The Glow

I found this very interesting! I have gravitated toward my older lenses, finding the modern ones too harsh. I did most of my shooting with the Summarit on our visit to my Mom's house. I will be posting more shots with it. This lens is under-rated.

The Nikkor's, even the old ones, produce higher contrast images. For some situations, that is fine. But I find for outdoor portraits in bright sun, the shadow detail is lost using the Nikkor 5cm F1.4 but present when using the Summarit.
 
I was a bit surprised by the article, especially the picture taking advice that was given.

1) Use an older lens. An old, fast "long normal" lens — a 58mm f/1.4 or 1.2

For my "Glow" shots I used my silver J-8, a 1960's 52/2, with a very smooth result. It's almost the difference between a smooth chocolate milkshake and Italian icecream; both nice but very different in nature.

2) Use a K2 filter — Wrattan #8, medium yellow

Only a few days before those shots I found an old B+W yellow filer. I cleaned it and screwed it on the J-8, and used it with those shots.

3) Shoot in good light away from the sun, and don't provoke flare. Shade the lens. Stay away from very high contrast situations.

The light was very good; not too harsh, and I shot under the trees. Contrast wasn't too bad either as the leaves let some of the light through.

4) Don't use a thin-emulsion film

Efke KB100 is a classic emulsion film, and guess what? I used it for those shots. :)

5) Expose enough

I always overexpose a little. That is, I always make sure the needle or the meter is never indicating correct exposure but always just a bit more.

6) Use a conventional, traditional developer.

I don't know if Rodinal is such a developer, but that's what I use in 50:1 dilution at 24 degreees C for 7m30s.

The shots I'm talking about are:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2554756
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2554762
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2554757
and
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2554753

It seems the advice giving in the Luminous Landscape article has hit the nail on the head, at least for the picture taking part.
 
I think the light is more important than the lens itself, although the lens can mitigate when the light is a little too harsh.

My office building has a courtyard surrounded on three sides by light brown brick buildings and by trees on the 4th side. In the late afternoon, the sun is behind the buidling and the courtyard is lit up by a vast expanse of blue sky. The buidlings do not contribute any harsh reflections, but the concrete walk areas reflect some of the skylight back upwards.

On clear days, I can consistently get an even, luminescent portrait out of this location. In essence what I have stumbled onto is a huge umbrella reflector.

-Paul
 
i thought that article was very interesting also.

i have been thinking that with the 'new' canon p and brian's 50/1.8 that i might try using tri-x again to see if i could recapture that 'old time feeling'.

joe
 
Well, now it is Joe's lens and I am anxious to see the results. If they are good, I can say "and I cleaned that lens". And if he doesn't like the results, Joe can say "and BRIAN cleaned that lens".

I am using the shot of Richmond taken with the lens as "wallpaper" on this computer.
 
Nice images RML. I've been trying for this look recently as I just started developing my own B&W. I see the glow in some images and wonder how they got it. Well, I don't have any really old lenses, but I did just buy a used Hoya K2 from KEH. I'll try to overexpose more. I'm still experimenting with different combos of film and developer to find what I like.
 
Scott, while I do overexpose a bit I often also take two or three meter readings. The meters of my Bessa and CL are only indicative, and I just watch the needle jump from it's lowest point to its highest point in a scene. When I find a balance that I think will be slightly over average I'll settle for that. I have aperture preset at f5.6 to f8 (or f11 at very bright days) and change exposure by changing shutter time. That shutter time button on my CL is placed SOOOOOO conveniently!

I must admit that checking and setting exposure are mostly unconscious acts, acts that just happen of about which I don't think much.
 
A very interesting reading Remy. Some days ago I was impressed by some photos posted by a photo.net member. The atmosphere on those shots was simply incredible, and were taken with a (according to the photog) 'well worn' Summar lens.

I need to put my hands on a nice 40.5mm filter for my J8 and J12. Are HP5+ or Tri-X among those 'non thin' emulsions ?
 
taffer said:
A very interesting reading Remy. Some days ago I was impressed by some photos posted by a photo.net member. The atmosphere on those shots was simply incredible, and were taken with a (according to the photog) 'well worn' Summar lens.

I need to put my hands on a nice 40.5mm filter for my J8 and J12. Are HP5+ or Tri-X among those 'non thin' emulsions ?
Click to expand...

Don't you think that many of the older rangefinder glass, would be perfect for achieving the "glow"?

Russ
 
6boy_on_train.jpg


Not to blow my own horn, but I always thought I kinda achieved that 'glow' with this shot - Yashica CC rangefinder.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
bmattock said:
6boy_on_train.jpg


Not to blow my own horn, but I always thought I kinda achieved that 'glow' with this shot - Yashica CC rangefinder.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
Click to expand...

Looks good to me. I'll accept that one.

Russ
 
that's ok bill, blow your own horn!

i think it has more to do with older lenses that are not as contrasty as the newer ones.
i'm not really technical enough to know if a thin or fat film emulsion would make a difference. i know that shooting mostly b&w i prefer to have a yellow filter on if at all possible.

joe
 
I think it is a combination of light and lens, this one is under flourescent lighting, slow speed and an older 50mm summicron shot on tri-x pulled 1 stop:
 
backalley photo said:
i know that shooting mostly b&w i prefer to have a yellow filter on if at all possible.

joe [/B]
Click to expand...

Joe

I too burn a lot of B/W film. About ten years ago, I switched to the deep yellow (#15) filter, and much prefer it over the medium yellow. So much so, that I've given given my medium yellows away. Also, about five years ago, I discovered Fuji Neopan 400 B/W film. When street shooting, I burn it @ 320, through a deep yellow, and the negatives are sooooo beautiful. It's all I ever use these days. Have you tried this combination? I highly recommend it. And because of the light loss due to the deep yellow, I can usually shoot in bright daylight, without an ND filter on the rangefinders.

Russ
 
Todd.Hanz said:
I think it is a combination of light and lens, this one is under flourescent lighting, slow speed and an older 50mm summicron shot on tri-x pulled 1 stop:
Click to expand...

Todd

That's a great shot. Tri-X @ 200? Can I assume that you like the Canon GIII lens?

Russ
 
Ross, I'm with you on Fuji Neopan 400 and a yellow filter - great combination.

This is an example of that combination (shot with Leica M3 and Summicron 50/2.0 (rigid vesion 1));
 
hey russ,

for the past few years i shot with my mamiya 6. i used ilford 3200 pretty much exclusively.

i'm now using the bessa r and trying to get used to the camera and lenses.
soon i'll be using the canon p w/ 50/1.8 canon lens and will be getting used to that set up.

after all that i will need to make a decision about film.
right now i'm using ilford xp2 out of sheer laziness and not wanting to go into the darkroom but i would never give 'real' film over to a lab. (i know, sounds loopy!) i'm hoping that with the winter cold, working in the darkroom will sound more appealing and then i'll just get my negs scanned by a local lab.
eventually i will need to get a neg scanner of my own but that seems a long way off.
this is way long and i don't think i've even addressed your comments.
no- i have not tried a deeper yellow or the fuji neopan. i might in the future as i can get many different films and chemicals here in the frozen north.
i was thinking of going back to tri-x with the canon to see if i could recapture the old look of my youth.

so many possibilities...so little money.:)

joe
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom