Better Black And White Film Photos (SIMPLE STEPS)

[@donyee8970]

Took my first photo class 40 years ago as an undergrad. I got hooked on the magic of developing and printing black and white. Looking at the negatives while they're wet and seeing the print emerge in the developer still hasn't lost it's magic to this day. Though I've been at it for a long time, I'm still learning. Your KZbin channel has taught me a lot. Cheers!

[@Distphoto]

@@donyee8970 So cool to hear, Thanks!!!

[@jonjanson8021]

Back in the day when I was young, about 100 years ago, when there was no internet, and virtually everything had to be gleaned from magazines. Those magazines used to encourage folks to buy, shoot and try as many films as possible. Those same magazines used to derive a lot of their advertising revenue from film manufacturers. Even today you see KZbinrs telling folks to shoot as many colors and flavours of film as they can lay hands on. Thanks for giving good and better advice.

[@Distphoto]

@@jonjanson8021 Crazy to think about… I guess you should experiment at times but to get really good should focus on mastering one to start 👍

[@CD-kc5op]

This was awesome! So cool to see you playing with the video editing and style! Love the intro, very exciting and the new setups look awesome. Very engaging! Just so fun... The chicken 😂

[@Distphoto]

@@CD-kc5op Thank you! Fun learning new things, Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jordanfreedman2254]

Thank you for the tips. I shot film as a teenager up into my 30's (mostly B&W), but it was all a lot of trial and error. Coming back to film now, I'm back to square one in a lot of ways. I never developed my own before, but would like to. Your explanations of how to get the results I want was invaluable! THANK YOU!

[@Distphoto]

You're welcome!

[@sbills]

Thanks!

[@Distphoto]

@@sbills Thank you Steve!!!

[@wernerswannet]

Damn Good!! This is the only YT clip every beginning B&W film-photographer should look at to get started!! Even I, film developer for over 40 years, watched the whole clip! Clear yet simple, with just enough peripheral information, not too long and not too short!! Nice!

[@Distphoto]

@@wernerswannet Much appreciated, thank you!

[@oudviola]

Excellent tips, nice to have them in one place as a starting point.

[@Distphoto]

@@oudviola Thank you 🙏

[@JDPhotography7]

Thanks for this info, very helpful advice. I haven't developed my own film yet but giving it some consideration.

[@Distphoto]

It is pretty simple and will save money. plus you get to see the negs sooner if you so choose 👍

[@KAUSTUBH447]

Extremely valuable tips Matthew.

[@Distphoto]

Thank you, great to hear!

[@Blue_Camera_Cat]

I've developed a bit over 100 rolls now and this is the first time I'm hearing the big tip in the beginning, holy moly. I certainly have a good direction to take for the next 100 rolls!

[@Distphoto]

Give dialing in one a shot for a while!

[@charlespitts5901]

Nice informative video! My work flow is a little different, at least for travel photography, I usually shoot in color. I then choose which looks better for each picture, either color or converted black and white (once they're digitized in high resolution). I adjust the saturation and contrast in post based on my local print lab's machine calibration (a reprint or two and I can dial it in for the rest). I'm self taught and have had my share of mess ups for sure but it's all part of the learning curve. When I'm doing street photography, I usually shoot just black and white film (TMax or Delta). Back 50 years ago when I WAS developing and printing my own work (and losing brain cells from the chemicals), grain was the enemy and sharp, sharp, sharp was my end goal. Fast forward to today and I have also embraced Pictorialism styles and a more cinematic/dreamy look. I like shooting with adapted projection lenses, soft focus lenses, and a 115 year old Brownie box camera. I added a yellow filter to the box camera to make up for the low contrast, uncoated, single element lens. My work has hung in museums and gallery shows most likely, because it's a little different.

[@Distphoto]

Thanks for sharing. Makes sense to have flexibility in color for post to do black and white. I have wanted to try a good monochrome digital camera to see how it performs but feel color might just be a better option to start for digital With low contrast camera lenses like brownie / Holga/ pinhole I also often develop by quite a bit more to add contrast. Would love to check out your work!

[@CalumetVideo]

Mostly shoot black and white here. I agree about sticking with film stocks as you learn them. I primarily shoot Tri-X 400 and Kentmere 100 when I need a 100 speed film.

[@Distphoto]

The price of that Kentmere (and the results I have seen) make it very tempting! Never go wrong with Tri-X 👍🏻

[@uwetrenkner9716]

Thanks for your tips. I am thinking about how to incorporate them. Tip no. 2 confuses me: Expose for the shadows (I get this), develop for the highlights (?) What does that mean? I am using an HP5 metering for the shadow area with my exposure meter and then developing it for 6:30 at 20 degrees C. How do I develop for the highlights? Or do you mean the darkroom print? Searching for the exposure time when the first details start to appear in the highlights?

[@chriscard6544]

develop your film for the hightlights. Let's say you have a contrasted scene, a range of 6 or higher stops, you will reduce developing time -15% or -30% of standard time. Opposite if your scene is flat, you will increase your developing time +15%. When I expose for the shadows, I go -2 stops from the measure of the darker part. You have to experiment a bit. I use mainly the zone system.

[@uwetrenkner9716]

@ thx for this helpful answer. I’ll try to incorporate this into my next development process.

[@Distphoto]

Yes, What @chriscard6544 said. The developer builds density on the negative evenly for the first minute or two and then the mid and highlight areas start building density faster and the shadows slow to nearly a halt with the deepest shadows being fully developed (Not much exposure to develop) The upper end can keep developing denser with longer development increasing contrast allowing you to adjust development for the highlights ( adjusting the overall contrast of the negative)

[@arekceg]

​​@@DistphotoI still don't get it, a roll can have different scenes, some more contrasy, some flat. How can I develop for highlights and compensate for all the scenes?

[@markhaney2884]

Been shooting Black and white almost exclusively since I was in my teens, 1973ish. I think color is always a distraction, unless the colors are black n white plus a whole bunch of greys, lol.

[@Distphoto]

🙌😂🙌

[@christophbader3713]

I am fixed almost only to HP5 and FP5 and the three Microphen, ID11 and Perceptol. Perceptol I use for pulling almost only. Microphen for pushing FP5 and in other cases ID11. This combinations are quite consistent. Easy to work with the chemicals. I know, what I get and can concentrate on the photography.

[@Distphoto]

Perfect 👌

[@davegeraghty2187]

The amount of times I hear expose for the shadows develop for the highlights but haven't actually seen an example of it - develop longer for how long? How do you know how long to develop for highlights?

[@Distphoto]

Will make a video breaking that one down!

[@mynameisnotcory]

I found super xp2 recently…really really loved it shot @ 800 in a very dark brewery for a wedding, but 400tx was my ‘let me shoot 20 rolls to really figure this out’ filmstock

[@Distphoto]

@@mynameisnotcory Shot some years ago but do not remember the results I got. Will have to dig them up. Tri-x is great. I stopped using it when they had a problem with the text showing in the film in 120. Ruined an image for me. That was a while back. But it really is a classic I do still use the 320 in 4x5 and it is incredible. Unfortunately so is the price…

[@jensruckert4763]

Well, well, … still the same rules as 45 years ago and they are as golden as they were. Always good light! 👍🏼

[@Distphoto]

Indeed!!!

[@valerijkoval2904]

Thank for your tips!) I absolutely agree with you, shoting different tipes of film not help to get stabil results every time) What your favourite film & developer combo and how much you usually decreise normal developing time after exposing for shadows???) Greetings from Ukraine!

[@Distphoto]

@@valerijkoval2904 Thank you! For medium format it’s hc110 and HP5. Standard Time is 12.5 min 1:39 from stock at 21 c. Low contrast I push it to 15 min and upwards of 20 min depending on High contrast I start 10 min and sometimes compensating… So roughly 20%. But also will alter by feel of the scene. I base it off my favorite shot on the roll ( or what I think will be my favorite) these have made my negatives in general easy to print 👍

[@valerijkoval2904]

@@DistphotoThank 🤗

[@wannabedavinci2596]

Do I need a UV filter for my camera when shooting b&w?

[@Distphoto]

Can help cut through haze and protect your lenses 👍

[@SteSeed]

Film photography is simply a talent. You've either got it or you haven't. I've gone back to digital.

[@Distphoto]

I think they just need a slightly different approach.

[@DannerPlace]

Great information.

[@Distphoto]

Glad you think so!

[@michael195b]

One of my big mistakes is too many film types and too many developers although I've managed to get down to Fomapan 200 and Ilford HP5+ and maybe just Rodnol for Fomapan 200 and Micophen for the HP5 - that's what I've found the best at the moment! I did have DDX, ID11 & D76 on the go when couldn't get ID11.

[@Distphoto]

I think we are all a bit guilty... just so many good options to try!

[@michaelmcgovern8110]

Thanks. C-41 processing machines for home use exist and aren't expensive. Go for it!

[@Distphoto]

Small stainless tanks are my preferred, nothing has to be expensive or fancy 👍

[@STANDRDUSER]

What’s your experience with Caffenol C? Would you recommend an Eco Developer for beginners?

[@Distphoto]

No experience with Caffenol C. I tend to keep my developers pretty vanilla these days. Sure you can get great results with it. Xtol would be my recommendation as an eco friendly developer, Though I prefer liquid concentrates as they store better and are a little easier to deal with.

[@STANDRDUSER]

@@Distphoto Thank you

[@istvann.huszar420]

I don't like the background music, but your images are gorgeous!

[@Distphoto]

@@istvann.huszar420 Appreciate that!

[@mariuspsc]

Once you get into photography literature you will find yourself with a correct and more broad understanding of film chemistry and photography techniques than what many photography vloggers explain about.

[@Distphoto]

Lots of great books out there to discover!

[@joseerazevedo]

Hi Matthew! José Azevedo from Brazil here. Thanks for the tips, always a nice reminder! Have you received my e-mail on The Perfect Test Strip Printer to Brazil? Haven't heard from you anymore. Thanks for the video, see you on the next video. All the best!

[@Distphoto]

@@joseerazevedo Hey, I will shoot you another email asap! Thanks

[@wavensdorvad]

👏

[@Distphoto]

@@wavensdorvad 🙏🙏🙏

[@ЕвгенийМалышкин-з6к]

👍

[@Distphoto]

@@ЕвгенийМалышкин-з6к 🙏🙏🙏

[@jimgam730]

1/200th of a chicken. Hahahaha

[@Distphoto]

Siri... 😂

[@Zetaphotography]

I stopped watching because I use a Lab. Anyone reading he suggested learning how to develop your own film. Not sure what else he said after. Video is not for us

[@Distphoto]

@@Zetaphotography May have missed the best tip 👍. You don’t have to develop your own but you do get a whole mother level of control… and it’s really simple