Red filter for portraits?

Hello! Is it usual with you to shoot portrait with a red filter? what

is the effect? If you have some examples, please, give them here to

have a look! thanks.:)

Only to remove freckles.

I heard you can get the cool gothic look with it. Once i'll try it out. In the same time, i'd also like to see some examples.

 

Btw, i guess you mean shoot in black and white with the red filter. I wonder if you can simulate red filter in photoshop, and to what extent, when converting a colour portrait to black and white, after pumping up the red channel.

NO, I don't like PS that much.:)

me neither, me neither...just to get the idea, what would happen.

Basically, a red filter used with panchromatic film will render subjects with red in them lighter, and subjects with blue in them darker, or just the opposite of Orthochromatic films. Technical Pan is very red sensitive, and works well for some portraits, but it can be overdone, leading to very harsh skin tone rendition, especially with high contrast. Here's an image from TP, which will approximate the use of a light red filter with more normal pan films.<div></div>

Channel Mixer in PhotoShop offers an excellent simulation of a red filter effect with B&W film. Here's a comparison for you... t<div></div>

First of all, the best way to deal with this is in the digital domain rather than a filter on the lens. It gives a choice on usage and allows fine tuning the filter.<p>

 

Second, although Tom has produced a beautiful example of conversion with a red filter effect, he doesn't give a comparison without the filter. The images below were created with a black and white conversion tool that also gives a choice of filter during conversion. Even if you are going to use a filter on the camera, the effect is similar.<p>

 

<center><img src="http://www.spirer.com/images/filtercompare.jpg">

<br>Filter Comparison, Copyright 2004 Jeff Spirer</i></center>

Hi people. I've got another newbie question regarding filters for B&W portrait.

<p>

What's the effect of light green filter on skin tones? With red filter, the lips look too light and less appealing. Green filter should makes the lips darker, right? But does green filter cause skin blemishes such as freckles to be more visible?

<p>

Thanks in advance.

If you plan on using a red filter for a portrait, you make-up has to done with that in mind. Best was to see more or less what you will get is too look at the model through a piece of red gel, you will notice how some colours blend together, but others increase in contrast.

 

If you shoot digital, then just use PS or similar, if you shoot B+W film, then use the filter. I think you just can't get the same effect in PS as you can on B+W film, nothing you can see on a computer screen, but the prints show the difference, even the C41 B+W prints look better.

That's easy enough to do...<div></div>

<i>If you shoot digital, then just use PS or similar, if you shoot B+W film, then use the filter. I think you just can't get the same effect in PS as you can on B+W film, nothing you can see on a computer screen, but the prints show the difference, even the C41 B+W prints look better.

 

</i><p>

 

This depends on your skill as a printer, or the quality of the Fronteir lab used. Well-done digital prints will be fine, especially since most people do their c41 black and white at a minilab.

Just be careful, if there are heavy or stark shadows on your subjects face, you may lose a lot of shadow detail (the red filter pumps up contrast).

So many red filter questions?Generally the only color contrast filters commonly used in B&W portrait work are the light and medium geen.These are used with pale skin to prevent it from looking "chalky",and sometimes to bring out texture in men's portraits.Red or orange will indeed suppress/remove blemishes,but its effect on lips,skin,red or blonde hair is to render them too light.Blue eyes will go too dark.IMHO,red filters cause more troubles than they are worth (even for landscapes),due to the printing problems all that contrast creates.

Thank you, friends! I just bought that filter and to use it anywhere - lands or portraits. At least I have to try to get a PRACTICAL idea of what I get in that or the other case.:)**** Steve, thanks again!:)

Jeff, your left brain is workin' overtime, dude. Mine is out havin' a beer... t<div></div>

Fred Miranda has a PS plugin that automates many B&W filter effects (BW Workflow Pro). There's also a B&W infrared effects PS plugin.