A friend and I are going to San Francisco for 2 weeks in May on a photo project. We will be shooting people, architecture, and landscapes. Any advice on what film to use, what speed, where to shoot, or tips on shooting in the streets would be very helpful.

-- Ben Doerr (dja7318@prin.edu), April 19, 2000

Answers

Be sure and say hello to my son out there.... I would say don't miss China Town for people and architecture. There are just too many interesting things to name. As far as film, I would recommend going prepared with T-Max 100, T-Max 400 and some Kodak P3200 for those low light times without flash. If you're only going to use one film, the T-Max 400 is good for all around. I'm sure others at this site have different ideas but these are mine. The most important thing to take is a good eye. Don't get into a big hurry and try to shoot everything. Concentrate on each shot and try to do a good job. That will be the most satisfying.

-- Joe Cole (jcole@apha.com), April 19, 2000.

I would recommend good old Tri-X as a very versatile and forgiving film. My experience with T-Max films suggests they require very precise exposure metering, and it sounds like you may be on the move a lot in shooting this project.

-- Sam (sselkind@home.com), April 19, 2000.

I agree Tri-X would be the film to use for this project, I've used T-Max and had some great results (Too Me), but Tri-X, I mean, it's harder to mess up with that good ol' film. I wish I could help out more, the closest I ever got to California was Eugene, Oregon.

-- John L. Blue (bluescreek@hotmail.com), April 19, 2000.

Some of the subjects you are focusing on don't go too well together.

Personally, I use a ISO 100/21 (Ilford Delta 100) film for most of my architecture and landscape work (where I don't want to see any grain) and ISO 400/27 (Delta 400) for street shooting. For available-darkness shooting, I sometimes use Delta 3200 rated as ISO 1600/33.

Perhaps the Delta 400, having reasonably fine grain and enough reserve for using filters w/o a tripod, is a good compromise. IMO, ISO 400/27 films relying on conventional grains (as opposed to the T-maxes, Deltas, etc. with their high-tech grains) are usually too grainy for architecture work.

Being kind of old-fashioned, I have no experience with chromogenic films, but these might be a way out of your dilemma, as their grain is less, and they seem to be fairly tolerant concerning exposure.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), April 20, 2000.

Just use the Tmax films or even the Deltas. Nothing wrong with the Tmax films. People are leery of them because 1. they don't know how to use them and 2. they are sloppy in their processing. Just shoot the Tmax100 at ISO 80 and the Tmax 400 at ISO 320. Under develope them about 15-20% and you will have no grain at 8x10. These films are marvelous materials. Just use them right. If you use your camera on auto metering be careful where you are pointing your focus screens center. That is where the meter determines what it will set exposure at. Meter properly and the materials will give you what you want them too. It isn't the film the makes a great image but the guy sighting in and pulling the trigger. Tmax films are no different than the good old films like Tri-X or HP5. Delta films are great too. But they aren't the magic bullet either. If you really want to qualify the materials, take a little of both along and then process them carefully when you get back and let us know how things turned out. James

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), April 21, 2000.

James, You hit it right on the bullseye. Care in processing T-Grain films plus 20% overexposure and a 20 developer pull works for me every time. BTW try Delta 400 at IE 320 in XTOL 1:1 (I know everyone complains about XTOL but I love it, just check the package and don't keep stock solution for more than two months).

-- Robert Orofino (rorofino@iopener.net), April 25, 2000.

Consider using XP-2 super, which is ISO400 film, and very good with effective EI of 100 - 800. Its image quality and shadows are very good, and it doesn't block highlights. Since you are visiting, you probably won't have a darkroom to process film or make prints. SInce this is chromogenic (C-41) film, any good lab can process it in an hour, and give you prints which serve as proof prints for later printing. An alternative is Kodak B+W film, which is similar to T400CN, but is supposed to print better on the quick lab's color paper. However, I prefer the XP-2.

-- Richard Newman (rnewman@snip.net), April 25, 2000.

For Black and White photos I always use T Max 100. I have always made 8x10 prints and never have had problems. If you have low light and no flash 400 asa would be better, but I do find that a tad to grainy for my liking. If you are using color, try the new Kodak Portra film. I tried it and absolutely love it. It makes color more vibrant. When shooting in the street I try and shoot without people noticing and get a "candid view of life", but if that's impossible I ask for permission. I am strictly a black and white type of gal- but recommend shooting at least one color roll. In Art black and white is so beautiful, but sometimes it's nice to remember in color. Everyone will have a different opinion and that's why there is so many different kinds of art and photography in the world- maybe you should take a variety of films and find what you like best.

-- Erica Musser (artfisch@thedigitaltribe.com), April 29, 2000.