View Full Version : Let's share candids!
SolaresLarrave
11-06-2003, 22:00
An unexpected candid... at the Grand Lux Café in Chicago, IL, on Scala (pushed 1 stop). Leica M6TTL, 30-year old Summicron.
(I realize that uploading images is only possible in the first post, but we can place live links and click on them like Bill does.)
bmattock
11-07-2003, 06:52
I'm terrible at candids. I'm trying to get better, but I really have to force myself...
Here's a recent attempt, at the Phoenix aiport:
http://www.growlery.com/Phoenix-Airport-Candid.jpg
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
I really like Tri-X, but need to work on my fill flash skills.
http://www.phototalk.net/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16274&password=&sort=2&thecat=500
Three candids:
Bessa R and 35/2.5C
http://bb.bc4x4.com/lars/paw/album.php?currDir=./2003&pageType=image&image=week25.jpg
http://bb.bc4x4.com/lars/paw/album.php?currDir=./2003&pageType=image&image=week41.jpg
Minolta Maxxum 7
http://bb.bc4x4.com/lars/paw/album.php?currDir=./2003&pageType=image&image=week43.jpg
...lars
SolaresLarrave
11-07-2003, 08:29
Rover... that kid's face... like the credit card ad: priceless.
Those are great shots, lars!
I like the one in the airport, Bill, that's the kind I've missed a lot.
Mine was a bit posed: my wife didn't think I was taking her photo... so, it kinda works as a candid portrait.
Keep them coming!
This truck driver is waiting for the tire repair guy to fix the tire before he can get back to hauling fresh corn in for processing.
Shot July 31 with Voigtlander Bessa-T and 1967 version 35mm Summicron, Ilford XP1 400 bulk-loaded in October 1983 and commercially machine processed with "one-stop push" development to bump the contrast/density back up to normal (as this film was intended for processing in the now-discontinued Ilford XP1 chemistry kit).
Rich Silfver
11-07-2003, 22:52
Some older candids of mine:
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/9607/people.html
back alley
11-08-2003, 05:07
http://www.members.shaw.ca/backalleyphoto/images/BW/fringe/fringe5.jpg
SolaresLarrave
11-08-2003, 06:55
My best model again, severely cropped. My street candids ain't that good, but I'll scan the recent attempts for critique here. Meanwhile, a friend of ours says this is the "French intellectual" look.
Ok, it was really a portrait and not a candid but I like this picture anyway :p
http://www.upcnet.es/~org/imgs/galleries/srt303b/303b_002b.jpg
SolaresLarrave
11-12-2003, 14:46
Rover, did you use flash on that shot? A slight shadow shows it...
Taffer: that's a neat portrait shot!
I just noticed the similarity of the figure in this shot to the anxious truck driver in the previous one (and abt 5 blocks away). Here the equipment is being offloaded to remove the foundation and level the lot, from which a house was moved that morning.
Again the old bulk-loaded Ilford XP1, but shot with Kiev 4a RF camera with Jupiter-12 35mm f/2.8 and Voigtlander 35mm finder. Russian 35mm finder arrived today!
I think I did pop a flash Francisco. That is my son, I think I shot a fill flash, it was in the spring and he wasn't sitting still that well. I believe we raced to the dam right after I fired the shutter.
Francisco, it was a "getcha" shot from a friend of mine I took late at night while walking through a public park here. It was taken with a 24 mm and a Minolta SRT loaded with TMZ 3200 (impressive film).
I like to take portraits with such a wide angle lens (they aren't really candids as the lens is just in front of the subject's face). With some care and luck there's not too much distortion and you can get a lot of enviroment around the subject. Bad thing is that working at these distances from the subject the parallax error from an RF would be a serious problem...
BTW, I personally like a lot your second shot. The pose, the framing, even the grain coming from the I suppose severe cropping add character to the picture, so don't hesitate and print a big copy of it ! :)
I still find a bit difficult to take candids of unknown people, is there any trick to lose some shame ? :p
SolaresLarrave
11-13-2003, 19:26
Taffer, it's still a pretty dramatic "gotcha". You should hone your portrait skills. If I had more friends, I'd be probably shooting more. Since I don't, my poor wife bears the brunt of being a reluctant model all the time.
In your shot, I like the balance you managed to get between his face and background. Can I safely assume you did a bit of burning/dodging on his face?
Maybe this one makes a better example of a street candid. Nope, it wasn't a rangefinder, but my Mamiya C220 and Scala: a glorious combination...
Originally posted by taffer
Francisco, it was a "getcha" shot from a friend of mine I took late at night while walking through a public park here. It was taken with a 24 mm and a Minolta SRT loaded with TMZ 3200 (impressive film).
You used NO FLASH for that shot? Amazing. I thought you used an off-camera flash with some kind of bounce or diffuser.
...lars
SolaresLarrave
11-14-2003, 05:50
Taffer... where did you meter when you took that photo of your friend? Just wondering... Did you meter at the dark areas, like a good kid who follows the famous dictum about metering with slide, color and B&W film (highlights, midtones and darks, respectively)?
ok ok ! I'll tell you but I bet you'll be a bit disappointed when you read it... :)
Yep Lars, I used no flash at all. The picture was taken under a common streetlamp like the one you see on the left edge of the photo. It was around 22 PM so it was the only available light I had :p I never use a flash 'cos in fact I don't even own one ! (and personally don't like use them very much [taking a non-burned picture with them is still a mistery to me]).
Franciso, as the anarchic kid that I am :angel: and seeing that the meter needle on my SRT was only a bit more than totally useless under that streetlamp (with the ISO set at at 1600 and even under that light the needle was completely down) I crossed my fingers and guessed at 1/30 and f2.8 I think. 1/30 to follow the focal length vs. speed rule, and f2.8 because the lens was a Sigma 24 mm f2.8 and as my friend said "hey buddy it's really dark here!" :)
So in fact this is more or less a point and shoot picture with a lot of good luck, hehe. It was the first time I used TMZ so I didn't have the faintest idea of how the pictures were going to be, but it seems the damned thing has an impressive lattitude range...
About TMZ, If you haven't tried it I highly recommend you to do it, as taking handheld pictures at night is a very fun practice !
http://www.upcnet.es/~org/imgs/galleries/srt303b/303b_007b.jpg
http://www.upcnet.es/~org/imgs/galleries/srt303b/303b_010b.jpg
http://www.upcnet.es/~org/imgs/galleries/srt303b/303b_001b.jpg
Go for a night walk ! ;)
Oscar
Originally posted by SolaresLarrave
If I had more friends, I'd be probably shooting more. Since I don't, my poor wife bears the brunt of being a reluctant model all the time.
I can't really see the problem here, your "intellectual pose" shot is lovely!
Also, if you pay a visit to my website you'll see how many friends I have... I have more than only two friends, of course, but I mail with these two almost on a daily basis, and we usually meet 2 or 3 times a week, so no matter what they do, they always end being in front of the camera :)
If I had a girlfriend I'd be shooting more too ;)
Your street candid IS in fact a candid, but like to be close to the subject, hence I almost always use my friends and family, as they can have a 24 or a 50 mm just in front their nose and still keep that "natural" pose, but I'm taking note of other kind of shots I've seen on this thread for future exercises. Street musicians have always attracted my attention...
bmattock
11-23-2003, 16:27
Portrait of my wife - I'm trying out that new Kodak C-41 B&W film, not sure what I did wrong here - can't seem to get it right. Suggestions?
Show us the pic, Bill! :-) And which of the Kodak C41 B&W films are you trying here?
bmattock
11-23-2003, 18:19
Originally posted by Doug
Show us the pic, Bill! :-) And which of the Kodak C41 B&W films are you trying here?
Ok, this is weird - I thought I had posted the picture. When I try to upload it, I just get a line across the bottom of the screen. Oh well...
Well anywhere, here it is hosted from my webserver...
The film in question is called Kodak Black & White, 400, C-41 process. I actually didn't think that Kodak had any other C-41 process B&W film...
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
Well, as to the picture, the subject's expression is unfriendly. Other than that, maybe you mean the tonal qualities? The lighting is extremely flat and frontal, no modeling, so there's no roundness or dimensionality to the subject. Should I see something else that the film can be blamed for? :-)
I believe Kodak is offering three C41 B&W films. There's T400CN that has no orange mask (so I've been told), there's Portra 400BW, and finally Kodak Black & White 400 Plus which may be what you have. I think the latter two both have the orange mask and are intended for machine printing on color paper.
I've used Agfa Vario-XL, discontinued long ago, and Ilford XP1 and XP2 Super, none of which have an orange mask, so are easier in the home darkroom on B&W paper. I bought a few rolls of Kodak T400CN to try, but haven't yet so I don't know what it's like. I'm very fond of the Ilford XP film.
bmattock
11-24-2003, 02:30
Originally posted by Doug
Well, as to the picture, the subject's expression is unfriendly. Other than that, maybe you mean the tonal qualities? The lighting is extremely flat and frontal, no modeling, so there's no roundness or dimensionality to the subject. Should I see something else that the film can be blamed for? :-)
If you read what I wrote, I didn't blame the film for anything. And my wife's expression is not 'unfriendly'. Thanks.
SolaresLarrave
11-24-2003, 05:14
Bill... I fail to see the link. Could you post it please?
I've used all three chromogenic films by Kodak, but I still like Ilford's better. However, they're not bad if you're in a bind. My dream is to learn the B&W film chemistry well enough to do my own developing, scan the negs I want to print and combine thus wet and dry darkroom skills.
Have a nice day!
SolaresLarrave
11-24-2003, 05:17
I posted this one elsewhere in this forum... would it count as a "candid"? It was done with a 50/2 Summicron (prefocused) and my first Leica body, on Reala film.
Originally posted by bmattock
If you read what I wrote, I didn't blame the film for anything. And my wife's expression is not 'unfriendly'.
I'm sorry, Bill, if my words came across as offensive. I guess that leaves the lighting issue as what you considered the problem?
Best wishes...
Bill, I think it would be useful if you told us what YOU don't like about the picture so we can offer more specific suggestions.
...lars
Hi Francisco... Developing C41 films is not particularly difficult in the home darkroom. When Ilford's film was XP1, they offered a handy home development kit for it.
And I've used the Unicolor C41 kits for Kodak and Fuji color neg films, with equally good results.
And your pic looks candid to me! :-)
The main issues, in my experience, are the 100 degF temperature to be maintained, and the short developing time (3 3/4 min as I recall) which makes consistency more difficult.
It seems feasible to use a lower temp and a longer time for the chromogenic films... I expect it might cause a color shift for a color film as the film's color layers could respond differently to the changes, but that shouldn't be a factor for the chromogenic B&W.
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