Ring Road new structures, Bangalore

<p>These are pictures shot in the Southwest Bangalore on and around the Ring Road. the Ring Road is an archaic form of the modern by-pass highway. Strangely, early plan makers [here] were influenced by the European Towns like Vienna and the Ringstrasse`. They were good for the horse and buggy age and centralized small towns. Most unsuitable for the automobile age. So this is a hybrid with all its problems.<br>

I used Konica color 100 film on my Praktica MTL3 with the Pentacon 50mm lens. The so-called orange mask in the film seems to make the green quite dark in B&W scans. Here are some samples. Is there any way to get over the orange mask effects. I am planning to develop my next roll at home in B&W chemistry. I shall appreciate any tips on that process. Thanks.</p><div></div>

<p>There are no land use controls effective along the Ring Road. The new developments generate more automobile traffic in addition to causing ingress and egress problems.</p><div></div>

<p>IT is the 'New Class' as Djilas might have put it. This class generates the maximum automobile traffic, all in 4-wheelers!</p><div></div>

<p>Traffic density per Kilometre length of the road has increased over a hundred times in the last decade and a half.</p><div></div>

<p>Most drivers are new to automobiles; they ignore lane geometry and traffic conventions, partly due to lack of training and partly due to a defiant attitude.</p><div></div>

<p>More traffic comes in also due to construction materials and other freight.</p><div></div>

<p>They have not organized materials storage yards near the city. Every truck comes in from the mine, quarry or river bed and waits for customers along the road. it is almost like a hawkers' market.</p><div></div>

<p>And the last one.</p><div></div>

<p>I was supposed to post a question; I think I did as related to processing C-41 film in B&W tips and how to deal with the orange mask. Would appreciate any pointers. Thank you. sp.</p>

<p>Excellent series, SP! I always look forward to your pictures and narrative because I feel as though I've traveled somewhere and learned a lot in the process. The Praktica/Pentacon combo sure works beautifully! Thanks for another wonderful photo essay.</p>

<p>Subbarayan, those are nice documents and images. I look forward to your posts and narrative. I spent a few days in Delhi in 2004 and was amazed at the crazy traffic and the pace of it all.<br>

<br /> As for scanning, I'm not sure of what your current procedure is. When I take photos in C-41 color negs and want to get a B&W result, I get best results by scanning first as a color image. This takes care of the orange mask.<br>

After that, you can desaturate the color image, or -if you want- correct levels differentially in the color image for R, G and B channels before desaturating, to get an effect similar to using filters in B&W.</p>

<p>If you develop color film as B&W, you will not only get the orange mask, you will also get the yellow mask (of Carey Lea silver) under the first emulsion layer, because you won't be bleaching out the silver. In short, the situation will be even worse.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>get best results by scanning first as a color image. This takes care of the orange mask.<br />After that, you can desaturate the color image, or -if you want- correct levels differentially in the color image for R, G and B channels before desaturating, to get an effect similar to using filters in B&W.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Quite right,Julio. Let me add...<strong>DON'T DESATURATE YOUR COLOR IMAGES TO GET A B&W IMAGE!</strong> Think "conversion" not "desaturation". Always<strong> </strong>use R,G,B channels in Photoshop or other software tools that controls the individual color channels. That will provide the best conversion and give you ultimate control. As a a bonus, you no longer need to carry around color contrast filters in your kit. The UV and Polarizer are still quite useful however.<br>

Tech note: Even in Photoshhop, if you don't want to fool around with channels, it's better to "convert to greyscale" than to simply desaturate. The "convert to greyscale" command is "smart" and will give you a decent conversion based on the colors and tones in the original image. Desaturate is "dumb". Sometimes it works OK but most times the results are muddy. <br>

Nice series of shots, SP</p>

<p>SP, Luis is right, I should have written "conversion to greyscale" which is what I actually do, not "desaturation"...<br>

If you are going to develop at home, choose a silver-based B&W film such as Ilford FP4+ - don't try with C-41 films. Which film and developer can you get there?</p>

<p>Also agree, the best B&W comes from a color scan. If you have Photoshop CS3 or later, there is a lovely combined B&W conversion where you can do all the color channels from the same control panel and see what works best. It's Image>Adjustments>B&W.<br>

Nice shots.</p><div></div>

<p>Thanks Andy; you were the first to encourage/induce me to revive the hobby. So here I am groping around. Regards, sp.</p>

<p>Thank you, Julio, John, Louis, JDM for the tips on the Orange mask. I learned something for today. Regards, sp.</p>

<p>SP, I don't know what software you are using but here is a chart that gives the Photoshop R,G,B channel mixer setting when converting color film to B&W that match the spectral properties of various traditional B&W films. Perhaps you may find it useful. Of ten I use these as is or as a starting point for more extreme tonal separation.</p><div></div>

<p>Thank you Louis; I am using only Picasa 3. I do very little of color pictures. I shall try and use the principles that you have provided. Regards, sp.</p>

<p>Great urban pictures SP. They do tell the story of what to expect in this city if checks and balances are not put in place by the gov't. Thanks.</p>