Film and Filter

Can anynoe suggest a B&W film that will excell in daylight portrait shots? This will be closeups of a bride and groom.

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In addition, I read somewhere that either a green or yellow filter accents skin tones. Can you clear this for me.

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Thanks for your help.

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I will be using a Canon Rebel 2000, -.5 to -1 EV.

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Richard Venneman

Be careful with the green as it will bring up all the faces

"character", where the Yellow might blow it out, and the white dress

may lighten up with the yellow too. I've heard of a yellow-green but

never used one. I like blue myself. Someone else will know, but be

careful with these two filters.

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Dean

Richard, I use both red and green filters in my portrait work, and

all I can say is be careful!!!!

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My experience is that when they work they really work & when they

don't, they don't. By that I mean, I have not found a real

predictable consistency when using them. Some faces and skin tones

do well with one or the other, and until I get the print in front of

me, I don't know. So, I tend to use it on people I photograph over a

period of time.

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You get some idea by putting the filter on the lens and looking

through the camera, but it is no true indication.

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So, if you are going to do important photos that you can't take over

again, I would either stay away from filters all together, or use

them on only selected shots.

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Also, different films will react a little differently.

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This discussion usually gets all kinds of divergent responses. You

pays your money & takes your chances.

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Good luck!

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chris

A green filter will accentuate skin blemishes. It's good for

adding "character" to a male portrait. Yellow, orange and red (in

order of increasing effect) will reduce blemishes and make skin tone

lighter. Look out with light complexions.

1. It depends upon the skin color as to the filter's effect. Also

depends upon what you are trying to achieve. Enhancing a portrait or

providing some type of "interperative" special effect.

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2. Try a #8 (yellow) first. This filter corrects panchromatic black

and white film response so that the colors are translated into gray

tones matching the actual color relationships. Blue is usually

rendered too light with panchromatic black and white film, yellow

filters blue.

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3. Try a #11 filter (green / yellow). This filter looks green, but

it actually has some yellow in it. This is the most popular "green"

filter for portrait work. Usually used with men because it darkens

the skin slightly, and makes them look more "masculine."

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4. #15 filter is deep yellow (looks orange). This will lighten

caucasion skin. Is sometimes used with women for a high-key effect.

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After that, you get into #23A, #25, #29 in reds. These filters are

really not that effective with portait work as the effects are just

too extreme (unless that's what you want). #58, green, is a color

separation filter and blocks all red, and most of the blue. This

would be a special effect filter for a portrait.

Richard, if you haven't experimented with any filter you use no

matter which one you use, I wouldn't use then on the bride and groom.

you might get lucky and you might not. Don't make them upset with you

especially if you are going to photograph their wedding. You want

them to have all the confidence in you that they can. If you use any

filter make it a soft focus filter, the bride will like that more

than any effect you'll get from a colored filter. (trust me)

Mr. Venneman, I think Agfa still makes a 25 ASA film, in B&W, that will have much less grain than anything else you can find. The less grain, the better the portrait. As to filters: I've only shot a few weddings and never used filters. When printing the pix I found that if I had a problem with the white-on-white wedding dress not showing all the patterns--------I would put a 6 oz. drinking glass in a pan of hot water, (for about 5 minutes before using), and -- VERY GENTLY -- rub a cotton ball saturated in the hot developer solution ONLY ON THE AREAS OF THE DRESS that you wish to show in the photo. This will bring out the dress and your normal developement will ensure the facial tones are sufficient.

Hope this helps.

David Huffman

Just for reference, Agfa APX25 is still available, but seems to have

been discontinued. So if you like it, stock up.

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Are you jsut doing this for fun, or are you being paid to do this?

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If for fun, try various filters. If being paid for it, go out and buy

some film, and filters and start some serious testing.