Creamy tones: what's your strategy?

[dovi]

I've been having luck with HP5 at 200EI overdeveloped (accidentally).. this is is grainy with some tonality

 

[paulfish4570]

lovely, lovely images ...

 

[peterm1]

The more I look at these the more I think I am right - those with some element of warming tone often look more "creamy" than others. Even when its very very slight.

 

[charjohncarter]

OK, everybody hates HC-110(h), but I like the creamy midtones. This was on a blazing sunny (August) day around my pool in California (if you don't like this 'look' don't look:35mm):

Edit: sorry the most important part: Tmax100 at 50.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Peter, I think you're right when you say with "creamy" people mean subtle tonal gradation... And I guess that richness is enhanced by lack of grain (or larger formats, for the same reason...) but it requires very good exposition (not the so common underexposure visible in most B&W) and the right development too...

Many times, though, crisp -not dissolved- grain texture adds another kind of richness to surfaces and their tonal gradations... That's inherent to photography, and so peculiar... That's the look I like the most: grainy, but with clear, separated midtones, and punchy contrast, with pure black, and -if the scene contained it- pure beautiful whites clearly separated from high grays... As the tones found in the swimmers shot...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Rob-F]

It seems easier in 120 then 35mm, this one is with a Rolleiflex 3.5F with Tri-X at 200 souped in Xtol 1:1, a bit of toning in PS. Not sure if it's what your looking for but it looks 'creamy' to me.

Todd I think that shot would have looked creamy no matter what film you used or what you souped it in!

 

[ChrisN]

We had a great discussion about tonality and graduations in tones some time ago, here.

 

[Sparrow]

Todd; love that elevated shot of the swimmers, composition, timing and technically, it all works really well

PS if all else fails, there is also curves or shadows & highlights in Photoshop

 

[gilpen123]

I think lighting and exposure has to do also with creaminess of the tonal gradation. This was taken with a canon 50 1.4 neopan 400

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[raytoei@gmail.com]

I see this effect on my Hassy and I have been trying to recreate it ever since with only 1 other success.

On both occasions, I think the aperture is 2.8 or f4.

 

[TimSmith-Laing]

Fomapan 200 shot at 100; developed 5:30 in 1 to 14 ilfosol 3. Best tones I've ever achieved.

 

[Jamie123]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ilford Delta (100&400)yet. IMO it's the best film for creamy tones (other than very low ISO films).

 

[phaedrus]

As has been mentioned, there's no substitute for a larger format if you want to see subtle tonal variations. That's even true for digital sensors.
It has only been hinted at, but toning helps preserve creamy tones, too. Especially so if the end result is being presented on an 8-bit device, i.e. the monitor most of us are looking at right now. There's that difference between working with 256 shades of grey vs. a much larger number of colors if you duo- or tritone. Mind you, the pictures still look black and white, but they aren't.

Pure black and white

Duotone Photoshop action on this version

 

[peterm1]

Another fairly creamy shot taken last weekend. Color desaturated and a warming tone applied. Nice gradations in the clouds.

 

[edodo]

I got best tonal gradation from indoor side of window kind of lighting! The light lands on the various volume and texture of the subject with the magic only film can reproduce. That's one thing I learned in art school when you draw a volume is to have that tonal quality of light to gives depth to the subject

 

[elmoG]

IIIg 90/4 Eastman 5222 HC110 1+60

 

[mark-b]

Creamy....Tri-x at 200, developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 9 minutes. To me that's creamy. Also depends on subject matter and exposure.

 

[Ronald M]

4x5 or any larger format is first choice. Tri X in HC110 looks far better than anything you can do with 35mm.

Distant second is slow film and undiluted developer, ie use stock. Modern emulsions do not respond well to different developers, but Tri x at EI 200 is quite good. Redulce developing time by 20% and you will be very close.

Use an edge mask in photoshop and heavy noise reduction. The edge mask will protect the sharpness.

Portra 160 or Ektar 100 if you send color film out. Edge mask in PS when it comes back and use NR or blur.

 

[mfogiel]

A general recipe would be a medium-low contrast lens, and a small pull, i.e. rich exposure and short development.
Some examples:
Summilux 50 pre ASPH and Rollei Retro 100 in Tanol Speed

same lens, Tri X in D 76 1+1

Super Angulon 21/3.4 and Rollei Retro 100 in Tanol Speed

C Sonnar 50/1.5 , Fomapan 200 Prescysol EF

Summicron 50/2 Collapsible, Rollei Retro, Rodinal1+60

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

If your midtones are creamy, you don't have enough microcontrast in the midtones. To me the pics people praise for 'creamy' tones look dull and lifeless.

Not creamy! It has tonal seperation

Same here

Almost all midtones with strong tonal seperation