Help! I'm shooting film!

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Hello all!

I was wondering about what film you guys would recommend to use to shoot portraits ... would film choice be dependent on indoor versus outdoor setting?

Please share your recommendations for color film and for black and white film for indoor and outdoor use.

thanks in advance

edd

[Rick Waldroup]

For color portraits, any of Kodak's Portra films will work. I highly reccommend Fuji's line of portrait films such as NPS or NPH. You basically want a fairly low contrast film that is designed for skin tones. Alas, Kodak's VPS is no longer available, a staple of wedding and portrait photographers for years. As far as B&W goes, there are several options depending on what you want to do. Tri X is still a great all around basic film with decent speed (anywhere from 320 to 400) decent grain and great latitude. If you need finer grain there are slower films such as Kodak Plus X (I think they still make it) or Fuji's Acros which is 100 speed. For the last couple of years I have been shooting Fuji Neopan 400, which is a wonderful 400 speed film that is very similar to Tri X. Are you going to process your own B&W film? If not then you might want to look at one of the chromogenic B&W films that are processed in C41 chemistry. Also a lot of guys like TMax B&W film. So your options are wide open. Hope this helps.

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Originally Posted by Rick Waldroup

For color portraits, any of Kodak's Portra films will work. I highly reccommend Fuji's line of portrait films such as NPS or NPH. You basically want a fairly low contrast film that is designed for skin tones. Alas, Kodak's VPS is no longer available, a staple of wedding and portrait photographers for years. As far as B&W goes, there are several options depending on what you want to do. Tri X is still a great all around basic film with decent speed (anywhere from 320 to 400) decent grain and great latitude. If you need finer grain there are slower films such as Kodak Plus X (I think they still make it) or Fuji's Acros which is 100 speed. For the last couple of years I have been shooting Fuji Neopan 400, which is a wonderful 400 speed film that is very similar to Tri X. Are you going to process your own B&W film? If not then you might want to look at one of the chromogenic B&W films that are processed in C41 chemistry. Also a lot of guys like TMax B&W film. So your options are wide open. Hope this helps.

This does help ... thank you

[epronske]

Consider over exposing by 1/3 stop, i.e. set the exposure meter to ISO 320 for film rated at ISO 400 and ISO 640 for film rated at 800. Process the film for the manufacturer's ISO rating, i.e. don't tell the lab that you shot the film at a different rating. This adds a little density to the negative and seems to reduce the grain. A good friend of mine who is a wedding and portrait photographer who shoots Fuji Pro800Z gave me this tip and it reallly seems to help.

[Nevyn]

Also check out the Ilford Delta 100 for BW negative film.

[ndsimm]

looks like you already got some great advice, good luck and post some of the shots when you're done

[ShutteredEye]

Originally Posted by Nevyn

Also check out the Ilford Delta 100 for BW negative film.

Mmmm. Ilford Delta 100. My favorite film.

I also second the Fuji NPS. I've been extremely happy with both. Of course I shoot their 120 renditions, but surely it's the same.

[mramos]

For portraits in color I liked using the fuji nps group. Good colors and is was usually easier to find than the kodac nc/vc group. For B/w I used Kodak Tri X, and Tmax. The tmax has more of a greyer look about it , where the Tri X had a stronger contrasty look. The key is finding a good lab that knows how to get the most out of the film.

[Holly]

The key is finding a good lab that knows how to get the most out of the film.

Hit the nail on the head with this one. It's all about the lab.
I liked Kodak's Portra VC and NC for color...T-Max for b/w.