Grain is in fashion

<p>As photographers, many of us have been asked to produce images with obvious and tangible grain.</p>

<p>This request seems to be in fashion more so nowadays - at least around photographers friends of mine. The request is easy to fulfilled when prints can be large 24x32 (and larger) It does become tricky when the target print is 16x20 (or even smaller).</p>

<p>TMZ (Tmax 3200) shot at 12,800, and pushed to the point the midtones polarize to black or white, and then scanned at 8000 dpi, creates the most striking combination I found. (Attachment)</p>

<p>Also using small film like 35mm and squeezing the composition in a fraction of the frame helps.</p>

<p>Let's share our techniques:</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>for several years i would use Fuji Neopan iso 1600 film only exactly because i could not get proper grain/noise out of digital. this photo http://mooostudios.com/Peru2007/2img_bw202_gold_digger.jpg was takan with that film pushed to 3200 (disregard the border, it's for background purposes). same story here http://mooostudios.com/Peru2007/2img_bw198Lima_ocean.jpg .</p>

<p>since then i stopped pushing it and meter for 1600 - it has beautiful grain without me trying to force it. </p>

<p>Very nice. Can you post a 50% or 100% crop?</p>

<blockquote>

<p>i could not get proper grain/noise out of digital</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Try Nik Silver Efex.</p>

<p>Jeff, can you post a sample with Silver Efex?</p>

<p>This one is fairly heavy on the grain.<br>

<img src="http://www.spirer.com/muertas/IMG_6136-Edit.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /><br>

<em>Dia de las Muertas San Francisco 2009</em></p>

<p>Cool shot Jeff! Now I've got dig around and find some of mine...of course scanning tends to exaggerate B&W film grain....but it still looks so much better than digital Noise.</p>

<p>That is very nice Jeff - and thank you. Can you post a closeup crop so I can see the shape of the grain?</p>

<p>This one is a little lighter on the grain.<br>

<img src="http://www.spirer.com/images/helioscreed.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /><br>

<em>Helios Creed, Copyright 2009</em> <em>Jeff Spirer</em></p>

<p>sure Mauro, here are the crops http://mooostudios.com/2img_bw198crop.jpg and<br>

http://mooostudios.com/2img_bw202crop.jpg<br>

the Neopan 1600 was scanned on epson v500 at 2400dpi i think.</p>

<p>Jeff, my last DSLR was stolen 1.5 years ago but once i get a new one, sometime next year, i'll try Nik Silver Fx.</p>

<p>Those look very good Kostya. Thank you.</p>

<p>And then there is pushing film 3 stops in Litho A&B developer.<br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2438/3991429022_74dc5bef78_b.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="712" /></p>

<p>I can only think of one time when I tried to add grain to a photograph so I don't have much experience with this. I would like to understand why digital filters don't produce a film look. Let me ask a question for understanding. I know that with B&W, the grain increases with density in the negative. The standard Photoshop filters add noise regardless of level. Is this why they don't look right? </p>

<p>Larry, that is fantastic.</p>

<p>Ron, it is not that simple. </p>

<p>There are multiple factors in play. The topography of the film is such that there is detail captured within the visible grain. </p>

<p>Grain added to a digital capture is just like an effect in photoshop. It removes detail from the original capture.</p>

<p>Mauro Thanks</p>

<p>Yes, grain added from any source will obscure some detail. There may still be some detail that is smaller than the structure of the grain. This can happen with film or digital.</p>

<p>And I want to thank all who refuse to call it "noise."</p>

<p>Here's one. Shot on Ilford Delta 3200 and shot in daylight with a #25 red filter. Not a large scan but there is plenty of grain in the 8x10 analog print. Rodnal Developer has always been the grain king for me. I really like it with Tri-X 1:50.</p><div></div>

<p>That is very nice. Was that a red 25 or lower? Strange the contrast is not higher.</p>

<p>Nice job using the filter to pale-up the skin without creating zombie eyes. red 25 is very dangerous on that.</p>

<p>I like grain. I'll take grain over pixel any day! I hate when people add grain to digital photos in Photoshop!</p>

<p>Yes it is I use it mostly for buildings and bridges... but a Yellow 14 is perfect for people when needed. You got that #25 to work there.</p>

<p>Particularly attractive in high key portraits:</p>

<div></div>

<blockquote>

<p>Grain added to a digital capture is just like an effect in photoshop. It removes detail from the original capture.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It's additive, especially if it's done as a layer properly. It does not remove detail. Maybe you can give a source for your information.</p>

<p>I think he was trusting his eyes.</p>