Landscape Film Photography - Soft and Noisy

[@dirtywater5336]

LOVE LOVE LOVE what you said at 7:00. I'm a big believer in this way of thinking. I didn't used to be though. I took a photo once with 400 speed film and I was expressing my displeasure with the grain to a photographer friend of mine. He then turned to me and said something that really resonated. He said "I believe any viewer that insists on studying the grain of a photo instead of appreciating its content is missing the point of a photograph" That little piece of wisdom changed me as a photographer. From that day forward I didn't pixel peep or worry so much about how sharp something came out. Not to say I allowed myself to get lazy and not care at all. I am always careful get the picture the way I want it. But I don't allow trivial things like grain or soft focus from shooting wide open bother me anymore. It's not what photography is all about, and he reminded me of that. Many of the most iconic images in the world are not perfect. Whether it be lighting, composition, or even grain, those images are not iconic because of their "flaws". They're iconic because of their content. The story they tell and the feelings or mood they evoke. You're right, even today's bottom shelf cameras are pin sharp by comparison of older film cameras, and yet people still whine about sharpness, clarity, and noise. Some things will never change, I suppose.

[@SteveONions]

I also like a lot of the old masters works and many were intentionally soft such as the practitioners of the pictorialist movement. Cartier Bressons images weren’t always particularly sharp but that doesn’t lesson their impact for me. Keep an eye out for an upcoming vlog where I shoot 35mm film and make a very large print.

[@GaryGough]

Excellent Steve. Restricting yourself or forcing yourself to work differently can and will only improve the way you think and In turn make you a better photographer. A great lesson for us all 👍🏻👍🏻

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Gary, it is so much easier to shoot with a camera like the Holga, fewer controls to get in the way.

[@aerialfilm1]

I’m so grateful I’ve found your channel. Techniques not tricks, and information without pounding the table about kit are a welcome departure from the usual yt content.

[@SteveONions]

Thank you!

[@eltinjones4542]

Any camera in the right hands - 👌

[@doumepatrice7597]

Superbe vidéo, merci pour cette vision différente du "mauvais temps"

[@davidpresnell1734]

Your work with the Holga inspired me to rescue a Kodak Hawkeye from the early 50's! It has several advantages over the Holga, it doesn't leak light or fall apart! Its made from bakelight and has a real glass lens. Mine cost $5 and cleaned up easily with no damage to the lens or finder. I did have to add a tripod mount. The shutter speed is fixed @ a 50th of a second but offers time exposure but no cable release! The little devil digests ortho and 100 speed films easily and is surprisingly sharp with slight bluring at the corners of its 6x6 cm image! I watch your work with appreciation and envy your locations. Keep up the awesome efforts!!

[@SteveONions]

Have fun with the Kodak David but it sounds a little too sophisticated for me and the lack of light leaks is a serious drawback 😀

[@joerg_koeln]

Great video, amazing images.

[@kiwicit0]

Amazing images from such a basic piece of kit and a simple walk around the beach...brilliant!

[@joshuafagans7534]

Many good points. So many people forget (or never knew) what photography was like in the film days and that there is value there. Thanks for the post!

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Joshua.

[@adamm4926]

I love my Holga ❤️ Excellent video, thanks for sharing.

[@oudviola]

Ha ha I guessed Holga when the first image came up! Beautiful moody images.

[@SteveONions]

Cheers Mark.

[@whitecurtis225]

A true master of your craft . You make it looks so easy. Thank you again.

[@jbairdexp]

Always enjoy watching your work Steve. Really interesting to see how you post process your images to get that distinctive look. :-)

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Julian.

[@waynesimon2963]

Thanks for the stroll along the beach and an interesting look at the ability & restrictions of the Holga camera. Makes me think about taking my Kodak Brownie out for a stroll on our beaches here in Nova Scotia. I have been looking at a few KZbin videos of people loading 120mm film into the 620mm Brownie and all look fine. Even loading 135mm film and those images. Thanks again Steve and Cheers from Canada.

[@SteveONions]

Hope you get out with the Brownie Wayne, plenty of people manage fine with 120 or just get some spools from the Film Photography Project.

[@oldfilmguy9413]

Thanks, Steve - not only excellent images, but great instruction. You've inspired me to take the Holga out on the next "lousy" weather day,

[@SteveONions]

Can’t beat the Holga when the weather is off. It also works very well on bright sunny days when normal landscapes look boring.

[@leslumieres1237]

I've used a tiny Voigtlaender 110 camera, shooting mostly in B/W for exactly the same purpose. Love this vlog!

[@maksqwe1]

I really enjoy shooting film because of the way it makes things ‚feel’. I live in the Uk, and the weather is best described as flat. 99% of the time, everything is grey and dull. BUT, film saves the day and makes things seem more alive. I’m still learning how film reacts to different colours, how it renders things differently and especially that shutter speed is not what I thought it was (coming from digital). Perfects shots have a place and time, but for personal work, perfection is boring to me. Thank you for the content. Nice seeing familiar places on video!

[@crappfoto]

Masterpieces ! Merry christmas and happy and healthy new year !

[@SteveONions]

Thank you, and a happy new year to you too 😊

[@my2004rt]

I look forward to your videos and photography. They are very inspiring Wonderful images!

[@SteveONions]

Thank you Frank.

[@carlinschelstraete682]

Wow. Gorgeous shots Steve!

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Carlin.

[@beekellyplus]

I, too, assumed a pinhole session was in the offing. You’ve made me ... not reconsider but think of reconsidering the value of my Holga equivalent, a Lomo Belair, with its pair of similarly vague plastic lenses. Bad weather might well be what it’s good for. Nicely made video, Steve. Thanks.

[@SteveONions]

I like the look of the Belair and used to have a homemade 6x12 too. Something very special about the 2:1 ratio which is why I use a 6x12 back on the 4x5.

[@beekellyplus]

Steve O'Nions I agree about the format. Unfortunately, the Belair looks a lot better than it works, and your zone focusing has to be spot on. Which makes for a rather large number of surprises per roll. My pinholes are more reliable.

[@SteveONions]

That’s a shame especially as it isn’t a cheap camera. The Holga is the one I keep coming back to, like pinhole but easier to use.

[@tommorgan3125]

Great video and images and no large backpack. Ah photography freedom.

[@SteveONions]

Freedom indeed Tom, just the camera in my pocket and a few rolls of film.

[@wyopobo5339]

Steve, thanks for the great video. I love the Holga photographs.

[@SteveONions]

Thank you, I really do like the Holga.

[@lars-goranabrahamsson9337]

Really nice video and beutiful photograps. Best regards.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Lars.

[@jameslane3846]

Totally agree with you Steve, great video and especially the photos!

[@SteveONions]

Thanks James.

[@ChrisEdgecombePhoto]

Great locations and compositions.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Chris.

[@BartNelis]

Like how you give us insight in your creative thought process !!

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Bart.

[@fairwayfrank]

Wonderful images (par for the course), very insightful points on the overall film approach, and solid info on the post-processing. I have a Holga with similar shutter issues as the one you 'filed.' I may well do the same and get a fresh start. Thanks for another great posting.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Frank, it is rare to find two Holga's exactly the same, I had an older model with the glass lens and loved it but the duff one also came with properly functioning aperture control - f/8 and f/11 (ish).

[@lensman5762]

This is very nice photography, Holga or no Holga. The compositions are great and the lack of sharpness does not deter from the graphic impact of the photographs. The semi Sepia toning is also in line with the mood of the photos. Very well executed.

[@SteveONions]

Thank you 🙂

[@timscanlanphotography]

Hi Steve. Love this. Something different from a very popular location. The Holga looks like an extraordinary piece of kit - never heard of them. Credit to you for giving yourself such tight parameters and still coming up with excellent images. Many thanks for sharing Steve.

[@SteveONions]

Cheers Tim.

[@tallaganda83]

I very much agree with you about the limitations being an advantage, it is actually one of the main reasons I enjoy film in general. I have tried explaining it to people but they think I’ve lost the plot😂

[@J_IanCastle]

These are stunning! Great concept!

[@SteveONions]

Thank you.

[@Tobenator1200]

Love the mood of these images. The video should be called 'The Holga Primer'.

[@SteveONions]

Hehe - maybe an opportunity for a series here.

[@FlosBlog]

The sheer existence of a medium format toy camera amazes me

[@SteveONions]

😀

[@phillipP8848]

Another great informative video in your unique style. Keep up the good work.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Philip.

[@derekstevenson8885]

Now this is my photography. The only difference is I still use a darkroom. Love it. I don’t want perfection - I don’t want everything in detail

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Derek. The original lith print process is a lot better than my basic digital attempt as the random infectious development can deliver a great effect. Shame my lungs dont like the chemistry any more.

[@markharris5771]

Derek Stevenson I'm eternally grateful to Steve for bringing me back to film. Even though I went into my brother's darkroom (aka family bathroom with Dad's old enlarger) in the 70s, it’s only since my return that I've really taken to it. I think I now prefer the darkroom to pressing the shutter, though there’s only me and my family who ever sees my images.

[@runninblue9415]

Good stuff, lovely images. Almost inspired me to dig out an old Lomo Lubitel I've got. Somewhere.

[@SteveONions]

I find cameras like this the most fun to use.

[@RobinWhalley]

Great video Steve and some very nice shots.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Robin.

[@thomaspopple2291]

I am glad I am not the only one who does not bow down at the alter of sharpness. Thanks for the video

[@SteveONions]

Glad you liked it Thomas.

[@stuartbaines2843]

Very Nice images 👍 great minds...

[@TonyNeat]

What an enjoyable watch 😉

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Tony.

[@IsabelCurdes_photos]

Beautiful images - I just had a Holga to try for a few weeks and while I love what others like you can do with it - the camera and I just don't really connect. I am a big fan of the 'Lith-Look' and it is at the top of my list of things to try once I have my Intrepid enlarger :-) Another great video and a joy to watch!

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Isabel and definitely give Lith printing a go. It can be very frustrating and slow, sometimes up to 40 mins in the developer when it is getting past exhaustion but then again this is when the magic seems to happen.

[@Archibald_Quincy_Stanton]

So true @ 7:00 the obsession with sharpness. Wonderful video & images Steve. Appreciate the editing tips pointers.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Tony.

[@philbraithwaite1316]

Another very interesting video Steve, perfect Sunday afternoon stuff :) ....I'm off out!

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Phil.

[@edgarirvine9543]

Steve, I love your videos, I love your approach to photography but you are costing me a fortune! Recently I've bought a Holga, B&W film, chemicals, waterproof trousers, gaiters, coat, hat. It's been 30 years since I developed and printed my last film but thankfully I've kept all my darkroom equipment in the attic. I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm looking out my window at a beautiful warm spring day and wishing for stormy dull weather!

[@SteveONions]

Ha, you are wiser than me Edgar, I used to sell off all my unused gear then end up paying double to get it all back again! Have fun 🙂

[@PhotoTubeUK]

Great work Steve, I enjoyed this video and your images - a refreshing change from most of the other photography videos on KZbin!

[@SteveONions]

Thank you 👍

[@squarz]

This episode was fantastic

[@SteveONions]

Thank you 🙂

[@squarz]

@@SteveONions thanks to you

[@erichstocker4173]

Goes to demonstrate that people make photographs not cameras. Another you tuber, Craig Roberts, that I admire also loves the Holga look and he also knows how to use it. I have always had a thing about grain and sharpness. Even when I was exclusively shooting file I would only use panatomic-x or even tech pan 25 to get "grainless" images when using a fine grain developer. So, as you can imagine the Holga was not my thing. But the appeal of your and Craig's Holga shots definitely says it all. Enjoyed the video and thanks for doing it.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Erich. I used to chase grainless images when I had a darkroom but now that i shoot film and digital I want the analogue medium to look distinct.

[@robinhorton6625]

Very informative, always enjoy your style, keep it going.

[@SteveONions]

Thank you Robin.

[@paullacotta5645]

Love all your content. Well done. And you sound like a Beatle😊😘

[@SteveONions]

Ta La 😃

[@davidpearce2981]

Loved them steve

[@bkspicture]

The 6x6 Holga with the plastic lens is hard to beat for this! But some standard lenses can also be quite nice and give some of this mood wide open. Have a Vivitar 28mm f/2.8 VMC thats I like very much for that use. Any case, lovely shots and keep snapping!

[@SteveONions]

Indeed, a lot of those older lenses were a lot less contrasty and had a better transition from the corners than modern ones. I also like 3 and four element Folding 120 cameras for this reason.

[@iNerdier]

12:14 reminds me of something Hiroshi Sugimoto would do, only with your unique twist on it.

[@SteveONions]

Thank you 😀

[@LukeMorphett]

As usual, great video. You nailed it talking about conveying the mood and feeling in relation to sharpness. A bit jealous of the cold, we are going through a bit of heat wave in Hobart, Australia, at the moment. Most of all I want to say, I appreciate the effort you have gone to with this video, again as usual. I can see the amount of work, passion and devotion you have put in, in all your videos. Thank you.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Luke. This was a really enjoyable video to make as it was very quiet and I was free to wander around and find my own compositions. I do find full weather better for photography in general as makes you more focussed on finding scenes hat have strong compositions instead of relying of good light.

[@maksqwe1]

Also, try getting your hands on some lomography toy cameras. They are a little expensive new for what they are, but you could either look on eBay as people play with them and just get rid after a few weeks. But they are worth even the new price as the effects you can get are really special.

[@kennywood19]

Lovely images Steve, really nice indeed :). Perhaps you should modify the old Holga if you have the time for use as a wet or dry plate camera, just a thought!

[@SteveONions]

Interesting idea Kenny.

[@kennywood19]

I'm sure there's a KZbin video somewhere that shows the author using it for wet plates. Haven't tried it myself though!

[@thevalleywalker]

When you started I thought you were going to get your pinhole camera out, I had forgotten you have an Holga as well. The mood suited this morning perfectly, as I look out the window it's wet wet wet for sure, dull dreary and this was a perfect accompaniment for today. Very enjoyable and great to see you following up with a processing run through. The more I watch your videos the less I look for the perfectly clean grain less images in my own photography, even though it's a digital format - I think we can get ate up about it too much. I spied another user of transcend external HD's there, I have about 8 now! :)

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Alan, I think the almost perfect nature of digital imaging has now left it looking a bit cold and lifeless, almost hyper real. The trancend's are good aren't they, fast and very robust.

[@steveh1273]

Great Steve, but I would have liked to have seen the border too! I'm such a PS wimp. BTW, I've ordered 10 rolls of Lomo Potsdam Cine B&W, can't wait to give it a go.

[@SteveONions]

Sounds interesting Steve, what are the characteristics of that film?

[@steveh1273]

@@SteveONions www.lomography.com/magazine/340390-lomography-potsdam-b-w-tipster-guide

[@SteveONions]

It looks like an interesting film and nice to know it works well in HC-110 and Rodinal, my two main developers.

[@ariefz2764]

Lovely lomo ❤️❤️

[@UncleDansVintageVinyl]

I took some of my favorite images with a La Sardina, which is essentially a 35mm Holga.

[@SteveONions]

I’ve never tried one of those Daniel.

[@DAVE211147]

Nice Work Steve

[@SteveONions]

Thanks David.

[@v-g-z3689]

Hi Steve! I absolutely like the way of approach to your fotos. Also the calm, natural way you do your videos is so enjoyable and refreshing. Taking shots with the Holga is a big challenge, but as someone already said, in the right, not to a Hipster belonging, hands, one gets great images! My question is, is there any chance you could take the challenge up a notch, in a little different way? There is a great SLR camera out there, the Minolta Zoom SLR Mark II that uses - behold - 110 format film! The camera itself is a lot more advanced and better quality than the Holga, but the film itself is the challenge. If you want grainy, gritty images, what better way could there be than trying out that kind of film and camera? Film is freshly avaliable online: black and white negative, colour slide and colour negative. the combination is waht makes it interesting: a very good quality camera and lens, but the film is the quality of the holga. So simply the other way around than you have done in this video. It that something you could consider doing? I would be so eager to see that! I use the camera myself and I am impressed what a 110 camera can do and how high the quality can be. Greetings from Germany!

[@SteveONions]

Thanks for the feedback, I am glad you like the videos. I don’t have any plans to try 110 at the moment due to the limitations of the available films and development. I would like to try half frame at some point as I can use all my favourite materials.

[@v-g-z3689]

@@SteveONions Thank you for actually replying to my comment! Quite understandable that you don´t have plans to try it out in the near future. Well, then I gotta do it! If you need a lab for anything smaller than 35 mm, maybe at some point in the future, here is a very good one, it is in the UK: mshobbies.co.uk/

[@kaczynski2333]

Love your work, Steve. I heard a photographer comment they were shooting landscape, but the film wasn't conveying a sharp image; I couldn't help but think they are missing the whole point.

[@SteveONions]

Hhhhm, yes. Even a Holga delivers a sharp film, even if the image on it isn’t 😀. On a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of importance I’d have sharpness roughly in the middle.

[@denizyilmaz8553]

after this episode i decided to to binge watch your all videos, so if you receive comments to your old videos. dont be surprised :)

[@SteveONions]

Good luck Deniz and let me know if I contradict myself anywhere 😀

[@deviningram6814]

Another great is Craig prentis

[@cheeseblog]

At a loss for trying to create a unique comment. Seems a little dicey walking out on the rocky shoal with the tide coming in. Love the images you got. Moody, melancholy, etc.. Bit of a gear junkie here even though I know it’s not necessary to create beautiful images. Point proven in this excellent video. Thanks.

[@SteveONions]

Glad you liked it 👍

[@rastcheck6037]

Amazing photos and very informative video ❤. How you managed to get long exposure? Does the holga have a bulb exposure? Thanks

[@SteveONions]

Thank you. The Holga does have a bulb mode but to use it effectively you need to get an add on contraption to allow you to use a cable release.

[@rastcheck6037]

@@SteveONions thanks a lot for the reply :)

[@nicksucio]

how did you get the brown color if it was hp5, was it post-processing? Great images with that Holga ! "Fantastic- Plastic!"

[@SteveONions]

It’s all done in Lightroom Nick, the original negative has no tone at all.

[@MegaSumo67]

have you shot hdr with film? if so how do they turn out? is it worth the time and effort. ...i plan to take 3 shots. center plus and minus 3. then get develop and scan myself then edit on computer.

[@SteveONions]

I’ve never used HDR with film Norman, I find there is more than enough dynamic range with negative films.

[@FamineTheHorsemen]

10:46 really nice picture mate

[@IainHC1]

I find that structure fascinating..... But why there?

[@SteveONions]

Which structure are you referring to?

[@IainHC1]

@@SteveONions The breakwater. It's impressive but not knowing the area, why there and that type of breakwater? and not the normal wooden ones we normally see?

[@SteveONions]

I’m not sure why they use that particular shape of concrete block but most new defences in the UK are made in a similar fashion. We still have some wooden defences too but they are on the decline.

[@paulcomptonpdphotography]

You do keep it real lol

[@paulkelly4530]

The obsession with gear and sharpness and all does detract from getting the image sometimes for sure. I've given up with Shutterstock for rejecting my atmospheric, moody, grainy stuff unless i refer to it as abstract.

[@SteveONions]

I’d never even try submitting any of mine Paul, none of them would get through 😊

[@alandougan3600]

My dad says it's about the "5 Ps" "Poor Preparation leads to Piss Poor Performance"

[@CornishMotorcycleDiaries]

I can just hear the weighty tones of the typical (male, elderly & narrow-minded) Camera Club judge 'There's no detail/sharpness in the shadows/highlights', 'the vignette is too heavy', 'there's too much distortion'. Or' I'm worried by'... (take your pick from grain/no subject/lack of separation/focus/mid-tones) Or just 'I don't like...' Sigh... Sorry about the rant. We had a particularly bad one this week.

[@SteveONions]

You’ve reminded me why I’m not a member of a camera club 🙂

[@markharris5771]

I guessed wrong, I thought it was going to be your pinhole 😞. However, I do see the germination of my next year's 365 project 😃. Though I’ll have to have a 120 enlarger to go with my 35mm. I’ve wanted one for ages, but now I have my excuse...now where did I put my list for this year's Christmas pressies? I'm almost anti-sharpness, except with my wildlife images. My favourite image in the world is Koudelka's Black Dog as it's story is really strong and dogs were a common sight on the cobbled streets of Lancashire in the 60s. But it isn’t what you’d call a sharp image. However, I see noise and grain as two totally different things and I do find noise ugly where grain adds atmosphere. I’d like to learn lith printing but the video I've seen the presenter gets over complex and...erm...boring. Now if Peter Elgar made one that would be anything but boring and I’d certainly stay awake. I've learnt a lot about chemicals from a Peter and his dulcet tones. You got some phenomenal images on this one, these really spoke to me of a time and place. A brilliant video Steve, absolutely marvellous! Thank you very much for braving the weather to bring it to us.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Mark and if you ever want to try Lith Printing just follow the package instructions and work from there, it is a wonderful process and there is nothing like the warmth and muted tones it produces. The Moersch chemistry is a lot friendlier health wise but I did love the LD20 from Fotospeed before they trebled the price about 8 years ago!

[@markharris5771]

Steve O'Nions Thanks Steve, I've used the Fotospeed sepia, Farmer's reducer and copper tint and I do find their products quite good. I’m using their paper developer and fixer at the moment. But for obvious reasons I think I'll go with the Moersch.

[@SteveONions]

The Moersh range is very good Mark and their lith has no formaldehyde in it thankfully. Even without it the keeping properties are excellent and I would make a kit last for many printing sessions.

[@markharris5771]

Steve O'Nions Thanks again Steve, I'll give it a try.

[@TheMrMKultra]

Thanks for making this video! Did you need to expose any scene twice (to correct for darker conditions)? And how did you develop the film for these conditions (as we can't really talk about ISO settings when you can't adjust the exposure)?

[@SteveONions]

Well spotted Martin. The first three shots would not have come out were it not for the cable release adapter and bulb mode. I needed about a 1/10 second for a couple so it was actually easier to just make 5 or six regular exposures on the same frame without winding on. Developer was HC-110 at 1:47, I decided at the start of the day to rate the film at EI 800 so a 1 stop push was needed. There was plenty of detail throughout the negative and I had to play down the shadows in LR to get a more convincing look. Thanks for watching 🙂

[@TheMrMKultra]

@@SteveONions Thanks, Steve, for the info!

[@Noealz]

No a fan of overcast days for shooting :/

[@SteveONions]

If I waited for good weather I’d never get out 😀

[@TimurDavletshin]

17:45 - why don't you try making software review video? We all make some software post-processing even to our best film shots and this part remains largely covered in your videos. I'm particularly interested in your opinion on open source alternatives like Rawtherapee ( rawtherapee.com ) and Darktable ( www.darktable.org ).

[@SteveONions]

I’m not one for softer reviews really Timur, just use Lightroom for 95% of what I do digitally.

[@StudioBonn]

"Limited to black and white"...lol...dying art in my opinion...

[@jeffredefishingandshooting9303]

awful landscape + awful camera + great photographer = nice images