Red Filter for B/W Portrait

<p>What effect, if any, does using a red filter (#25) on a lens have on Caucasian skin tones when taking a portrait using B/W film? Do skin tones become lighter? Would the same effect occur whether the image is taken using available light or flash? Thanks for the help!</p>

<p>A red filter will generally lighten the skin, especially reddish blotches, blemishes and pimples. That's sometimes a good thing. It will also lighten lips. That may not be a good thing, depending on the effect you want. If you want dark lips your model will need dark blue lipstick. Hues in between will render various shades of gray.</p>

<p>The effect will be basically the same with daylight or flash (since flash is daylight balanced). There will be some minor differences with some artificial light, depending on color temperature.</p>

<p>The easiest way to visualize the effects of filters is to download a copy of the freebie Picasa and use the filtered b&w option on various color charts and photos. It works better than any other tool I've tried to demonstrate these effects.</p>

<p>I don't know if this helps, but I think green is the traditional filter for B&W portraits.</p>

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<p>...I think green is the traditional filter for B&W portraits.</p>

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<p>Green works best with flawless skin or with skilled use of cosmetics. A green filter will emphasize reddish blemishes with panchromatic b&w films.</p>

<p>An often overlooked element of conventional wisdom regarding b&w film photography is that the classic portraits used as illustrations were usually done with either careful application of cosmetics or with retouching of the negatives and/or prints. Knowledgeable b&w portrait photographers would also choose the colors of backgrounds, clothing, accessories and lipstick to achieve the desired shades of gray. A filter alone won't substitute for other factors in producing flattering portraits.</p>

<p>I don't think anyone wants a red filter for portrait. You can use Picasa to see the effect, there's a filter option that allows you to change your picture to B&W using any filter you choose.</p>

<p>I use a middle yellow filter for portraits after finding the skin tone is almost "perfectly normal" in the way I print B&W.</p>

<p >Filters pass some colors and block some. Generally, a filter passes its name. Thus a red filter passes red light and blocks green and blue. The red Wratten 25 or “A” filter falls in the category of “contrast” filters. We mount a red filter to: Absorb UV light to reduce haze in aerial and distant landscapes. Lightens red, orange, and similar colors. Darkens blue sky making white clouds stand out. The # 25 is quite strong having a filter factor of 8 or three f/stops.</p>

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<p >Uses:</p>

<p >Sometimes we will be disappointed because the contrast between two objects photographs the same like red apple against green leaves. The red filter lightens red and darkens green making the apple stand out. </p>

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<p >The red filter was a favorite among motion picture photographers. They shot war and westerns in daylight with the red filter and underexposed to simulate nighttime. </p>

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<p >For portraits a yellow-green Wratten K2 or #8 is preferred as this yields a more natural skin tone on panchromatic black-and-white film.</p>

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<p >The numbers and letters of filter nomenclature come from the master filter maker Frederick Charles Luther Wratten, English 1840-1926. Wratten confounded Wratten and Wainwright, an early photo supply house. Wratten was famous for liquid filled filter cells used in science and photography. He cataloged all his recipes. After a time he perfected making filters using dyed gelatin sheets lacquered for protection or sandwiched between glass. This method continues today. Kodak purchased the firm in 1912. A provision of the sale was retaining of the name Wratten and his filter catalog. </p>

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<p>I don't think anyone wants a red filter for portrait.</p>

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<p>I do sometimes. R25 can make people (and sky) look pretty freaky, some dreamy old school goth stuff coming right up. Yes, it's quite strong for normal stuff.</p>