mgrinnan
Member
Hello
I was wondering if anybody knows if shooting color print film with a red filter over the lens will result in a sort of red cast/monochrome result? I really only shoot B&W, but want to get a sort of all-red look, and have some red filters. If anybody has tried this, or knows what I’m talking about, let me know. (I am aware this sounds like a stupid question).
Thanks
I was wondering if anybody knows if shooting color print film with a red filter over the lens will result in a sort of red cast/monochrome result? I really only shoot B&W, but want to get a sort of all-red look, and have some red filters. If anybody has tried this, or knows what I’m talking about, let me know. (I am aware this sounds like a stupid question).
Thanks
lynnb
Veteran
Yes it will have a red cast, colours other than red will appear less saturated, contrast will be strongly affected in the same way a red filter in bw will affect contrast.
Think about adding red to all the other colours in the colour wheel - colours on the other side of the wheel (blues, greens) will have red added to them and become much darker. Colours adjacent to red (yellow, orange) will not go as dark.
The overall red cast will give a desaturated look.
Converting to bw it will appear as if you've used a red filter, as one would expect.
You can accentuate the effect by stacking a polarising filter on top of the red.
Think about adding red to all the other colours in the colour wheel - colours on the other side of the wheel (blues, greens) will have red added to them and become much darker. Colours adjacent to red (yellow, orange) will not go as dark.
The overall red cast will give a desaturated look.
Converting to bw it will appear as if you've used a red filter, as one would expect.
You can accentuate the effect by stacking a polarising filter on top of the red.
Using green, red, orange, yellow filters intended for B&W shooting will very definitely give you a strong cast of the same color as the filter on color film. Same with color balance filters intended for color film use (for using daylight color film in indoor incandescent light for example).
You could also try using color separation filters that come in a set of red, green, and blue. I tried that once, making three (multiple) exposures, one with each filter, on a tripod, moving things slightly in the scene between exposures for effect. Things that were stationary come out with normal color after the three exposures. Shots of running water, such as a stream, done this way have multicolored ripples due to their having moved between exposures.
You could also try using color separation filters that come in a set of red, green, and blue. I tried that once, making three (multiple) exposures, one with each filter, on a tripod, moving things slightly in the scene between exposures for effect. Things that were stationary come out with normal color after the three exposures. Shots of running water, such as a stream, done this way have multicolored ripples due to their having moved between exposures.
nukecoke
⚛Yashica
There will be a cast but it won't have the aesthetic duo-tone effect.
I've used a very light pink filter (Type F, 85C), made by Petri, it just warms the tone a bit.
brbo
Well-known
The effect will depend on how you're going to print/scan. If you are not careful, many auto inversions of the colour negative (especially those that don't have access (or don't make use of it) to unexposed film area) will treat the red cast as part of the color negative "orange mask" and will cancel out the effect as much as possible.
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
I have unintentionally done this more often than I should have. With out intent, I haven't really got anything I liked from this happening. If then converted to BW, sometimes the photo can be ok.
I do like the "Harris effect" which is how this technique was referred to when I learned it.
I didn't realize this. Thanks for the pointer.
If this is done intentionally, I think one could get some good photos from it. If you do, I'd be interested to see what you get!
There is also "red scale" which is a bit similar, I suppose: color film loaded backwards into the cassette so the emulsion side is away from the lens and the image is formed through the base layer, giving an overall orange-ish cast to the photo. And, probably, a soft focus effect.
Rob
farlymac
PF McFarland
Here's one I did with a yellow filter after reloading the camera, and forgetting to remove the filter.
Oh Well by P F McFarland, on Flickr
And this is what Redscale looks like:
Left to Right ISO 25-50-100
ISO 25-50-100 by P F McFarland, on Flickr
It depends on the strength of the light how much of a red effect you get.
Finality by P F McFarland, on Flickr
So if you are looking for an overall cast, then I'd stick with a red filter, instead of redscale.
PF
Oh Well by P F McFarland, on Flickr
And this is what Redscale looks like:
Left to Right ISO 25-50-100
ISO 25-50-100 by P F McFarland, on Flickr
It depends on the strength of the light how much of a red effect you get.
Finality by P F McFarland, on Flickr
So if you are looking for an overall cast, then I'd stick with a red filter, instead of redscale.
PF
mgrinnan
Member
retinax
Well-known
These look like monochromes somehow tinted red, not color shots - there aren't any colors except the one tone of red.
Greyscale
Veteran
Rolleiflex MX-EVS, Kodak Ektar 25 (expired 1998) with orange filter by Mike Novak, on Flickr
Rolleiflex K4A, Velvia 100F by Mike Novak, on Flickr
Kai-san
Filmwaster
These were popular in the sixties and seventies, I believe they were called duochromes. Impossible makes instant film that produces this effect.