baby-delivery room photography! What film to use?

[taner]

Hi there

 

I want to photograph my baby's birth, and luckly, my partner is

really into it. I would appreciate your advice on my film choices. I

am going to try to list what my set-up options are:

 

I will use two 35mm SLR bodies and a tripod:

 

- manual Minolta XD-11 (1/100 sync speed) either with fast film/fast

35mm and 50mm primes, or using a non-dedicated Minolta bounce/swivel

auto-flash. I have a short, but functional cable release for this

camera. And there is the 10 sec timer.

 

- auto-focus Canon either with fast film/fast primes, or with on-

board flash, or with the Minolta flash mentioned above (works fine

with the Canon, no voltage problems). There is a timer, but I do not

have a cable release.

 

The delivery room is lit by a combination of tungsten and fluorescent

lights. However I am not sure how bright it is going to be in there;

during our pre-natal hospital tour, the rooms were not fully lit. The

rooms are rather small, and the shooting range will likely be 2-3

meters. If I were to use the Minolta Flash (bounce) with either

camera in that range, I would be have to go with ISO 100 film, or ISO

200 tops, since ISO 200 necessitates f/16 in that close range, and I

do not want to use f/22.

 

I would like to load one camera with B&W film, and the other with

professional color negative film. With B&W my options are limited to

TMX, TMY and TMY exposed @ ISO 800, push processed 1.1/2 stops (no

extra push-processing charge). But I cannot decide which camera.

 

With professional color-negative film, I am wide open to your

suggestions, but pushing is not option with this.

 

I have gone a bit too long here, my apologies. Thank you for your

help.

[__wally_klinger]

(no extra push-processing charge).

 

seams youve thought of everthing. bring your own towells to.

[mendonphoto]

No suggestions for film, but rather lenses. Things will probably be happening fast, and you're not always going to be able to get in what you would consider the ideal position for a picture. For that reason, a good zoom, at least on one of your cameras, in my opinion, is a must.

[albert lui]

I would not use flash of any kind, out of concern for the safety of the baby's eyes.

 

My best solution would be ISO 800 color film and 35/50 mm prime lenses for available light photography. I'd go with Fujifilm NPZ, scan the images, and desaturate for B&W if I wanted B&W (which is never, but that's me).

[taner]

Thank you Aaron; I think you are right; this would be a good time to take advantage of a zoom's flexibilty, but since I cannot afford pro-zoom, I went all primes, with both systems, about a year ago.

[andrew_pike1]

I agree that you should bring a zoom. You never know how fast it's going to happen.

 

As for color negative film, maybe some Portra 160NC? Because of the mixed lighting, I would suggest also bringing an 80-series filter to correct for the tungsten lighting (I sometimes use an archaic Vivitar 80C to correct for tungsten lights even though it was designed to re-calibrate the color temperature of clear flashbulbs for color film. It's odd, but works). Another solution would be to bring either some Fujicolor Superia 100 or 200 for the 4th color layer that deals with mixed lighting quite a bit better than other films.

 

Why a tripod? I would think that a tripod would get in the way of the technicians and such milling around, and it might actually be easier to hand-hold it. Of course, I don't know how large the delivery room is.

 

So, is it a boy or a girl? Do you have any names yet? If they are appropriate, make sure to post up some of your shots for us after he/she is born.

 

Congratulations and good luck!

[taner]

Thanks Albert; I plan to shoot 5-6 rolls at least, from the time we go in the delivery room to the end of the birth, and that can be a long time... If I were to use the flash, that would mostly be before the baby makes its appeareance. I do not think my scanner would be up to the job of providing enlargement quality desaturated scans, but I will call a couple of labs tomorrow, and see whether they offer that service with their frontiers.

[andrew_pike1]

Oh, and for B&W film, you might want to look into some Plus-X (ASA 125), as it has much finer grain and is better suited to portrait work than T-Max 400. Never tried T-Max 100, so I couldn't tell you.

 

Again, good luck!

[taner]

Thank you very much Andrew! It is a girl, and I am trying to finalize the name thing: I have a shortlist of 18 names at the moment... It is a lot of fun I must admit.

 

I thought about the correction filter issue, but I think unless the room is really bright, I might not be able to afford the ~1.1/2 stops light penalty. So, 4th layer technology to deal with the mixed lighting? If there is an 800 film with the same technology, that could be an option I think. Thanks again.

[andrew_pike1]

Yes, Fuji makes both Fujicolor Superia 800 with 4th color layer technology that you buy over the counter, and Fujicolor Press 800, the professional, 36-exposure, consistancy-controlled varient of the same film.

 

The same also applies for 400-speed.

[www.antiquecameras.net]

<p>did my first baby 3 months ago - used Kodak NC 160 both using flash and handheld available light....good luck

[www.antiquecameras.net]

PS - All I used was a cheap Canon Rebel and the GREAT canon 50/1.8 lens...that and a flash....nothin else !

[danny_wong2]

1984 - son

Leica M4 35/2, TriX

Leica M4 90/2, Kodakcolor400

 

1990 - daughter

Same equipment asa400 color film

 

Do not use flash. There is too much going on that safety of the delivery will be compromised. Color temperature of the light would not be a major issue, the lab took care of all that. Same go for not using chromes

 

Since this is your first your physical and mental prepareness is more of an issue. I have nursing friends who tell jokes about the most masculine looking fathers passing out from the sight of seeing their offspring emerge.

 

Congratulations and enjoy it. But don't get overly preoccupied with photographing the event to miss the experience. If the hospital had allowed it, I would have someone else do the photo for me and really participate in the birth process.

[taner]

Thanks 'antiquecameras'. I intend to keep the gear I take with me into the delivery room to a minimum too; probably three lenses in total for the two bodies. So, Kodak NC 160 with flash.

[taner]

Thank you Danny. I will take the advice and use flash only at the earlier stages (while the nurse is helping my partner, prior to the Doctor's arrival). So, you went with 400 color film/fast primes (I suspect without the mirror slap, ISO 400 is all that the M needs...)

 

This whole photography in the delivery room thing is actually encouraged by our doctor; he thinks that it will help me overcome my 'hospital smell' problem... I will set up the tripod at the very corner of the room, pre-focus the lens and use either the timer or the cable release. I intend to be in the shots too mostly, and I am not going to miss anything. And finally, the room is small, so my presence will be felt my partner at all times. Thanks again.

[john_shriver]

Yes, your partner will want you near her. I'd say Fuji NPZ at 800, or Fuji NPH or Portra 400NC at 400. (The NPZ may pep the colors up more than you want, I think this is a case where subtle color will be better. Your wife will be more than a bit "pink in the face".)

 

The lighting is going to be contrasty and harsh. Print film will handle mixed lighting much better than slide film, as well as handling the contrast. You won't have time to meter carefully enough for slide film.

 

I think flash would be way too annoying.

 

Wide angle, tripod, long cable release, and auto-winder might be very effective. This is not the place to be using anything longer than a 50mm, too hard to focus.

 

Of course, she may have the baby in the waiting room or the car -- it happens.

[mike_buckles]

I would use Kodak 400UC..the 400VC is very grainy, and not good. But the 400uc is very fine grained for a 400 film, and great skin tones..good for indoor and outdoor use! My preference for people shots would be Portra 160NC or VC...both great films, but if the lighting is iffy and you can't use flash...400UC! Here's an example of an outdoor shot with setting sun lighting.<div></div>

[mike_buckles]

oops..let me try that again..sorry!

[taner]

Thanks John. Good reminder about the possible delivery locations! I do not know much about Kodak color films other than UC400, but I had thought about both NPH and NPZ. I think a wide angle (on the tripod), together with the DOF that NPZ can provide might solve the focus problem pretty good.

[lex_jenkins]

We got a preview of the delivery rooms as part of our prenatal exercise/support class. I could tell the room would be plenty bright for 400 film. The instructor showed us the supplemental overhead lights that the doctor would also use.

 

At the time I didn't have access to a darkroom for b&w so I loaded up Fuji Superia Xtra 800 in my Olympus XA3, which had no flash, and Superia Xtra 400 in my XA2, which did have a flash.

 

If I'd thought about it well enough in advance I'd have done my then-wife the favor of using a more flattering film like Portra or one of the Fuji pro films. Superia Xtra 800 is a pretty good film in available light, even fluorescent, but not so good with flash; and Superia Xtra 400 is worse with flash.

 

Regarding TMY, since resuming doing my own b&w work again, I routinely push it to 1600 and develop in Microphen. Most of the time this is for live theatre photography, occasionally for nighttime street and indoor shooting as well. It's one of my favorite combinations of film and developer. There are several examples in one of my photo.net folders.

 

Underexposing Tri-X, TMY and HP5+ one stop is within their operating range even without extended "push" processing. So if you don't develop your own film, 800 should be good enough.

 

Another option is a chromogenic monochrome film like Ilford XP2 Super or the Kodak or Fuji equivalents. Someone else has probably already mentioned those.

 

As for which camera to use, I can't help you there. The reason I chose to use small, pocketable P&S cameras is because I figured my primary job was to hold my wife's hand and do the encouragement huff-and-puff thing. Even if it doesn't really do any good to mutter the incantations she'd have been pissed at me for concentrating more on photography than on her.

[taner]

Thanks Mike. 400UC is indeed great, and it is one of the two color negatives I have been using outdoors recently (the other being reala). If there is plenty enough light in there for ISO 400, I would probably go for NPH for the lower contrast, but I do not know how the the two compare under a fluorescent-tungsten mix.

[david_bedell]

You might want to do a search for a previous thread on this. Lots of good

information there.

<P>

The most important thing to remember is that the delivery room will be a very, very

busy, crowded place, and you will be completely engaged caring for your partner.

There will be little time to take photographs, and when you do take them, they will be

be photojournalist's (war correspondent's?) grabs from short distance.

<P>

There's no way you'll get a tripod anywhere near a delivery room. The hospital staff

will certainly take it away from you if you try to bring it in. ;-)

<P>

I would also forget the flash. The hospital may not allow it; tired women, nurses, and

newborns may not appreciate being blinded!

<P>

I found I was able to shoot ISO 400 at f/2.0-f/2.0, with shutter speeds at 1/30-1/60.

I guesstimate metered or metered within the strongly-lit sections of the room (as you

noted, not all areas of the room will be uniformly lit).

<P>

I took two bodies, one with color film, one with black and white, with 50mm and

24mm lenses. Fast lenses that focus close.

<P>

I just wouldn't worry too much about technical issues. Use NPH or similar good color

film, choose a black and white option, and shoot. It's a very, very involved experience

and you'll love the shots you get. There's lots more time for photography in the

recovery after delivery.

<P>

<IMG SRC="http://www.lbbfamily.com/albums/Lucy-Agnes/

4047000_r1_008_2a.jpg">

[jason_fitzmaurice]

When my son was born, I was expressly forbidden from using a flash. We ended up having an emergency C-section, and flashes were not allowed during surgery of any kind. Since that might happen to you I second or third (or whatever) the recomendation to go without a flash. Other than that onc eyou know about what films peed you need, I'd just pick whatever you are most familiar with. Good luck and Congrats.

[taner]

Thank You Lex. I do not know much about processing B&W; I take my B&W film to a local artist's lab nearby, and through good communication, he and I have been able to come up with working push-processing formulas. 'Expose @ 800 - push process 1.1/2' formula works great with TMY using this lab, and I too have tried ISO 1600. The grain @ 1600, however, is quite pronounced. I do not know whether he uses 'Microphen' like you do, but I am going to ask him tomorrow.

<p>

This is TMY @ 1600. I did not get prints, so I do not have a clear idea whether this level of grain would look good on paper or not.

<p><img src="http://www3.sympatico.ca/askintaner/photonet_post/Untitled-6.jpg"></p>

[taner]

David, Jason, thank you. The 'cord' shot is awesome! I have actually confirmed the tripod issue with both hospital staff and our doctor; they are O.K. with it. A possible C-section, which takes place in an operating room, is of course another story. I would not try to take a tripod in there anyways.