What is the Film Noir Look ?

Renzsu has it nailed. From a movie standpoint, look at Cagney's White Heat, Bogart's Maltese Falcon, and for a post-modern take, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner.
 
I'll also add that the film noir look tends to incorporate uni-directional lighting and a GoBo of the sort that projects window frames at the subjects etc...

I see the "Film Noir Look" as encapsulating the look of moderately budgeted Hollywood crime films with awful dialogue and pretty actrsses form the 40's and 50's and i think it's as much about the subject as it is about the technical side. the lighting techniques are, to us, very primative but very stylistic in their own way.

for a film noir image I personally would use the following ingredients

40's-50's style dress (things like fedoras, side partings, brogues huge lapels and fur)
a striking actress (model in this case)
cigarette smoke
a single light source with a GoBo projecting a window frame shadow across the frame
an old lens
some pushed B&W film to mimic the unrefined movie films of the day

of course, a Film Noir style shoot doesn't really have to look like it came from the middle of the last century, but for me there would need to be quite a melancholic mood in the image to take it from "simple pushed black and white image" to the Film Noir style
 
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Andy Kibber said:
Neopan 1600 does the trick. Shoot at night.
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Exactly. This was XP2 though.


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Smiles of happiness nor any other hints of joy need apply. Any smile that does occur must be a cruel smirk or rueful realization of impending death ...
 
I don't get the Hollywood film references... always thought that Film Noir referred to a particular genre of French/German films from the 50s-60s. 'Le Samurai', for instance. The Hollywood 50's/60s movies just look and feel different to me. But hey, I'm not a movie expert.

P.S. Come to think of it, some of 'SimonSawSunlight''s photos that I've seen here remind me of the Film Noir look.
 
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shyoon said:
First thing that came to mind when I saw this thread was Helen Hill. Her shots taken at night are superb.
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Ducky said:
+1 for Helen's stuff.
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MPerson said:
Helen = doubleplusgood.
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fixbones said:
++++1 for Helen's work.
I think Film noir is more than just shadows, highlights and somewhat lack of gradations.
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alright GENTLEMEN, Your nearly had me Fall Off my Chair....:eek::eek:
as I eagerly went to read this Thread...remembering those Old Classic B&W Noir Films...and then I stumble upon My Name
how Truly Generous & Wonderful YOU are and to Think of me...THANK YOU xoxoxo :D

so i'm off now to 'Look & See' what i shall post here in Homage to the LOOK & FEEL of NOIR
 
"Film Noir" doesn't have to be taken at night. I think "Film Noir" is about attitude, mostly bad, and the strong play of light, and atmosphere.
 

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Correct, Joe. That is why I threw my daytime shot in there. your shots bring to mind Chinatown. All sorts of daylight there, et filme noire ...
 
I would add that the original Film Noir (i.e. Hollywood Film Noir from the '30s and '40s, films like Double Indemnity, Nightmare Alley) has a decidedly artificial, theatrical look. Everything is very carefully staged, blocked and probably lit with very bright lights. The darkness of the shadows comes from the fact that the movie lights are so bright.
 
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