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Ilford Delta Pro 100 ahhhh: family portrait in beautiful black and white
Submitted by keithloh on Mon, 2009-11-02 17:55.
Tannis and Lily | Ilford Delta Pro 100 on Mamiya 645 Pro with 80mm f/2.8
Between about a hundred digital shots I also chose to shoot two rolls of what is turning out to be my default black and white portrait film: Ilford Delta Pro 100. There is really something stellar and glowing about this black and white film. Also the crispness is very good too.
If you are looking for a lighting description: read this post
I could spend too much time trying to duplicate this in Adobe Lightroom on my digital shots when I could just be using this great negative with my Mamiya. In fact there are a number of shots in my digital selections that I had wished I had shot on film. For one thing, there is noticeably greater range in the greys on film vs the digital. Where I was losing lots of detail in the family's dark clothing on the 30D, there is still definition on film. You can see that in the third shot in the post.
Tannis and Lily Looking | Ilford Delta Pro 100 on Mamiya 645 Pro with 80mm f/2.8
This is not to say that I would have shot the entire shoot on film even with the cost aside ($3-4 a roll of 16 shots). For one thing, I would have needed to load all my 120 backs with film and needed an assistant to reload them as I finished them. I haven't yet employed Sarah to do that. In any case, she had another job which was as baby and parent wrangler. Secondly, no matter how good the photo lab, there will always be some problem with dust and hairs that you have to clean out in Photoshop. With each of my selections I spent around five to 10 minutes cleaning up dust on top of the usual touch ups.
Feeding break | Ilford Delta Pro 100 on Mamiya 645 Pro with 80mm f/2.8
Speaking of wrangling, I think I passed my first formal baby / family portrait shoot adequately. There was relatively little trouble, one poopy diaper and the only crying was quickly solved with feeding. Thank you to the parents!
Dylan, Tannis, Lily Side | Ilford Delta Pro 100 on Mamiya 645 Pro with 80mm f/2.8
Flashing strobes and babies
There is one question I see often with new parents and photography and that is whether the flashing of the strobe could harm the baby. I admit that when I saw Lily blink with every flash that I became a bit concerned about it. But really, I think the flash does not compete in any way with the power of the Sun and each flash is only momentary. We kept the actual shoot down to about an hour and that really makes up hardly a minute of time total (if that!) being exposed to the strobe.
Posted in Shots Submitted by keithloh on Mon, 2009-11-02 17:55.
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Beautiful pictures.
I like film shooting very much, Im more focused with it and results are somehow magical (not digitaly "perfect", just different feeling). And you can get another bonus in darkroom while developing prints in old-fashioned way
So...when you shoot film, why dont you develop it yourself? B&W isnt that hard to develop and after a few rolls you can adjust another level of B&W process. Plus - with little care you will get negatives without fingerprints, dust and hair....
About strobes - wouldnt be better a still light, not flesh?
wish you a good light
Tomas
Tomas, I would love to do some developing in my place -- it is just the matter of convincing my better half that the amount of chemicals used is not significantly destructive to health or to the world.
As for strobes, this is what I have and also I don't think my setup would support a hot light. In any case, I already get hot enough running about and don't want to add any more heat to my body or to the subject's.
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Keith Loh
"Tomas, I would love to do some developing in my place"
Im glad to see that - you are at the right way :o) Convincing our better halfs is a "long distance run"...Maybe the longest run you would ever commit. Im doing little convincing almost every day and I hope, Im getting better :o)
About chemicals. Developing B&W negatives isnt that dangerous, or harmfull. If you really want to deal it, you can gather used chemicals and give over to special places called "collection point - in our country" and they will take care of it (ecologically harmless liquidation). Developer shouldnt be that harmfull, because Iv heared about legendary experienced photographer, who mix it himself (without using scale) and he test it with his mouth (just like cooking a sauce). In addition - there are biological developers (vitamin C, skumpa,caffenol....) they work somehow, and are totaly harmless. To develop a negative, you dont need much, just few chemicals and some stuff ..and a lot of patience of course.
About lights - I understand. Im thinking about still light, that can be remotely switched in three modes (full power, low power, switch off) heating shouldnt be so problematic then....but i didnt complete it
Tomas
Would be good to to see a comparison between film and digital given the same conditions. Any idea how say a 5D would compare to the film?
I shot a 30D at the same time and some of those shots I will convert to black and white. But having never shot a 5D I don't know. I know that some people like the 5D because it is 'filmic', though.
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Keith Loh
I've mainly shot the 400, but I think I need to get some rolls of the 100.
Though i admit, the Efke line of films really does a fantastic job, although because of the nature of the film one has to be a bit careful in post processing it as to not damage the wet emulsion.
Syndicate
Great shots, son! Proud of yah!