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Article & Images by Chris Groenhout.© 2006.
Visit Chris' Website.
Photographs intended for publication are generally evaluated
on the following technical criteria:-
* Sharpness and clarity
* Exposure
accuracy
* Colour
balance
* Colour
saturation
* Contrast
range
* Parallels
* Appropriateness of film format
In the past few years,
things have changed a little...
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Exposure accuracy is very important to the success
of your final product and can be assured using a number
of techniques. With colour transparency film, an incident
light reading is generally most accurate assuming that the
meter is correctly calibrated and the film stock rated accordingly.
For example, under ‘normal’ conditions, I rate
Fujichrome Velvia @ 32 ISO. I find at the manufacturers
recommended speed of 50 ISO, that the film looks “heavy”,
skin tones are overly warm (though this is a characteristic
of Velvia to be wary of) and shadow detail blocked up. Determine
your meter’s accuracy first, then your processing (stick
to one lab) and then experiment until you obtain optimum
results. Evaluating exposure can also be difficult and requires
a good light box, some ‘cutters’ and an objective
eye (refer to Contrast for further details). Other techniques
to assure well exposed results are clip-tests and bracketing.
For static subjects, I prefer the later as it loses no film
quality through alterations in processing. A clip-test on
the other hand is a small sample of the first frame or two,
from which the photographer determines altered (push or
pull) processing for the remaining film. This technique
is good where you intend to shoot a lot of exactly the same
subject (eg. fashion) with exactly the same lighting conditions
and exposure. The down-side is a loss of contrast and colour
saturation and general cooling of colour balance if the
film is PULLed. On the other hand, PUSHing a colour film
is generally less problematic if done in moderation. Finally
- if working with 4x5 colour transparency, the two-sheet
method (both with the same exposure) is useful, as the first
sheet acts as a test, which if correct exposure means you
have two copies of the same shot!
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Colour balance is affected by a
number of factors including lighting type, film stock,
exposure duration and even optics to some extent.
Many photographers like to carry vast selections of
correction filters and adjust for every possible lighting
situation. I prefer to use film appropriate to the
available light and if necessary use a few ‘standard’
filters for large corrections (eg. 80A - tungsten,
FL-W for fluro etc...). Make mixed light sources work
for, not against your photography. Tungsten light
is good to warm up natural textures such as wood and
paper, though avoid areas of blue in your subject
as it will cancel out and become a murky grey. Even
fluro’s can be used in moderation - try shooting
with tungsten film (eg. Fuji RTP) and they become
an appealing blue tint. The main rule is to keep some
grip on reality by maintaining a good level of daylight
or tungsten (depending on film used) so that the shot
looks exciting rather than a mistake! Film stock also
directly affects the colour balance. For really neutral
skin tones, use Kodak EPP; A warmer skin tone can
be achieved with FujiChrome Provia; and an even warmer
result from Velvia (often too warm, but very useful
in especially cold situations eg. warehouses). Know
your film! Extremely long exposures may affect colour
balance (and density) with Kodak and Agfa films though
the reciprocity affect (as it is called) is hardly
noticeable with Fuji films. Read ALL available information
on any new film and most importantly - test any film
before using for anything important.
Colour saturation is less easily controlled
than balance. It is a product of lighting, film stock,
processing and even subject matter! Using specular
lighting (eg. spotlight) will produce more saturation
than diffuse (eg. softbox) sources. Experiment with
the angle of the light - direct light will help, but
glare or even subtle reflection will reduce saturation.
Choose appropriate film stock. Fuji Velvia will provide
maximum saturation under normal processing conditions.
Conventional style Agfa and Kodak films will provide
a more naturalistic result. A polarising filter can
also help but only under some lighting conditions.
As previously mentioned, increased processing (PUSH)
will increase saturation (and contrast) to a degree,
but requires testing relevant to the film and lighting
situation. Avoid reduced processing (PULL) to minimise
saturation as it alters the overall clarity and colour
balance if done beyond half a stop or so. Finally
- saturation is only as good as the final product.
A Velvia transparency printed on CibaChrome paper
will produce a result with amazing saturation, but
the same transparency printed via interneg will look
less stunning. Again, match the material choices to
the subject matter...
Contrast range. Unlike B&W
photography, there are few easy ways to alter the
contrast of a colour transparency, before or after
processing. Keeping this in mind, it is best to provide
the film with a subject of optimum contrast range
and let the film do the rest. This does not mean that
every shot should be flat and lifeless as shadows
make interesting images and give the viewer a sense
of lighting and mood. Just keep in mind the limitations
of reproduction whether it be CibaChrome printing
or web printing for the local daily newspaper. The
general rule of thumb is to produce transparencies
with good detail in the larger areas of low and high
density, and not too worry too much about small spots
- eg. a highlight in a kettle. Often the ‘correct’
exposure will differ according to the subject matter
(eg. particularly light or dark overall), so if unsure,
bracket and when choosing, keep in mind the entire
transparency, not just the high and low areas. |
Parallels are the bane of every photographers
existence. Do you level the camera completely and produce
a lifeless shot, or angle it slightly and improve composition
in the process. With a large-format camera you luckily have
some control with movements, but with smaller cameras, you
are forced to make a creative solution. Some options are
a large tripod and ladder (to get higher), a wide lens (and
later crop foreground) or a long lens to reduce perspective
problems. Sometimes (client allowing) it is easier and more
interesting simply to obviously tilt the camera, thereby
bringing in another level of visual interest through the
use of diagonals. That way at least no one can criticise
your parallels as there won’t be any!
Film format is still an important
factor in any job, despite advances in computer scanning
technology. While the quality of a 35mm colour transparency
may exceed the maximum scanning rate of a repro-quality
scanner, it will still not look as good when compared with
the same subject on 120 or 4x5. Idealism aside, it would
be downright silly to shoot a step-by-step article (where
the shots are to be used 2cm square) on 120! Keep in mind
the following from my own work...
35mm - Great for small reproduction images, large
quantity work, candid people and animals, aerial photography
and where extremely wide or long lenses are necessary.
120 - Great for interiors, set-up portraits or product
shots, architecture, copy-work, most studio work, cover
photography etc...
4x5 inch - Ideal where perspective corrections are
necessary or where extremely large reproductions are likely.
Otherwise largely obsolete (sadly).
Other formats I have used include 8x10inch (ideal
for B&W contact prints), 6x17cm (fixed lens panoramic
camera - great for landscape and architectural work - large
format roll film) and 24x58mm (Widelux camera - rotating
lens panoramic - great for super wide and distorted perspective
work).
The purpose of this information is not to scare you,
but provide the tools with which you can control final results
in your work, every time you pick up the camera. While you
have the opportunity to experiment, do so and learn as much
as you can on films, chemicals and paper as well as your
equipment. That way when the time comes, you will be able
to master any situation the industry throws at you. And
when the editor says “they’re too yellow, reshoot
them you idiot!” (as mine did only a week ago), try
and understand that your photography is ultimately a pointless
waste of time, if it is unable to convey the message which
you set out to convey when picking up the camera. Good luck!
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