Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/03/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jeffery Smith wrote: >Resisting digital as long as possible, I'm trying to find a >film/developer/lens/technique that will give me the look of some of the old >Capa and HCB images. I just received my first two boxes of Rollei 25 (the >varnished wooden boxes are pretty darned elegant for holding 10 rolls of >film) which I hope will give me a bit more density > > > > Jeffery: If all it took to emulate Capa, HCB or Frank was a trip to the local photo store we'd all be rich and famous. Unfortunately, (well, you fill in the rest) One point though, density is a function of exposure not film speed and in fact slower films are much thinner emulsions than say Tri-X or HP5. I'd bet Capa and Bresson were shooting something akin to the fast films of their day. When Photographers Formulary starts producing their Rodinal copy in liquid form and you're still looking for "that look" try it and Tri-X. That darn stuff was the oldest formula developer on the market and would give substance to your images like nothing else. If you want to experiment, try 1 camera, 1 lens (28 or 35) and a pocket full of film. Go back to the 9th ward (where you've done so well already) and pick one scene. Do this one scene until it can't be done any better. Most importantly, look at the scene. */Watch the light/*, and when it's time to shoot, do it. Don't forget the most important thing, /*Watch the light. */When you think you can't do it any better, stop and /*Watch the light. */That's why they call it photography. Walt