Film: Color or B & W or both when you travel?

[funkpilz]

I've experimented a lot with this, so on my next trip (Riga in the summer), I'll be keeping it simple: 400 speed all the way, OM-2 and Bronica GS-1 so I have both convenience plus fast lenses, and resolution for the more important shots.

[remegius]

Next Sunday I'm leaving for Mexico. I'll bring my S90 as a go to snapshot rig, and my OM2 equipped with 28mm, 50mm 1.4, and a lot of BW400CN.

Cheers...

Rem

[KenR]

It must be me, but I can't think in both color and monochrome at the same time. If I have digital or color film along I seek out color friendly photos and with B&W I look for the shapes and contrasts to enhance that medium, but heretofore I haven't been able to do both at the same time. Converting from color to B&W with photoshop just doesn't seem to work in my hands, so I have stuck with B&W almost exclusively.

[Kip_S]

velvia 50.
leica iiia.
all day.

[viridari]

I usually travel with a Mamiya C330 TLR and a Canon Powershot G11. While I tend to carry a mix of B&W and color films, I only ever seem to reach for B&W. I suppose I don't place as high a value on color shots so I use the digital camera for that.

New this week is my first RF (an XA) and I really don't know how that's going to change the dynamics of how I shoot. Except I know I'll be leaving the digital at home more.

[SteveM]

Space is always at a premium when travelling, and of course, simplicity through airports helps. That being said, I always take a digital camera (previously DSLR, now the GF-1), and if space permits, the Bronica RF645 loaded with colour slide film (Velvia) and a Rollei 35 with B&W film. Travel by car makes it easier to pack, so both colour + B&W loaded cameras come along.

Steve

[Doug]

I don't bother to take B&W film along unless I have a specific use in mind. I just prefer color for most things, as it seems to add another dimension to the shot. One example was a car trip through southern California where I took a few rolls of Tri-X Pro 220 to shoot at the ghost town of Brodie east of Yosemite.

Like KenR, I too cannot do both color and B&W at the same time; they require different mental conditions. Also, I can't be productive with two widely varying camera formats... like 35mm and 6x7 or digital p&s with either, etc. If one of the pair is for more important shots, how will I know beforehand if the pic I'm taking will be important or not? The thought in mind is that any photo may be important... why am I wasting this photo opportunity on this low-res camera when I could be shooting higher quality instead?

I'll make the format/size decision before departure, based on the largest camera I can conveniently transport and use for the occasion.

[semilog]

Keep it simple: in my few days in Japan this summer I'll probably carry my M6, 35mm Biogon-C, and 2TMY.

[Juan Valdenebro]

I have always used both, since I was a teenager, but... Today I found out I haven't shot any color film or digital since the days Ektar was introduced and I shot my last rolls of PKR, so I haven't used color maybe for 12 months or more, and that never happened to me before... I'm doing B&W only... And curiously, it's been like this since I started playing with rangefinders on 2009... By the way, I have never shot on a trip with B&W only, but I guess that will be my next first time...

Cheers,

Juan

[holdtheframe]

When I travel I bring both with me. With only one body, if I feel like I'm in an environment where I want to shoot color, I load it up. I've gotten less lazy with switching mid-roll and re-loading old rolls.

But, my instincts have been wrong too as I was shooting in a park full of tombs for kings in Gyeongju Korea and these old women caretakers were sweeping the tombs and when I got it back I realized it would all be better in B&W and will have to do some post work on it. Still learning.

[wotalegend]

I am leaving in 2 weeks on a 3 week trip to Fiji and New Zealand. I have two bricks of Legacy Pro 400, one brick of Ektar 100, and two bodies to load them in. I expect to use all the Legacy Pro and maybe have some Ektar left over by the time I get home. Depends how quickly the Legacy Pro runs out - I don't expect to be able to buy any conventional B&W in the far South of NZ. I had considered taking a DSLR for colour but the sensor size and the fact that it doesn't work well with AI-s lenses means that my choice of lenses to take would need to be expanded. (It's a D100 - I can't afford to keep up with the digital update rat race.) Oh, and I will be taking a digital P&S, just for quick snaps and emergencies.

[mrbrown]

Agfa APX400 or Neopan 400 for one of my Bessas (R4M or R3M) and Panny GF-1 for the colour shots.

I am tempted to carry two film bodies next time, one with b&w and one with color film to see how that works out. With a little GRD-II for the quick and dirty digital stuff. Heheh.

[ChrisPlatt]

When flying I buy film at my destination to avoid airport x ray hassles.
Of course this limits me to whatever is available, usually C41 color film.
Then I mail it for processing before I return.

When driving or taking the train I usually bring both BW and color.
Most often I wind up shooting Kodachrome.
I'm not sure what I will do after December 2010...

Chris

[kossi008]

You know, I've been debating this for my upcoming vacation. And since I can't decide and I don't want to carry two bodies, I'll just bring both and switch as needed. Hah.

[Darkhorse]

It's a tough call, and I think it varies greatly depending on the subject matter. For instance I can't see using black and white in a place like Hawaii (where I recently went), and for that I mainly used digital because I had an underwater housing unit.

However, I may need to go to Paris in the near future for work. Since I've already been there and shot it all in digital color - I'll probably just shoot in Tri-X next time I go.

[italy74]

Let me explain.
When I'll go to Ethiopia, I'll have only one camera, my FM3A.
Color will be loaded, hopefully to capture some colourful place (usually Africa is very colourful in towns) otherwise I'll switch to Tri-X asap.

[TareqPhoto]

I don't know what to choose, i never done travel shots with film yet, but i may start to do this year, so digital is there always, and film will be for first time if i travel this year with a film camera, and i will shoot both, but i am trying to do B&W more with film, color is winner with digital for me.

[bizarrius]

fast B&W for evening/night shots.
slow color for daylight shots.

i use this: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

and a small notebook

[israel_alanis]

Hello, I shot both, I use color when daylight is with, if I meet people, trying to capture all colors of the places I visit, flowers, birds, trees or more.

If I go to bar, restaurante, party or friend´s house I shot with B&W, 400 or 3200 without flash and pushing it in the night.

The inconvenience of using two or more types of film, is that you should already know, at some point you can doubt which one to use. But if you have patience, use two types of film can be very functional.

Regards

[eddie1960]

i'm about to leave on vacation, i have 20 rolls legacy pro 100 and 20 legacy pro 400 (fuji by any other name) and 5 rolls each pro 400 and reala 100 in case. I'll toss my dslr with 2 lenses in the bag in case (to satisfy my wife's need for instant shots to post to her facebook) and my flash (i'll be shooting a friends gig at the 100 club that will likely require it a little for non stage shots despite how much i hate using it)

[robert blu]

Usually i shoot B&W and my wife shoots colors. Unless we travel in a place really reach of color, as Arles, South France last sommer when I shot color slides. I'm not able to use in the same time B&W and colors, I do not manage to concentrate and i miss many opportunity ending with holes in both, the B&W and the color work. In some case I take a different camera (as my Rolleiflex or the Holga) and use this just for portaits, ehich can be on color. So, at the end it depends...
robert

[filmtwit]

if I want color, I tend to shoot digital.
Film for me is perfect as a B&W medium in part because digital does it so mediocrely.

[TaoPhoto]

A lot of these responses say something to the effect of "when traveling I bring digital (or whatever) because it's easier." I guess I'm in a different camp. I enjoy photography, and I enjoy manual, film-based photography most of all. Digital is, to me, boring. When I travel, I like adventure, and that includes the adventure of my M6 or Bessa, or a Fed or Zorki and my Luna Pro meter. I load black and white for cities, color for countryside, and the XA in my pocket has the other choice, just in case.

[Jani_from_Finland]

I recently went back to film "full-time" and dont have any digital left but my LX3. I have not found my film yet, but for bw i have always trusted on the Neopan 400 or Trix, on color its always been more mixed what ever was available as in the past i bought a pack of different films (c41/e6), but as availability on films has gone down i'll ordered some Ektar and Portra to see how them look and what is good in my eyes.
I think the Neopan 400 and Portra 400 will bee my standard from this summer if i get a consistency and grip of my film shooting.

[rizraz]

Now mostly B&W films and maybe a G9 for colour. I found out the 1 or 2 rolls of colour remain in the bag when I get back home...... and have really cut down on DSLR as I now prefer to travel light.