Hi there, I am taking a trip to the alps soon and wish to take B & W photos out there with lots of contrast. Reading other replies to questions it seems that using labs to develop prints will compltely ruin my artistic ideals. Living in a small flat I have no oportunity (Or room) to set up a darkroom. I use ilford developing which is by mail. Can anyone tell me if this is an acceptable method??? Also will using a red filter bring out plenty of contrast against sky and sno. Also will the lab compensate for this thinking that there is a problem with my photos?? Thanx for any help Steve

-- Steve Scott (stevescott.surfer@virginnet.co.uk), January 10, 2001

Answers

Steve,

Answer 1: Red will give you the sharpest contrast...make sue you get a red 25 filter or higher.

Answer 2: If you feel upto it, you should include a note stating what your intentions were while shooting the film....I have noticed that most labs will oblidge your wishes.

Good luck in the alps,

Nauman

-- Nauman Saghir (nsaghir@hotmail.com), January 10, 2001.

You might want to try a polarizing filter instead of red. There are several advatages to this.
1)There's less light loss (1.5 to 2 stops, as opposed to 3 stops for a number 25)
2)The effect is controllable by varying the rotation of the filter, and easily viewable through the viewfinder (assuming you're using an SLR camera).
3)The effect of the filter is independent of the red response of the film used.
4)The polarizer works with colour film too.
The lab won't be able to reverse the effect of any filter in the printing, but you'll be lucky if they take the slightest notice of any note that you enclose with the film anyway. You pay for a standard service, and that's what you get. Your film goes through the machine with everyone else's.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), January 11, 2001.

Steve -- Go to http://www.artzone.gr/filterzone/filter.htm

There are a range of filters for B&W to darken sky. Red would be the deepest darkening because it filters out the most blue. Try a test roll with red, orange, yellow filters before your trip, taking notes with each exposure, and see the rsults for yourself. This of course only works when there is blue sky. Uniformly overcast sky will appear uniformly overcast.

Polarizing filters traditionally are used for color film, to deeoen color and contrast. They are most effective when you're working with a view that is 90 degrees from the sun's direction. )If you are using an autofocus camera, you'll need a circular polarizer, which costs a bit more. Frankly, I'd spend the money on a range of color filters.) The 90 degree angle of shooting relative to the sun would work well in the Alps since you'd have a good set of shadows and light to detail the mountains.

If you are going soon, in the winter, the sun should be low enough most of the day for shadow detail, hence contrast. Of course, shooting early morning and late afternoon will enhance this.

Using color filters selectively reduces the amount of light that gets to the film. B&W film responds to this with tones of grey. Standard developing should make little difference. Custom developing makes the most difference when using the Zone System, which would in pure form require using sheet film view cameras, with detailed notes of development requirements for each individual negative.

Don't let this stuff detract from your fun. I have spectacular pictures of the Alps from over a quarter century ago, but the best images of those crisp, clear days are still in my mind.

-- Jef Polaski (polaski@acm.org), January 11, 2001.

Steve, since you can't do your own processing and you are using Ilford labs, why not use Ilford's XP-2 chromogenic film. It has a wonderful tonal range, and if you shoot it @ 320 or 200 you will get excellent results over a wide range of lighting conditions.

I recommend AGAINST trying to make the NEGATIVES contrastier. Photographing in a snow/high altitude/sunny environment will give you plenty of contrast all of its own. If your prints turn out not contrasty enough simply ask the lab to print them contrastier.

You might want to try a red filter, to 'pop' the sky. Also, be sure you know how to meter in a snow environment.

Cheers - chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), January 12, 2001.