 |
Home Page DEPARTMENTS |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
Articles about Photography | |
|
|
Photo Gallery | |
|
|
Photo Links | |
|
|
Special Events | |
|
|
Photo Contest | |
|
|
Film & Digital Printing Services | |
|
|
||
|
|
Learn Photography On-Line |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical Articles and
News
About Photography
ADDING COLOR TO BLACK-AND-WHITE PRINTS |
| Copying in Color--A Difficult Photographic Task Copied with permission of Eastman Kodak Co. Copying a color photograph to make a reproduction would appear to be a simple task, but unfortunately, it's not. Copying reflection color originals is one of the most challenging tasks you can encounter in color photography. Depending on the original that you want to copy, choose a special-purpose copying film, such as KODAK VERICOLOR Internegative Film / 4112 or 6011, or one of several other color films to cope with unusual problems. In copying, you must avoid a buildup of excessive contrast and maintain good blacks and clean whites in the reproduction. Using a conventional camera film such as KODAK VERICOLOR III Professional Film can increase the contrast throughout most of the scale, yet produce less than clean whites. Camera films are designed to reproduce original scenes that have average brightness ranges of 160 to 1. Negative materials reduce the brightness range so that it is suitable for reproduction on color paper that has a 1.8 density range or approximately 60 to 1. The mid-scale portion of the characteristic curve of camera films exhibits higher contrast than the toe and shoulder. When these films are used for copying reflection originals that have a reduced brightness range of 60 to 1 (or occasionally, 80 to 1), the relatively higher contrast of the mid-scale portion produces excess contrast in the reproduction. At the same time, the lower-contrast shoulder portion of the camera film tends to give whites that will not reproduce cleanly. To obtain a good reproduction, it's best to use specialized materials. When you photograph a scene with a camera film, you may not have the opportunity to make a direct comparison of your photograph and the original scene. Therefore, you are accepting a photographic interpretation of the scene rather than an actual reproduction. However, in copying, you can directly compare the reproduction with the original. No current materials can give you an exact reproduction of the original. The degree of similarity will depend on your choice of copying materials and your skill. The following paragraphs describe color films that you can use for copying. -KODAK VERICOLOR Internegative Film / 4112 and 6011 This film has relatively low contrast through the shadow and midtone range with higher-than-normal contrast in the upper scale. This curve shape makes VERICOLOR Internegative Film 4112 or 6011 the preferred material for copying full-tone photographs and similar originals. The lower-contrast portion of the curve prevents excessive contrast buildup in the second-generation reproduction. The high-contrast portion of the curve increases the contrast of the highlight areas to produce clean whites. To use internegative film, you'll need an understanding of contrast control and densitometry. See KODAK Publication No. E-24S, Balancing KODAK VERICOLOR Internegative Films (4112 and 6011), for detailed information. NOTE: VERICOLOR Internegative Film 4112 or 6011 is a more suitable film for making internegatives from reflection copy than KODAK VERICOLOR Internegative Film, Type 2 / 4114. VERICOLOR Internegative Film, Type 2, features adjustments for improved reproduction of transparencies on KODAK EKTACHROME and KODACHROME Films that make it less suitable for copying reflection originals when accurate color reproduction is important. -KODAK VERICOLOR ID/Copy Film / 4078 -KODAK VERICOLOR III ID Film / 5078 These films have emulsion layers similar to those of VERICOLOR III Professional Film, Type S, but have an additional high- contrast emulsion layer that controls the upper scale. The film provides both the lowest contrast of normal camera film emulsions and high contrast in the upper scale to provide for clean whites. Unlike VERICOLOR Internegative Film, the individual layers of this film do not have to be balanced and aligned, however, you should run a test exposure series to determine optimum exposure. A properly exposed negative will be relatively dense because sufficient exposure is required to use the extra emulsion layer. Too little exposure can produce unclean whites. Overexposure can result in burned-out highlights, pastel colors, etc. These films are balanced for daylight or electronic flash exposure at times in the range from 1/10,000 to 1/10 second. VERICOLOR III ID Film is intended for use in cameras that make two separate exposures to produce portrait and line-copy images on the same frame for identification cards, driver's licenses, etc. VERICOLOR ID/Copy Film has the same emulsion coated on a thicker base. Use this film for copying artwork, line copy, architectural renderings, and photo composites. You can also use this film for copying originals on a copy stand with filtered tungsten illumination. The recommended exposure range is 1/10 to 1/10,000 second; however, with additional adjustments in exposure and filtration, you can obtain satisfactory results with times up to 10 seconds. See KODAK Publication No. E-90, KODAK VERICOLOR ID/Copy Film (4078) and KODAK VERICOLOR III ID Film (5078). -KODAK VERICOLOR III Professional Film / Type S Use this film for copy applications when you want higher overall contrast and can accept a slight loss in the whites. You can use this film for copying such low-contrast originals as artists' renderings, blueprints, watercolors, and charts or graphs. You can also use it for casual copy needs with full- tone photographs if you don't have the technical knowledge or the appropriate equipment to use VERICOLOR Internegative Film. Kodak does not recommend this film for copying, but it may serve your needs as long as you understand its limitations. -KODAK VERICOLOR II Professional Film / Type L This film has higher overall contrast than VERICOLOR III Film. It also displays high color contrast that can affect its reproduction characteristics. Use this film for copying only when high contrast is acceptable. -KODAK VERICOLOR HC Professional Film / VHC / 4329 and 6329 This film features high color saturation and a moderate increase in contrast. Use this film for copying where visual impact of the image is more important than the accuracy of the copy. For normal copy applications, these features can be detrimental. -KODACOLOR GOLD Films (replacing KODACOLOR VR-G Films) KODACOLOR GOLD Films are designed for original pictorial photography. In general, the contrast and color saturation are too high for copying. However, if you want to use KODACOLOR GOLD Film simply as a matter of convenience, use KODACOLOR GOLD 200 Film for the best compromise in speed, contrast, and color saturation. Summary VERICOLOR Internegative Film / 4112 or 6011 or VERICOLOR ID/Copy Film / 4078 is recommended for most copy applications. Because copying of reflection materials can encompass a wide range of originals, select the film that best suits your needs. Alternatives Copying systems that utilize direct-positive papers can offer an effective and simpler alternative for many copying needs. The following products are available from Kodak: KODAK EKTACHROME Color Copier, Models 11 and 18 These copiers are integrated precision camera/processors that produce high-quality copyprints or overhead transparencies without the need for internegatives or copy negatives. They use KODAK EKTACHROME R-3 Chemicals and accept three types of printing materials: -KODAK EKTACHROME Copy Paper This paper provides high-quality color prints directly from prints. It features clean whites, excellent color saturation, and striking resolution and contrast. Use this paper to produce copying prints for point-of-sale pieces, large posters, advertising layouts, portfolios, and display prints for trade shows or wall decor. -KODAK EKTACHROME HC Copy Paper This paper provides crisp, clean color copies of high- contrast, detailed, opaque line originals such as maps, schematics, blueprints, and diagrams. -KODAK EKTACHROME Overhead Material Use this material to produce color overhead transparencies from almost all kinds of originals, including photographs, illustrations, charts, graphs, 35 mm slides, and three- dimensional objects. You can also make copies of existing overheads and proof sheets of pages of slides. ------------- Excerpted from CIS-34, Copying in Color--A Difficult Photographic Task, dated 12/87 back to top |
| KODAK Color Films: The Differences Between Professional Films and General
Picture-Taking Films THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN COPIED WITH THE PERMISSION OF EASTMAN KODAK CO. Kodak manufactures color negative films and color reversal films for professional applications and general use. It is important to understand the different characteristics of films with the "professional" designation and those without it. These characteristics are significant to professional photographers, photo hobbyists, and everyday picture-takers. All color films are composed of several layers of complex emulsions made of different chemical compounds. Since these compounds tend to change slowly with time, all color films will age, beginning on the day they are manufactured. As films age, their color balance and other characteristics may change slightly. To provide films that meet the needs of different types of photographers, Kodak allows for this aging process during manufacture. Kodak builds a small manufacturing bias into general picture-taking films to compensate for changes that usually occur during storage and use. This bias allows for changes produced by room-temperature storage and for typical delays between purchase and processing. For example, if a given film shifts toward yellow-green as it ages, it will be manufactured with the color balance shifted toward blue-magenta to compensate. The color balance of this film would shift away from blue- magenta during shipping and storage to provide a good color balance over the normal period of use. The professional photographer has more demanding requirements than the general picture-taker has. The professional photographer needs to know that a particular film is near its optimum color balance at the moment it is put into the camera. He or she must also be able to measure, through testing, any slight color or speed bias in a particular film or emulsion, and then adjust filtration and exposure to compensate. Kodak professional films are close to optimum color balance when they are manufactured and packaged. The film will stay near this balance when it is stored at 55 (13) or lower (under refrigeration)--until the "Process Before" expiration date printed on the film carton. Professional photographers tend to buy large quantities of film at one time. To obtain the best quality and to save time and money, professional photographers need to know that the color balance and speed of all of this film has been accurately established, that the film is consistent from roll to roll, and that it will not change significantly during the time the stock is being used. Professional color films are not kept in a camera for long periods. Generally, a professional photographer will have the film processed within hours or days after exposure so that the color balance doesn't shift significantly. A photographer will often have film processed and checked while holding expensive models or products and props on a set. Professionals need to be sure that the film reproduces colors in a way that meets their clients' needs. Casual picture-takers, on the other hand, usually buy one or two rolls of film at a time. One roll of film may remain in the camera for several weeks or months before being processed. The nominal film speeds of films intended for general picture-taking are provided on the film carton and in the instructions. Because of the exposure latitude of Kodak films and typical conditions of use, exposing the film at the nominal film speed will produce good results for general picture-taking situations. Kodak professional color films can usually be identified by the word professional in the name--for example, KODAK EKTACHROME 100 Professional Film. The names of other professional films for special applications usually contain a word that indicates the intended use of the films--for example, KODAK EKTACHROME Duplicating Film / 6121. Only professional films are supplied in sheets, multiple-roll pro-packs, and long rolls. General picture-taking films, commonly referred to as "amateur" films, are sold as single rolls, and two or three rolls to a package, depending on the film. The slightly higher cost of professional films is due to the increased cost of manufacturing them. This cost includes the testing involved in providing products with differing aim points, additional formats, and specific film-speed ratings (within 1/3 stop) for batches of some films. For example, specific film-speed data, as well as reciprocity information for sheet sizes of KODAK EKTACHROME Professional Films, assist professional photographers doing critical work. Proper use of the supplementary data minimizes the amount of testing and film usage that would otherwise be required to establish the exposure conditions for a high-quality professional photograph to meet the critical needs of commercial clients. Use all films before the expiration date printed on the film carton. You will also obtain the best quality when the film is processed promptly after exposure. Storage Conditions for Kodak Color Films Current KODAK Films (amateur and professional) are more stable than past generations of films. However, all films are perishable products with a typical pre-process life expectancy of 1 to 3 years. General picture-taking films are designed for room-temperature storage; professional films require refrigerated (55 degrees F [13 degrees C] or lower) storage. Professional films are not significantly more perishable, but they require refrigeration because they are manufactured so that they are near their optimum color balance at the time of shipment. Refrigeration reduces the effects of normal aging and provides minimum changes throughout the life of professional films. Refrigerated storage will insure minimum variability, but this does not preclude normal use on extended assignments under reasonable ambient conditions. You should protect all films from high temperatures and high relative humidity; these conditions accelerate the changes associated with film aging. In general, you can expect minimal changes in amateur color negative films that are stored at 78 degrees F (25 degrees C) or lower during the first few months. These changes become measurable after 3 to 9 months of storage. However, since this is the normal time during which the majority of film is used, these changes are anticipated and allowed for during manufacture. Changes become more pronounced as the film approaches its "Process Before" date (printed on the film carton), but these changes can be compensated for during printing. The degree of change is not significantly different for professional color negative films. But because these films are near their optimum color balance when they are shipped, combining the same rate of change may result in undesirable effects in prints from film approaching its expiration date if the film is stored at room temperature. These changes also increase variability of results, which is unacceptable in applications that require consistency. You can expect small, gradual changes at normal ambient conditions. These changes alone do not cause a significant loss of quality in amateur or professional films. However, in professional applications, this reduces the tolerance for other changes in the system that might produce quality losses when combined with film changes. Little or no change is observed in amateur color reversal films in the first few months of room-temperature storage. You can observe changes after 3 to 9 months, but these changes are anticipated and allowed for during manufacture. Again, the changes become more apparent as the film approaches its "Process Before" date. The most noticeable change will be a slight shift in the overall color balance, but it will not be enough to adversely affect the normal use of these films. For professional reversal films under reasonable ambient conditions, no significant change is noticeable in the first couple of months. Color shifts may be noticeable in the 3- to 9-month range, especially when films are critically examined on an illuminator. Greater color shifts will become apparent as the film reaches its expiration date, but they will be within a range that is readily corrected in any reproduction (e.g., duplicating, photomechanical reproduction). However, since editors and art directors may be influenced by moderate color shifts, refrigerated storage of professional color reversal films takes on increased importance. Avoiding color shifts is especially important with reversal films because you cannot make corrections before judging the final image as you can with color negative films. Refrigerated storage assures maximum consistency and minimal change through the expiration date. Films intended for amateur use do not require refrigerated storage; changes that may occur at normal room temperature are anticipated during manufacture. While the rate of change is not significantly different in professional color films, more critical requirements in professional images, narrower tolerances for change, and the costs associated with inconsistency in professional applications add to the value of refrigeration for extended storage. This does not preclude use on extended assignments (a few weeks to a couple of months) if you avoid adverse conditions such as high temperature and high relative humidity. A few specialty films intended for situations that prohibit refrigerated storage are also available. These films, intended for room-temperature storage, include KODAK EKTAPRESS GOLD Professional Films (available in 5-roll pro-packs and 50-roll press-packs) and KODAK EKTACHROME 64 Film and KODAK EKTACHROME 100 PLUS Film (in Press-Pacs). These films are intended for photojournalists and other professional photographers who use large amounts of film where refrigerated storage is not possible. back to top |
| SLIDE PROJECTOR
QUIZ Courtesy of: Walter S. Moffat E. Leitz, Inc. Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647 1."Keystoning" is: a) Completing a link from the projector's remote cord to the projector b) A trapezoidal image c) Resistance caused by corrosion or oxidation at contacts for the remote cord 2. Screen size should be determined by: a) Focal length of projection lens b) Size of room c) Size of audience d) All of the above 3. Lenticules are: a) Out of focus areas in the corner of the projected image b) Glass beads c) Vertical screen ridges, which act as lenses 4. How does one eliminate keystoning? a) Raise projector level so slide and screen are parallel b) Tilt your projector level c) Clean the contacts with alcohol 5. Which screen surface gives the widest viewing angle? a) Glass bead b) Silver lenticular c) Matte white 6. Which screen can (if improperly used) give a shimmering effect? a) Glass bead b) Silver lenticular c) Matte white 7. Which screen is the brightest? a) Glass bead b) Silver lenticular c) Matte white 8. If you have a 40"X40" screen, you should NOT change screen sizes if you are: a) Projecting in the Astrodome b) Projecting in a small living room c) Projecting in a class room 9. If you are unable to take more than one projection lens with you, and are projecting in various locations, you should carry a: a) 120mm projection lens b) 60mm projection lens c) zoom projection lens 10. Slides mounted in glass should be projected with: a) Flat field projection lenses b) Curved field projection lenses c) Catadioptric projection lenses 11. If you are projecting a horizontal format 35mm slide, and the image is 7.5 feet long, the nearest spectators should be no closer to the screen than about: a) 20 feet b) 15 feet c) 10 feet d) 5 feet ANSWERS 1.b) 2.d) 3.c) 4.a) 5.c) 6.b) 7.c) 8.b) 9.c) 10.a) 11.c) back to top |
| A SHORT DISCUSSION ON PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE. by W.C. JONES 5/23/90 JONES HILL, TX. Photographic style is a part of photography where individualistic views are allowed to exist. These same views will not always be excepted by everyone. A rather good example of this would be one of my thirty-five millimeter slides, titled #473 RED TULIP. This particular slide was photographed in Dallas in 1990, and has a particularly interesting story, For my friends at Warehouse Photographic, this being my home camera store, and one of the few places on earth I truly enjoy spending time at, perhaps the story of slide #473 RED TULIP will provide help for other photographers. Now on to the story. In December of this year I decided to attempt marketing a flower slide portfolio. This portfolio consisted of twelve of the best flower portraits I had compiled throughout my sixteen years with the camera. This portfolio went to every photographic magazine in the United States, and later it would also be sent to nearly every photographic publisher in state of Texas. I really believer in the slides, but guess what?, no editor, or Art Director bought the material. THE PLOT THICKENS. I had given it my very best shot, I read every book on the subject of photographic marketing, I had talked to successful photographers about their careers, but there I sat alone with those twelve slides. I continued to photograph flowers, each time a new slide would really catch my eye, I would substitute it for one of the twelve in the portfolio. That portfolio got sent off once again along with a story I wrote, you see, I want to write about photography also. In about a month the portfolio came home, but it came by next-day air with a letter. That letter reads a bit like this, "We are sorry that we will be unable to use your article material at this time." The letter goes on to state that we "greatly admire your photographs", and we would like to purchase slide# 473, and others to be used in our magazine for one page articles on how great photographs were taken. The letter was from an Editor of one of my favorite photographic magazines, and he said that my material would run in the July/August issue. Since this acceptance my work has also been kept by photographic magazines in California, and publications in Texas. THE POINT OF THE STORY. If you push your belief in your own photographic style hard enough, somebody else will admire it also. The hardest thing I've accomplished in this lifetime, was presenting a photograph of mine to one of my peers. My style is just that, it's my style. Believe in yourself, listen to comments and weigh them fairly. And just remember one last thing. When your down and out, when your dreams are scattered and you just can't seem to find that light at the end-of-the-tunnel, remember slide #473 RED TULIP, Warehouse Photographic has my number, call if you need any help. SINCERELY W.C. JONES back to top |
| HAND TINTING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS by: Murray Allman There are several mediums that can be used to color black and white photographic prints, for example, retouching pencils, dry-dyes, acrylics, oil paints, etc. Photographic oils are different to artist's oils. The pigment of photographic oils is ground finer to make the colors more transparent so the details in the photograph will show through the color. Most people prefer to sepia tone their prints before they apply the oil colors to them. In a print where flesh tone are the dominant color, more realistic flesh tones are easier to obtain. Whether to sepia tone the print or not is usually determined by the subject and the color of the subject or by personal taste. Even though photographic oils can be applied to any surface, it is very difficult to apply them to a glossy surface. The ideal surface is a matte surface. The surface of prints can be prepared for the oils using one of the photographic lacquer sprays. The retouching lacquer may be too coarse, but one of the matte lacquers can be used. You might try different ones until you find the one that suits you the best. It is best to work on a print without the spray because Marlene cannot be used to remove color on a print that has been sprayed. P.M.S. (Prepared Medium Solution) or Extender can be used for cleaning and removing color from sprayed prints. Use wads of cotton for applying colors to large areas and Q-tips and skewers made from toothpicks for smaller areas. When using wads of cotton, twist the cotton so that it is a tight ball or rope. Doing it this way will help the cotton hold together better. Skewers to be used on small details can be made from toothpicks. Moisten the end of the toothpick. Place the cotton on the end of the toothpick and rotate until the cotton becomes a tight wad. Always use the best grade of long fiber cotton or some of the new synthetic fiber cotton will work. You will want to use the fiber that holds together the best. Squeeze a small amount of color from the tube onto your palette. A piece of glass on a white piece of paper works quite well as a palette. (The oil paints are easier to clean from the glass.) Pick up the selected color on the wad of cotton or skewer and wipe off the excess on to a piece of paper or the palette. Apply the oil paint to the surface of the print with a circular motion. A very small amount of color should be sufficient, but use enough so the color will go on to the surface completely and smoothly. Smooth out the color with a light touch using a clean wad of cotton. The P.M.S. (Prepared Medium Solution) can be applied to the print whenever the colors adhere to the surface of the print too strongly. The P.M.S. is used primarily to prepare the surface for the photo oil pencils, otherwise it should not be used for the oil colors. After applying the P.M.S. to a piece of cotton, blot the cotton on a piece of paper or paper towel. After applying it to the surface, wipe the surface nearly dry. You will notice that the less pressure that you use, the more color will remain on the surface and the more pressure that you use more of the details of the print will show. To lighten a color, mix with a little Extender (or substitute P.M.S.). Always blot the cotton onto which you have applied the P.M.S. on a piece of paper or paper towel. Even though the color that is being applied runs over in to an adjacent uncolored area, the unwanted color will be removed when the color of that area is applied. Colors can be applied to areas without regard to the details. the details can be colored later. The only exception is when yellow is applied over blue. The yellow on blue makes green. White areas can be cleared out with Marlene. Each area should be rubbed down to the degree that you want for the final rendition before going on to the next area. The entire print can be cleaned off with Marlene, wiped dry and you can color it again if you are dissatisfied with your initial results. USING PHOTO OIL PENCILS The photo oil pencils are used for small areas and details. The surface is cleaned and prepared by using P.M.S. The P.M.S. supplies the oily base necessary for the oils. If you find the pencil color is not adhering to the surface of the print because it is too slick, then the retouchable photo lacquer can be applied to the surface. Apply the pencil color while the P.M.S. is damp. Apply in strokes changing the pressure for the desired shade. Use the side of the pencil for applying to most areas and the pencil point for smaller details. Rub down with a wad of cotton. The pencils can be sharpened in an ordinary pencil sharpener, but for the best point, rub the tip of the pencil on sand paper. The pencil colors can be mixed by applying one over another and then rubbing them down together. For the best flesh color combine a little cheek color with flesh color. For black complexions, add Verona brown to flesh and rub them down together. PORTRAITS On most prints work from the center or top or left side, leaving room on the print where you can rest your hand. You might lay a piece of paper or a paper towel on the print on which you can rest your hand. Rub the flesh color on the face without regard to lips, teeth or eyes. (The eyes can be cleaned out later with Marlene.) The same color that you use on the face can be used for the arms, neck hands and other parts that are showing. Smooth out the color with a clean wad of cotton. Change to clean cotton frequently for a neater job. Add Verona brown with flesh and/or red for the shadows. The highlights of the flesh tones can be cleared out with Marlene. If the flesh color appears too yellow, mix a small amount of cheek or lipstick red with the flesh color. Add Verona brown to flesh for darker complexions. Use cheek color to the cheeks over the flesh color and blend into surrounding areas with dry cotton. The color should now be cleaned out of the eyes. Extender or Marlene can be used to do this. The correct color can be added to the iris of the eyes with skewers made with toothpicks. Neutral tint can be used in the corner of the eye and to the pupil and cheek. Use ivory black pencil for the pupil of the eye. You can use the same color as the shadow color of the hair for the eyelashes and eyebrows. On uncolored areas, apply P.M.S. or Extender before using the pencils. Use cheek color for children's lips, flesh #3 for men's lips and lipstick red for women's lips. Clean the teeth with Marlene. Use carmine on the dark areas of the mouth if it is opened and use cheek color on the gums if they show. The color of the hair should be smooth and thinned out. Keep the hairline around the face soft. Highlight color can be added to the strands of hair. Add the appropriate darker tones to the shadow areas of the clothing. Thin out the highlight colors. WORK INTERRUPTIONS Be sure to complete the application of all flesh color up to the edge of the clothing before stopping work. The color for the lips, shading or any color that is applied over another should be applied before the original color is dry. Before interrupting your work all colors that have overlapped the lines onto another area that will be another color should be cleaned off of the print. Areas that are to be white or a very light color should be cleaned out with Marlene shortly after the color has overrun from an adjacent area. Colors do not take well over colors that have dried. The procedures pertaining to interrupting your work apply to landscapes also. LANDSCAPES When doing landscapes, start with the sky. Never mind if the blue runs over into the trees, etc. (Remember though that if you apply yellow over the blue it will show green.) As you get closer to the horizon, lighten the color of the sky by applying more pressure or rubbing a little more. Clean out the clouds or make artificial clouds using P.M.S. or Extender. Use gray or violet on the shadow side of the clouds. Cadmium yellow can be used on the highlights of the clouds. Distant objects will usually have a bluish or violet cast. Hills and Mountains in the distant should be colored with gray or violet mixed with neutral tint. Middle distance hills can use a little raw sienna to lighter spots and a little Verona brown to darker parts. Tree trunks and branches can be colored with sepia or Verona brown. On tree leaves against sky, tree green can be applied without removing sky color from the trees. Use burnt sienna on the shadows of trees and bushes. On leaves struck by a low angle sun, hit with cadmium yellow. Oxide green is good to use to color grass. On sunlit grass use cadmium yellow or raw sienna and on shadows on grass use tree green. Rub down well sepia or raw sienna for roads. On water under a blue sky use sky blue with a little Viridian and Extender. Objects reflected in water use neutral tint with their color to subdue color. Rocks can be several different colors. Try pale gray, brown, violet, yellow or other possibilities. Both the regular and extra strong photographic oils can be used for the most natural-looking colors. The extra strong oils will give you a little deeper color saturation. When the oils are dry, the print can be sprayed if you desire. back to top |
| WHAT CAROL
McLAUGHLIN, TECH REP FOR EASTMAN KODAK, HAS TO SAY ON UNDERSTANDING TMAX FILMS * They have slightly less blue sensitivity than current films developed to have the sensitivity of the human eye, therefore, blues may be recorded slightly darker. * The film speed between daylight and tungsten will not vary. * Reciprocity is greatly improved. * The emulsion particles have been restructured allowing for an improvement in sharpness with less grain. PROCESSING TIPS * Best results are at 73 degrees or slightly higher. * These films react more rapidly to development changes than others. A 15 degree change corresponds to a 30 degree change with other films. * The pink color cast in the negative is harmless. It is a residual sensitizing dye that can be removed with rapid fix or increased agitation in the fix. It will not affect printing or archival qualities. * D-76 produces slightly less grain. * TMAX DEVELOPER produces better shadow detail. * Can push process with excellent results in TMAX DEVELOPER. * TMAX REVERSAL KIT is available for TMAX 100 and TECH PAN films. * If your processing is producing a flat negative, try processing at 73 degrees. AGITATION is also very important--you may need to agitate a little more than with other films. INTERVIEW COURTESY OF PRO CAMERA IN DALLAS, TEXAS---THANKS! back to top |
| HOW TO MIX HC-110 DEVLOPER For all of you who use KODAK's HC-110 you may or may not know that the concentrate keeps almost indefinitely if unmixed. To that end I have listed a breakdown of how to mix the various dilutions DIRECTLY FROM THE CONCENTRATE. There are some precautions in mixing the developer directly from the concentrate. 1) Allow sufficient time for the concentrate to run down the inside of the graduate to ensure the proper measurement. (You may want to purchase a 10 cc syringe which should be graduated in 10ths and a larger syringe to hold 30 cc from a local laboratory supplier. This will ensure an exact measurement.) 2) Make sure the concentrate doesn't have any bubbles in it. 3) Be sure to rinse the graduate at least 6 or 7 times to get all of the liquid out of it before adding the rest of the water to make up the final volume. 4) Make sure you mix the developer slightly longer than normal since you're mixing from the concentrate and not a stock solution. Here are the breakdowns for the various dilutions:
To make DILUTION A: |
| CONTRAST CONTROL MASKS Have you ever wondered why that print will not match the transparency from which it was printed? Although beautiful prints can be made from transparencies directly or through an internegative, they will never be an exact match. After hours and hours of printing and reprinting, darkroom enthusiast give up and decide that they are not good darkroom technicians. Life is easier and a lot more simple if a person decides not to match the transparency exactly, but just to make a good print. The greatest problem is a law of physics. An image being viewed with transmitted light can have a lot higher contrast ratio without losing details in either the highlight or shadow areas than an image being viewed with reflected light. Whenever you go from one generation to another (i.e., transparency to print, print to negative, transparency to transparency, and yes, even negative to print), you run into two large problems; an increase in contrast and colors overlapping or contaminating each other. In compressing the contrast range of a transparency with very high contrast down to the contrast range of a reflected light print, the details can be preserved by using a contrast control mask. The mask is simply a low density black and white negative that is sandwiched with the transparency for use whenever the transparency is reproduced as a duplicate transparency or print. Making a contrast control mask can be simple, although there are several ways of making a mask, we will discuss the easy way that still does a very effective job. Most people use Kodak Pan Masking film to make contrast control masks, but other black and white films will work by aiming at a low density, high contrast negative. You do not want any details from the shadow areas of the transparency to show on the black and white mask or, at the most a very minimum. There should be density only in the highlight areas (of the transparency). In making the mask, it is best (and saves time) to use a pin registration system. There are professional and more sophisticated types available, but one can set up a system using a hole punch from the office supply and plate maker's register pins from the graphic arts supply. First, punch holes with the punch in a thin piece of cardboard. With the register pins in the holes of the cardboard, tape the pins to a black surface (as non-reflective as possible). Tape a piece of acetate to the edge of the transparency and punch holes in the acetate. Punch holes in the black and white film (naturally this has to be done in the dark). If film that is smaller than 4"x5" is used, a piece of acetate with holes punched in it can be taped to it. Your set up for the exposure will look something like this: Starting from the bottom; 1. A black non-reflective surface 2. The black and white film (emulsion up). 3. a 0.10 mm diffusion sheet (to facilitate registration) 4. The original transparency (or negative) on the register pins (emulsion down). 5. A piece of CLEAN glass can be put on top to hold everything flat. The light source usually used is an enlarger. The correct exposure must be determined by experimenting. The exposure will be affected by the type of film used, the intensity of the light source, the type of developer used, the time of development, etc. The film that is used the most is Kodak Pan Masking film developed in DK-50 developer. If these are used, you might start your exposure (bracketing) at one second a F/16, F/11, and F/8. The mask should look like a very thin black and white negative with clear areas in the shadow areas. After processing, the film is placed, with the transparency on the register pins and taped together. They then can be trimmed and put in a negative carrier to make a print or Duplicate transparency, or mounted in a slide mount. Even contrasty negatives can be helped with a mask. In exposing the mask for the color negative, four CC50B filters should be used between the light source and the negative. The most drastic situation that I have ever dealt with was a shot of an indoor swimming pool with a window for a wall. The exposure difference between the outdoors and indoors far surpassed the contrast range of the printing paper. The problem can be solved two ways. (1)Make a line mask the size of the print (which in this case was to be a 30"x40") or (2) make a contrast decrease mask. By making the mask as described above the print was made with all of the detail reproduced without dodging and burning-in. Another type of contrast control mask is a mask to increase the contrast of a flat negative. This can be accomplished by using the steps above to produce a contrast decrease mask and then making a duplicate mask which would then give a positive image. Sandwiched with the original negative, the mask can really snap up an underexposed negative. The reversal process can be eliminated by using Kodak professional Duplicating film or Kodak LPD4 film. Sandwiched with the negative, the contrast increase mask can help low- density negative that would not otherwise produce very good prints. back to top |
| The Advantages of Bringing Your Photography to LOW PLACES By W.C. Jones When was the last time you and your camera went down to ground level to make an exposure? Well, if you have developed the same boring habits that I have through the years, your answer is probably, "a long time ago." In the last few months, I have had the privilege of attempting a new type of image for a national publication. The weather on the first weekend of this project was possibly the worst that I have encountered in many years. The first night that I arrived, in my remote camping location, promised an almost summer like evening, with the temperature at around eighty degrees, and ling there in the tent, I thought to myself, W.C., you really have it made, boy. Around 2:00AM the following morning, I earned my photographic wings. The storm that ensued before dawn almost took my breath away. Wet, cold, and disappointed, I thought many times about loading it all up and just going home. For some dumb reason I elected to stay. I drove 40 miles to the nearest town and located a Wal Mart store, bought the warmest clothes I could find, and returned to the scene to try, try again. As the storm began to pass over, I noticed how the clouds began to offer enhanced possibilities for my photography. As I watched the changes in the clouds, I realized that, if I were patient, I could wait for the shapes to intensify. This was something I hadn't read about before. With the light rain still coming down and the temperature about forty degrees, I bean to unload the photographic equipment. With the car running, the heater blasting, I found that jumping out and grabbing the tripod and camera, and then running to my shooting site, firing the exposure, and then scampering back to the warm car became the hot setup for each new roll of film. This routine lead to experimenting with new photographic techniques with each new cold, rainy venture outside the vehicle. On one of these rabbit like moves, I accidentally placed the tripod near ground level mainly because of overhanging trees in the area, and surprise!, surprise!. The lead-in subject that I chose for the foreground was more than likely responsible for the phenomena that ensued. This short version of the article is only intended to give other photographers in the region, or those reading newsletters and insight to the reason behind that same vision; (1) The camera, an old SLR, had a twenty four millimeter lens attached, (2) the tripod was approximately twelve inches from the ground, one of the smaller units somewhat like a tabletop model, (3) the foreground lead in subject was an oak tree, not your ordinary tree, but instead an exemplary tree, (4) the storm that had just blown over had left clouds that we photographers call el-puffos. Large, white billowing expanses with great blue backgrounds. (5) The time of the year was at the peak of fall colors, rustic reds and browns, and a lime green that requires the use of Fuji Velvia, or another slowE6 film to capture this hue at its fullest. Many hours of testing new films with the help of Kodak and Fuji in New York had taught this photographer the difference, and the camera was loaded appropriately. I guess you could say that I lucked out. In reality, I just had a number of great elements working for me. The twenty four millimeter lens placed into the perfect setting, at a camera angle really LOW to the ground proved to be the one element that as a photographer I did differently from previous outings. With the camera then tilted up at a tree that had little chance to show convergence to an audience, (convergence appears when the camera is shifted off axis, up or down, from a neutral or straight forward position. This convergence causes lines in the finished print to appear as if they were leaning.) But the key point of this paper was in learning to remember what elements had brought about the improvement of the finished images.. The finished slide made a strong point, they say you can't teach an old dong new tricks, well maybe this is true, but perhaps this low-angle photography was present in my innerself all along, who's to really say. Someday if you find your tripod twelve inches from the ground, and if you notice a twenty four millimeter lens on the end of your camera. If again you can choose a great lead in subject at close range, perhaps a couple of feet away, and fill your background with extraordinary colors, while keeping your chosen composition tight and clutter-free, and in focus, THEN YOU MIGHT JUST SEE MY NEW WONDERMENTS/ FROM PHOTOGRAPHY IN LOW PLACES back to top |
| SUGGESTIONS FOR TAKING PICTURES OF SOLAR ECLIPSE by: Vickie Belt Film: Kodak Royal Gold 100 or slower ISO film 5.0 neutral density filters on lens (Wratten ND 4.00 plus ND 1.00 or Wratten ND 2.00 plus ND 3.00). This is adds up to 15 stops. Starting point: 1/125 at f/8 and bracket the hell out of it * In 1979, I was fairly successful using 2 polarizing filters and a 4.00 ND on a very stable tripod with a 600mm lens and a 2X extender. AVOID LOOKING INTO THE VIEWFINDER AS THIS CAN CAUSE PERMANENT RETINA DAMAGE RESULTING IN BLINDNESS. USE A RANGEFINDER OR MIRROR. AN OVEREXPOSED (BULLET PROOF) NEGATIVE OVER THE EYEPIECE WILL HELP REDUCE THE INTENSITY IF USING A MIRROR. Any one else, with a "bright idea" on this subject, feel free to add to these suggestions or relate past experiences. |
| TRAVEL TIPS FOR YOUR CAMERA EQUIPMENT by: Vickie Belt Treat your camera like you would a good friend...... If you go into a restaurant or store...let your camera go with you. Some of the best travel photos I have are those while relaxing during lunch or shopping in unusual places. Never put your camera in the trunk of a car! The vibration can create a few loose screws (In your friend or your camera) During summertime, leaving your camera locked up in your trunk or car for extended periods can lead to expensive repair costs. The lubricants inside the equipment can vaporize in extreme heat. When the temperature cools, the lubricant can accumulate on other parts of the equipment, for example, on the diaphragm blades of a lens where it causes the blades to stick resulting in overexposure. Cameras that are not specifically designed for "all weather", or labeled as "water proof" should be kept away from wet conditions. The electronic components of today do not lend themselves to high moisture conditions. Cameras that are labeled as such are sealed at all openings against moisture damage. Disposable (Oops!) Recyclable cameras are available for that romp on the beach at a very reasonable cost when you consider the alternatives. For those ski trips, I also recommend all weather type cameras. If you are willing to chance your present equipment, then try sealing the camera in a plastic zip lock bag and sucking all the air out to create a vacuum. Only take the camera out when shooting and remove all of the air before returning to the warm interior of the ski lodge. This will prevent condensation from occurring to cause moisture damage or crystallizing when it refreezes upon returning to the great outdoors. There are many new configurations of bags, backpacks and camera vests available in our store to make carrying your camera equipment more comfortable. The more you take your camera with you, the more pictures you will take, and the better at taking them you will get! |
| USING THE "OTHER HALF" OF YOUR CAMERA by: Vickie Belt Are your photographs as sharp as you would like for them to be? Even with bright, state of the art lenses and modern technological advances, such as auto focus and auto exposure metering, are your pictures meeting your expectations? Are you getting a full range of usage in your aperture and shutter speed settings? If you answered "yes" to the above questions, then you already own a tripod. If you answered "no," then buy one now. The tripod is the single most important accessory you can own to improve picture quality. Without a tripod, you are utilizing only half of your camera's capabilities. Consider the range of shutter speed choices available to you. Rule of thumb for hand-held photography is to use the shutter speed nearest your maximum focal length or higher. For example, with a 50mm lens, you could hand hold the camera set at 1/60 second and up. An 80-200 zoom would best held at 1/250 second and up, and so it goes. What can you do with all of those other shutter speeds in the camera? With a tripod.....you can use them! The ability to utilize slower shutter speeds allows for more flexibility and control. Being able to use a slow, fine grain film as your light is fading will make better enlargements. Smaller corresponding apertures can be used to increase depth of field...especially useful in low light levels where focusing is sometimes difficult. Creative special effects using long time exposures or painting with light are easy to do with a tripod. Even flash pictures can be better balanced if a slow shutter speed is used to allow ambient light to illuminate the background while the flash fires to get a better color balance on the main subject. Your tripod should be sturdy enough to eliminate vibration thereby increasing sharpness and clarity of the photograph. First time tripod buyers sometimes lean toward purchasing the lightest and most compact (and cheapest) tripod they can find. This can defeat the purpose ....to eliminate vibration. Make sure the tripod has weight to it and always leave the center column down when walking away from the camera. For backpackers who require a lightweight tripod, be prepared to add weights or to "sandbag" it when in use. One trick is to sew half the open end of two socks together. Fill the socks with rocks or sand at the photographic site and then empty the socks for transporting your equipment to the next location. Wrap these socks around the center column when full and secure with a twist tie. We carry a variety of tripods.....Ask our sales staff for pointers on which tripod is right for you and how to get the most out of your pictures when using it. Even when using the appropriate shutter speed for the focal length, and even at 1/1000 second, I'd say the camera should render a sharper photograph. This difference in sharpness may only be noticeable on an enlargement or light box with a magnifier but can be the difference between a good picture and a great photograph. |