

This man came bolting across the window, I didn't quite catch why he was running away so quickly, then another guy bolted by shouting out aloud, telling people on the street to stop him. I thought I had missed the opportunity to capture something but the security guard came back around, clearly full of adrenaline, however, he had been successful in capturing the shoplifter and from the looks of it got the two bottles of whisky back in his possession. 

This film is rated ISO 800 and is a tungsten balanced colour negative film based on the gold standard motion picture technology used by the best cinematographers around the world. It is specifically designed for difficult low light tungsten situations, this flexible film is suitable for use in different lighting situations to achieve a variety of looks.

It goes without saying that… check your camera settings before you start shooting as this will give you the best chance of getting the desired outcomes you want. 

If this is your first time shooting, I would recommend setting your ISO to 800 and check the light conditions that you are in. Use your light meter to take an accurate measurement that you want to be coming out correctly, or photographically put, exposed for. 

If you’re reading this as a seasoned film photographer this goes without saying, however, I know often we can get caught up in the moment and forget the basics which can lead to disappointments. There’s no need to make schoolboy errors! 

Using a phone pocket light meter, in my experience, has been useful for general casual shooting, it has not been the most accurate.  For the best results I use a dedicated handheld light meter, the Sekonic L858D. 

The weather is changing! Therefore, it is another great opportunity to shoot in different climatic and weather conditions. Use the unsettled weather to take advantage of the elements. I love the reflections coming off the pavement in the foreground. Think about your local weather patterns, what could you use to create something special?  

Always take stock from those who have walked this path before. Joel Meyerowitz encourages everyone to own the street. Public places are shared places and you have to be confident in what you are doing. By embracing the day you will capture the beauty of everything that surrounds you. 

How are you going to capture vibrant colours using CineStill 800T? 

Understanding some basic elements of the film will help you to plan what you will capture. The T in Cinestill 800T refers to tungsten or tungsten balanced. Most films are daylight balanced (for example CineStill 50D- check out my last video on that next!) This means the colours we capture are similar to what we see with our eyes. 

Tungsten light however (measured at 3200K) is warm yellow-orange colour light rather than daylight which is measured at 5500K which should appear white. This would be the middle point between warm light and blue light.  

At the start and end of each day daylight is more of a blue light hence it is called blue hour. Cinestill 800T is repackaged Kodak Vision3 500T motion picture film (movie film). As with Cinestill the T in 500T relates to the fact that it is tungsten balanced. With this information in mind, before we go out to shoot, we need to have in mind what will help bring out the best in this film format. Now, where will we find this in abundance? I wonder… 

The beauty of shooting with 36 frames is that you can get 36 different shots! You can fire these off within a few seconds, depending on what camera you are using. A key element of great photography is planning and taking the time to think about what you want to capture. Being aware of what you are going to shoot, where you are going, what you may expect will allow you to prepare for capturing the perfect moment. 

We are all cipating ie taking things as they happen or come. However with a little bit of planning you can anticipate and future project what may happen and then capture the perfect shot. 

Are you a beginner film photographer? 

The main formats are 35mm, Medium Format and Large Format. 

35mm you will get the smallest frame and the large format will be considerably larger in film size. If you are looking to shoot as a hobby, start off by shooting with a cheap film camera which you can pick up for as little as £20 on ebay. 

Don’t splurge thousands of pounds buying equipment which will at some point stop working as in most cases parts will be hard to source. Unless you have a bottomless pit to draw on (get yourself a Leica!) then remember that any vintage camera with a good lens will get you the same results as the most expensive camera on the market. 

On a side note film stocks are also getting more expensive, even though popularity is increasing for this medium of photography. Pricing can range from as little as £5 a roll through £20 for a single roll of CineStill 800T on 35mm. With that in mind, adjust your entry so you enjoy the medium more than anything else! 

Always try something new with your photography. You don't have to stick to 800 ISO, why not play around by pushing or pulling the film. Or even mess about with it in post. If you are a hobbyist what do you have to lose by trying this film out in different situations and scenarios? 

You may have already shot with this film so let me know what your thoughts are about it, how have you got on with it in 35mm or medium format? 

What do you recommend shooting with or how to use this film for projects! Check out my last video on CineStill 50D here, see you there! 

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Cinestill 50D On Square Format

I shot CineStill 50D on a 6x6 Yashica Mat 124G. I love the results because of the amount of real estate that you get on the square negative, in particular. 

I know that this is not a common practice, particularly among people who are shooting fashion on film. I'm curious how many of you have shot it on 6x6. Or in your opinion, do you think it would be better to shoot it on 6x4.5 or 6x7 or even 6x9? 

Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below. And the other question that I've got is, obviously in this shoot, I've been using Cinestill 50D, but would you, if you are going into Lightroom afterwards, would you convert the negative from colour into black and white or would you go and do some post-processing with film? 

I'm curious how many people are purists and just stick to the negative as it comes out, or how many of us actually go away and change the images completely. So, let me know what your thoughts are. I'd love to hear from you and I look forward to seeing you in the next video.

You can grab a copy of the book here

Nikon AF2 With Ilford XP2 Skateboard Shoot

Nikon AF2 is a compact 35mm camera. A simple point and shoot which works well in Street Photography. If you are on a budget and looking for something retro and cheap to shoot with, why not pick up one of these classic cameras from Nikon? 

Already shooting with Compact Cameras? Which one is your favourite? Check out my review on the Nikon Lite Touch Zoom 120 ED AF Review with Ilford XP2 Super

You can grab a copy of the book here

Why This Will Help You Understand Contrast And Light

Every photographer at some point has taken a photo thinking the image would come out in a certain way but the lens, film and camera capture something altogether different. 

In a nutshell, contrast is the difference of brightness in light, in different parts of a scene being observed. On bright sunny days (which are few and far between in England) this may be extremely strong. Ofcourse in a studio these can be controlled using flash. In contrast [no pun intended!] it can get quite low, again depending on where you live on the planet! 

On a very wintery day, snow, due to its albedo, can result in extreme contrast if there are shadow areas present in the same photograph. 

The human eye is quite remarkable, being able to switch instantaneously, between extreme brightness of an open area to the light deprived alleyways of old London. In comparison with the human eye, film cannot process or adjust to these rapid changes. 

Generally, black and white film fares much better with contrasts in brighter light and darker areas. However, in comparison to colour film, particularly in my experience, slide film stocks such as Velvia and Provia seriously struggle. Ofcourse the human eye is leagues ahead, however, technology is rapidly changing and I would not be surprised if the digital realm at some point, reaches some degree of closeness to the experience of the human eye. The question I have on this would be, do we really need it? 

On average, black and white film, can handle much wider exposure latitudes. Films such as Kodak Tri-X or Ilford HP5 Plus allow for greater shifts in light and shadows. You can push-process HP5 Plus up to 6 stops but you might lose shadow detail as a result, although it generally tends to fare better in highlights. Ofcourse, if that is not enough for you, then try Ilford Delta 3200 or Kodak P3200 TMAX, these films can be shot from ISO 400 through to 25,000 making their exposure latitudes the widest available across all black and white films. 

Most modern colour films such as Kodak Portra can manage one stop underexposed or two stops over-exposed relatively well, however this will depend on what you are shooting. Often, highlights render as white, if you overexpose on a sunny day, and if you under-expose the shadows may be black. In either case, you’ll have an image, but, whether it's something you are happy with, is another question! 

One of the best ways to establish the ‘correct’ exposure would be to use a light meter. You can use your phone, the ‘Light Meter’ app is useful but you only get a reading for the entire scene which is not going to be ideal. 

Some film cameras do have their onboard light meter, but the trouble with this is going to be similar to your phone light meter. You have two further options, using a dedicated light meter. The Sekonic L-35, which you can use specifically to meter the light and shadows, however, the best and quickest way to figure out the exposure, is to use the Sekonic Speedmaster L858D. Which allows you to take multiple exposures and calculates the best lens aperture to lock in. Using a dedicated light meter will be especially useful when shooting colour stock films. 

Take for example these shots, incorrect metering resulting in overexposure of these images but when metered correctly the outcomes are much more accurate! However, with the absence of much light and overcast conditions, colour again underperforms, as you can see with these images! 

Light itself is not the creator of contrast. The subject, such as buildings, are what help to create shadows. The lack of light helps to create contrast and if you take the right steps you can reduce its impacts on shooting with film.

Remember, when shooting portraits out in bright sunny conditions, take a reflector with you to fill in light into the shadowy areas of the subject. Alternatively you could use flash, but bouncing light off a reflector has its own unique qualities! 

Ofcourse shooting in an extremely well lit environment, such as the deserts of Arizona will be much easier to expose for. However, shooting the sand dunes of the Sahara with its piercing light and shadows, you must come prepared and armed with a good light meter!

Acing Blur Right In Film Photography

When Oskar Barnack publicly introduced his first Leica camera, in 1925, at the Leipzig Springfair in Germany, it was the culmination of many years of refinement since he joined Lietz in 1911.

Barnack was a design engineer by profession and was originally working on a movie camera when ran into a problem. Emulsion speeds of films were unreliable and accurate metering was all but impossible. Barnack took it upon himself to build a small device intended to test small batches of movie film.

The film complete with its iconic sprocket holes, formed the beating heart around which Barnack designed the system which revolutionised photography - it is without a doubt that he was the creator of miniature 35mm was known for decades. 

These sets of images were taken on a Yashica Mat 124G with a roll of the wonderful Kodak Tri-X 400. I know you’re probably hopping out of your seat at the minute thinking well why did you start off by talking about the 35mm camera! Well its kind of ironic that Barnack’s system was developed out of cinematography and just shows how this innovation has moved and developed over time! 

I digress, this picture was taken in Central London, using a shutter speed of ten seconds. The film has recorded the motion of the skaters jumping over obstacles conveniently placed for them to practice their skills and tricks. The skaters blurred, of course, producing a soft and gentle abstract pattern which contrasts greatly with the crisp detail of the obstacles, and which suggests the neverending and timeless flow of movement. 

It is not an effect that could have been produced by using a high shutter speed to freeze the skaters: in any case. In any case, if you did what to do that you would have had to use flash in these extremely low light conditions. With the obstacles crisp there would have been a powerful focus of attention on the foreground and background and consequently all character and depth in the image would have been lost.  

In this picture there's a strong feeling of the passage of time. Blur is very powerful - especially when designed into an image or photograph. When it happens such as through camera shake it is nothing more than an obvious mistake or lack of knowledge. Therefore for blur to work effectively it has to be planned. And you can make effective use of it by showing it in the main subject or in supporting elements of the picture - such as the background - and for a variety of reasons. 

Some fun ways to explore a purposeful blur might be trying to shoot cars or motorbikes on the move. Or perhaps even at home with your children, nephews or nieces while they are running circuits around you in their ever boundless energy. Can someone please tell me how I can get that back again! Blur can very much enhance your photography but has to be used appropriately for every subject to maximise its effect.

The human eye is not like the eye of a camera lens. When you are watching a fast object moving your eyes are able to focus on the object and blur away the less important information in the background. Unfortunately, the camera lens if used with a fast shutter speed will most likely capture everything in sharp and vivid detail. 

The problem with this is that your image will look dead static. Consequently it won't look natural to the subconscious mind and your rational mind will most likely dismiss the image. You can get around this issue by using a technique known as 'panning'. 

As soon as a moving subject such as a motorbike or car - is clearly framed in the viewfinder you must swing the camera to follow the subject, and press the shutter while still moving. As a result the photo will show the subject against a background which blurs in horizontal lines - and the effect is a very convincing impression of motion in the image. Don't forget, for panning to be successful, you must keep the subject in the same spot in the viewfinder during the move, and to fire the camera shutter smoothly, carrying on swinging till the shot is well and truly finished. 

If you dont pan correctly or at all the background will come out sharp and the subject you wanted in focus blurred. The motorbike, car or your nephew running will attract far less attention. Ultimately, photography is another means of communication between you and the viewer. 

The use of blur in photography not only shows motion but through it the passage of time. As any object that is moving is still taking time to move. As a result you can see the difference between each second in time which goes against the grain of Henri-Cariters Bresson’s instruction to find one split second in which to take the shot. 

Cartier Bresson's 'decisive moment' refers more to the arrangement of his subject than to the timing. Time and its passing can be suggested in one shot -  such as these skaters- but there's no need to stop at one. Perhaps shooting with a 35mm camera you will be able to capture a set of images which makes this a more practical way of shooting blurred images.

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Blue Hour Night Shoot With Kodak Portra 800

In the first image, I'm looking up towards my subject. I've positioned her leaning slightly against the handrail with her left hand and knee leaning towards the camera. This gives the impression of the importance of the subject, as well as creating a little drama with the large building in the background. When coming out to shoot with Portra 800, be sure to communicate to your model or subject how you want them to dress and style themselves so they fit in with the environment perfectly. Another way you can create variety in images is by getting your subject to move.

In this case, I got the model to move towards me. And that way you can capture something a little bit more different and give you a greater range in your portfolio that you are building. When you're out on the shoot, make sure that you know your equipment really, really well. In this case, you can see the focus come out absolutely brilliantly. I think the key thing with this is knowing how to use your equipment and knowing how to use it well.

I wasn't sure how this image was going to turn out. There was very low light here and I resorted to using off-camera flash modelling lamps to get some light on the model. This image has not been edited in post and has come out quite well, despite a slight muddy texture which fits in quite well with the feel of the shoot.

There was a slight blur in the image here, as the light was rapidly reducing. The Yashica Mat 124G only goes down to F3.5, so perhaps with a tripod and shutter release cable, this could be resolved. Even with Porta 800, it would be challenging to capture everything perfectly, and particularly on model-based shoots, time is very limited. Being prepared, but also being aware that sometimes you'll have to take risks when shooting film, will help disappointment afterwards.

Twilight had set in by the time I got around to shooting the next few images. In this unedited image, there is a strong yellow cast set by the modelling lamp. I think it works quite well with the red door in the background, the blue jeans and the white top. Think carefully about your colour palette in advance. Attention to minor details can pay dividends in outcomes.

In this set of images, you may have noticed a variety of different shots, from full body through to narrow top body shots. This was my first shoot with the Yashica Mat 124G under low light conditions with a model. Through shooting different setups, I've learned how to create some cool fashion-style shots with this twin reflex camera.

What was your favourite shot from this selection? Let me know in the comments below. How have you been getting on with Porta 800? Still not sure how to nail Porta 800? Then check the video below!

Kodak Ektar in Autumnal London

If I were only to give you one piece of advice it would be…

Imagine the autumn sunlight, the rich colours of the leaves and the movement of time as it moves through to the winter. A time to start reflecting on the year and letting go of what has been so you can grow in newer ways. 

Shooting with film is in essence a slowing of time and appreciating that which is around you. Autumn is a perfect time to shoot and of course choosing the perfect film to go with it too. None is better than Kodak Ektar 100 whose vibrant colours capture the best of this time of year. The emulsion captures the colours in their full glory from the blues of the skies to the yellows on the leaves. Be in no doubt that you will capture some wonderfully crisp images. 

Combined with the square format on the Yashica Mat 124G I had a play with this exploring a little garden in Hampstead, England. On reflection this was an appropriate choice to shoot with this film and now I can see why film photographers talk about shooting this film in landscapes. It clearly captures the colours and tones with razor sharpness. The images come out super saturated and you may be left wondering how when its not even slide film! 

Just a side step word of caution here. If it is your first time shooting with any film camera be prepared for things to go wrong. When shooting for the first time with this Yashica I accidentally pressed the shutter too early or hadn’t quite adjusted the frame correctly. You may want to spend a little more time than I did and get to know your camera. This is especially more important when you may have bought this online and it may have had many owners before who perhaps didn't quite look after it in the same way you may do. 

Being an ISO 100 film, I would advise using a light meter when you go to shoot with this film. Regardless of whether you are shooting with 35mm or 120mm you will want to make sure that you have the best of each frame. The tonality of the images will blow you away and you may regret shooting without a solid light meter such as the Sekonic L35. 

Perhaps one of the downside to this stock is that it has a narrow exposure latitude which means that you will need lots of light to be able to capture the images to its best on this film. I am yet to try using this film in a studio however you may find this a fun experiment if you have a good grasp of lighting your subject evenly. On some of the images I have taken here you can see that it does struggle with shadows on occasions. That said, one shoot is not a tangible metric to judge any film stock by! 

If I were only to give you one piece of advice it would be: shoot it in lots of light. You may want to experiment with this film in different conditions before you settle working on a project with it. Remember that if you are struggling for ideas, pick a roll whether it is Ektar or any other film stock and get out and shoot without thought to see what you gravitate towards and capture. Then double down and keep at it, the rest will figure itself out. 

Shoot It Right With Ilford FP4 Plus

Ilford FP4 is an ISO 125 film which was released originally in 1968, almost 10 years before Kodak Tri-X first hit the shelves. On their website, Ilford FP4 Plus is shown to be a medium speed, all purpose black and white film with very fine grain, and outstanding sharpness. Ilford would go on to say that it has superb exposure latitude, and below its 125 ISO. This makes it very capable for photographing most subjects in areas, and varied lighting conditions.

Can you shoot Ilford FP4 at box speed? 

You definitely can shoot this film at box speed. When you first use it for a shoot, you'll find the film will give you really pleasing results, particularly in its grain, and especially if you are using strong lighting conditions. 

What are some reasons for shooting with this film? 

You can shoot with it in any situation. That's one of the greatest things about this film. You could use it indoors, outdoors. You could shoot portraits, landscapes. You could shoot architecture, you could shoot macro. Whatever it is that you want to shoot, you can get out and shoot with this film. So, it's a great film to have nipped in your bag somewhere. You can whip it out, and use it in any situation. Wherever you might be.

Picture this. You're at a friend's party or perhaps even at a wedding reception, and definitely have a role of this in your back pocket or in your bag. Its wide latitude of exposure will allow you to shoot in variable lighting conditions. Just don't forget to process it accordingly, or get your favourite film processor to do it for you.

It is a significantly cheaper alternative to using Neopan Acros to, or even using Kodak black and white film. It's a little bit more basic, but actually the results that you're going to get from it are going to be very, very similar to what you would get with Neopan Acros or with Kodak T-MAX or Tri-X, for example. So, if that's an important factor for you, then you should definitely shoot with this film.

It's fantastic in strong light, particularly harsh sunlight. So, if you're going to be somewhere where it's going to be like that, then make sure that you've got a role in this. It also has a really good tolerance to bad exposure. So if you don't have a light metre with you or you don't have one, you're guessing, you'll probably get some good results regardless of how you end up shooting with it. Obviously within its parameters.

You're on a budget. We've already talked about the fact that it's cheaper than using Neopan Acros or Kodak. But also, you can buy this in bulk, and that will significantly reduce the costs of shooting with this film. So, if you are planning on shooting black and white, and you want something which is consistent and gives you a great result, then buy in bulk. Roll up your own film at home, and that will save you a lot of money too.

There's probably two main reasons why you probably don't want to shoot with Ilford FP4. First one is that it's contrast is a little bit of a disappointment. So, if you like having that in your images, then you probably don't want to shoot with this film. The grain structure is good, but the contrast is a little bit off. Secondly, if you are based outside the UK, North America, Australasia, wherever it might be, then it might be more expensive for you to get a hold of this film. And so, cost effectively, it may not be the best option for you. But at the end of the day, you should know your own style, and if this is the right one for you, you should definitely check it out.

What can you take away?

It's definitely worth you getting a role and checking it out. Its medium speed will allow you to shoot in a large variety of situations. Whether that's in the studio, whether that's outside on the street, or even shooting landscapes, you're going to get some fabulous results due to its wide exposure latitude. With that in mind, definitely take the time to work with this film, especially if you like the grain on it, and you like images with a little bit more controlled contrast in it. Certainly, definitely worth trying in lots of different scenarios. Take it for a walk wherever you might be, and see what you get.

I absolutely loved shooting this film and would love to hear your thoughts on Ilford FP4. Have you shot with it? What kind of results did you get with it? Let me know in the comments below? 

Do go ahead and subscribe and turn on the bell icon so you'll know exactly when the next video of this series of videos is gonna drop and I look forward to seeing you in a workshop with me very, very soon.

Start Shooting with Ilford FP4 here

Polaroid SX-70 Street Shoot

A street walk in London with the wonderful Polaroid SX-70 creating Black and White Portraits in an almost perfect weather day in London. Learn how to frame and communicate with a subject to create well exposed and beautiful images on Polaroid SX-70. Enjoy!

Choosing the favourite image can be tricky too, no? Which one was your favourite from the shoot?

Do go ahead and subscribe and turn on the bell icon so you'll know exactly when the next video of this series of videos is gonna drop and I look forward to seeing you in a workshop with me very, very soon.

Fujifilm Neopan Acros II on Nikon FA

It's not your dream yet.

As you're aware, British weather can be a little bit of a variable. This time, I decided to control my environment, get a little bit more technical, go into a studio, and shoot with this film to make sure that I would capture each image to the best possible standard.

Neopan Acros II is a panchromatic film. Which means, it is sensitive to all spectrums of light. It's made on an acetate base. The reason why it's made on an acetate base is the previous versions of film stocks, which were made back over 120 years ago now, were extremely flammable. As film stocks improved over time, they moved towards an acetate base, which was less flammable, and more stable as a film stock itself.

This film has a ‘box speed’ of ISO 100 but officially has a speed rating between 50 to 800 ISO. If you're familiar with film stocks, then you would know that Acros I existed prior to 2018. Fujifilm have upgraded this film stock. If you're going to be shooting with this film stock, you should expect to get really fine grain, and really crisp shots. With that in mind, we should find that the mid-tones are well balanced, and we're going to get some really nice detail in the highlights and the shadows.

Neopan Acros II is very simple and straightforward to use. You might be outside on the street. You can just get your camera out and roll up some in your chosen 35mm camera. You can start shooting straight away within 60 seconds. Alternatively you might be on the beach, a hillside somewhere, or even you're having a studio portrait shoot. It will be challenging to take a bad picture with the Neopan Acros II.

As you can see from the images already, they're showing some serious contrast, the dynamic range of the film is fabulous. As mentioned before, ranging between 50 to 800 ISO. So, even if you decide that it's a little bit too dark, you can push the film a little bit further, and you should expect to get some great results from it.

There's only a limited range of ISO 100 black and white film stocks out there. Generally, the most popular ones are by Ilford. Ilford Delta 100 and Ilford FP4. You've also got Kodak T-Max 100, and Fomapan, I believe, also do a 100 ISO range as well.

Fujifilm say that you can push this film from 50 ISO all the way up to 800 ISO, and it has excellent reciprocity. Now, I think that's a challenge. And for sure, I want to try and go out, and see what I can get by pushing this film further too. Why not you too?

Building on a previous point about it's wide exposure latitude, this means that you can really use this film for a multiple range of projects. Whether it's sports photography, whether it's landscape photography, portraits, and Fujifilm themselves on their documentation, say that you can use Acros II for Astrophotography. Yep, it's there. I think that's worth checking out. So, if you live somewhere where you've got beautiful open skies at night time and fancy a little test, go for it.

As this is a panchromatic film, I think it will be fun to see how it handles and manages filters. So if you've got some filters at home, take them out, take them for a whirl, see what you get with them.

Now there's two reasons why you probably don't want to shoot with Neopan Acros II. The first one is, it's £12 pounds a roll, that's $16 [US] dollars guys. That’s quite pricey. Shout out to anyone in the US: Can you just ship me some Neopan Acros II? I'd really appreciate it. Seriously, that's probably one reason why you probably want to test it out, and if it's for you, then great, go ahead, shoot with it if you can.

The second reason why you probably don't want to shoot with this film is because obviously the grain is substantially less than what you would get on other black and white film stock. If you prefer the mysterious dark, sort of grainy sort of look that you get with HP5 or Tri-X, or T-Max, for example, then this film is definitely not for you. Now, I say that with a caveat, because I don't know if I pushed Acros II to 400 or 800, whether it would start to exhibit similar qualities. And then, the only way I'm going to do that is by doing it myself. It might be worth pursuing if that's the sort of look you're going for. Just on a hunch, I don't think it will be, as you see it with HP5 or Tri-X, for example.

I think Neopan Acros II is a reliable film stock if you're shooting on ISO 100.

You've got the wide exposure latitude, which is available to you, should you want to push it. And they themselves say that it has excellent reciprocity. Although, I think that remains to be tested. And you can see from the highlights and the shadows in the images that I've shown you, that the image has come out really, really beautifully.

So definitely, I would highly recommend going out and shooting with it. Obviously, the downside is the expense involved. But I think if you love photography, and you're exploring new ways to shoot, maybe you'll find something new with this film stock that you resonate with, and you will create something really cool.

Choosing the favourite image can be tricky too, no? Which one was your favourite from the shoot?

Do go ahead and subscribe and turn on the bell icon so you'll know exactly when the next video of this series of videos is gonna drop and I look forward to seeing you in a workshop with me very, very soon.

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Bronica 75mm f2.8 Lens Review With Portra 400

The 75mm f2.8 lens that often comes as standard with the wonderful Bronica Zenza ETRS Medium Format Camera so let’s get into the details of this little beauty.

This lens is 75mm which is equivalent to 45mm on a 35mm camera. With that in mind you should be able to have a vision in your mind of how this compares generally with a 50mm 35mm or any digital camera with a similar lens. The difference is that you’ll be shooting in medium format so you’ll be capturing much more detail.

In this video, you will learn about how to use this lens and get started shooting with it along with some pros and cons of the equipment. Enjoy!

Choosing the favourite image can be tricky too, no? Which one was your favourite from the shoot?

Polaroid SX-70 Black and White Portraits

A street walk with the wonderful Polaroid SX-70 creating Black and White Portraits in an almost perfect weather day in London.

Learn how to frame and communicate with a subject to create well exposed and beautiful images on Polaroid SX-70. Enjoy!

Choosing the favourite image can be tricky too, no? Which one was your favourite from the shoot?

Do go ahead and subscribe and turn on the bell icon so you'll know exactly when the next video of this series of videos is gonna drop and I look forward to seeing you in a workshop with me very, very soon.

FPP RetroChrome on Nikon FA