Ever wondered which black and white film you should use, and in what
situation? In our latest premium guide by ISSF writer Milosz Siebert, we cover
everything you need to know from A to Z, including reviews of all of the
popular brands of black and white film that are available in 2017.
Whether it’s fine grain or high contrast you’re looking for, this guide
will help you understand the different types of emulsions, how different
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Film: Kodak Tri-X shot with a red filter, pushed to 1600
Trocye on shooting film for this series:
“While Europe has thousands of years worth of ancient cities and temples, America has its great canyons, mountains, forests, and deserts; these are our great wonders. They are the great equalizer in our country; they belong to both rich and poor serving as a vast communal backyard. They are a testing ground and recreational paradise for generation upon generation of Americans. They can be cruel and unforgiving while simultaneously full of beauty and wonder. At a time when their future is in question it is imperative to understand how important they are to the American population and what a devastating loss it would be to have the purpose altered.
Our
public lands are one of this countries greatest treasures; millions of
acres of forests, rivers, deserts, and parks. The majority of this
acreage lies in the American West where they have become deeply
intertwined with the local population, they are our tie to the wildness
of our past, they humble, and teach us to have respect for the natural
world. Once again their fate is on rocky ground and to lose them would
be to lose a large part of our national identity.
This project was started 6 years ago when I was given a Holga camera as gift, without thought I started bringing it along on all my trips around the west. Slowly over time I found myself shooting more and more with only the Holga. The lack of control was incredibly liberating, no longer was I focused on gear in these wild places. With its limitations I slowly found out what type of light, compositions, and landscapes worked best. All the photos are taken with Kodak Tri-X film with a red filter that is then push processed to ISO 1600, this combination I feel creates a very dramatic effect that conveys the raw and unforgiving nature of the land.
I am a northern California based photographer specializing in documentary work. My journey began over a decade ago when I picked up a camera to satisfy a college art requirement. Shortly after, I quit school and took off to explore the world photographically. After five years of uncomfortable bus rides, bed bugs, and the same three shirts, Ie opted for a change of pace and moved to Truckee, California. Since moving to the mountains, the American West has been my subject of interest from the vineyards of wine country to the deserts of the Southwest.
All images were taken on the public lands of the west with a toy Holga camera.”
Twickel, Delden. After quite a few visits to this location spread over about 2 years, I finally had the exact conditions I was waiting for, with some early autumn mist to fill in the bright bit in the middle and to soften the look and get a smaller SBR.
Shot on a Chamonix 045N-2 with a Nikkor-SW 90/4.5@f32 on Fomapan 100
I Still Shoot Film presents our very first premium guide: Long Exposure for Beginners. Whether you shoot film or digital, this guide by ISSF writer Milosz Siebert will help you get started in the world of extended exposures including star trails, light painting, night shooting in general and long daylight exposures.
With film photography, your work doesn’t end at snapping a picture; the development phase is half the process – and half the fun. A lot can go awry during development, and a million dollar shot could turn out hideous if not developed right. This is why I always recommend experienced professional photographers to develop their own film. This gives you control over the whole process of film photography, from taking the picture to printing it. Plus, you can make sure you make compensations where necessary and develop each shot as required and desired.
That being said, you do need to be mindful of how technical the process is, and that it is called a “lab” for a reason. When developing your own film at a rented/borrowed lab, or in a homemade darkroom, you need to be extremely careful about handling the chemicals required in the process. These are either toxic or acidic in nature, and can be quite harmful if not handled properly.
There are three major chemicals you need in the development process, including a few optional ones. You start with the developer, which is the one that makes the picture magically appear out of nowhere. Black-and-white developer is used for black-and-white film, and colored developer is used for the C-41 chromogenic color print film. You gently slide the exposed paper into the developer and agitate for the required amount of time, which is usually 90 seconds. After this, the chemical activates the light sensitive halide crystals which make up the paper emulsion.
