Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skiers4life
(Posted in FM as well.)
This is Kanarra Creek, just outside of Zion National Park. Taken last fall. I am finding color negative film quite difficult to scan, but after many (MANY!!!) tries, I have finally come up with a scan that I am happy with. It's a little bit high in contrast, but the scene was pretty contrasty so I'm ok with losing a bit of detail in the shadows.
I am finding color negative film (in this case 4x5 Kodak Ektar 100) both amazing and amazingly frustrating. First, it's amazing because it's just ridiculously tolerant of exposure errors. No joke, I metered this scene for around 4 minutes but cut it short at 2:30 because I decided I didn't particularly like the scene. (Free tip: The middle of an exposure is a poor time to rethink a composition.) However, the film's forgiveness made it just fine.
My frustration comes from the fact that it took A LOT of tweaking individual curves in PS to color balance this shot. While there's nothing really wrong with that, the entire goal of film is to avoid that as much as possible. I guess there really is no way around it though so it's just something I'll have to get used to. Anyway, C&C are welcome; hope you enjoy!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7243/...1cf7b4ab_o.jpg
Shen Hao 4x5, Kodak Ektar 100, Fuji 90mm, f/45, ~2.5 min exposure, Polarizer
(My gosh Flickr's new BBCode about caused me to punch my computer screen in frustration!!!)
Interesting... So different from chrome long exposures good to know, still a great image, and very beautiful!
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skiers4life
(Posted in FM as well.)
My frustration comes from the fact that it took A LOT of tweaking individual curves in PS to color balance this shot. While there's nothing really wrong with that, the entire goal of film is to avoid that as much as possible. I guess there really is no way around it though so it's just something I'll have to get used to. Anyway, C&C are welcome; hope you enjoy!
Honestly, I've decided Ektar just isn't worth the marginal savings over Portra. Even when the exposure is perfect, it takes a lot more curves work to get right than Portra, and when the exposure isn't right, it's a nightmare.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Erik,
Nice image. I like the composition and exposure.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skiers4life
(Posted in FM as well.)
This is Kanarra Creek, just outside of Zion National Park. Taken last fall. I am finding color negative film quite difficult to scan, but after many (MANY!!!) tries, I have finally come up with a scan that I am happy with. It's a little bit high in contrast, but the scene was pretty contrasty so I'm ok with losing a bit of detail in the shadows.
I am finding color negative film (in this case 4x5 Kodak Ektar 100) both amazing and amazingly frustrating. First, it's amazing because it's just ridiculously tolerant of exposure errors. No joke, I metered this scene for around 4 minutes but cut it short at 2:30 because I decided I didn't particularly like the scene. (Free tip: The middle of an exposure is a poor time to rethink a composition.) However, the film's forgiveness made it just fine.
My frustration comes from the fact that it took A LOT of tweaking individual curves in PS to color balance this shot. While there's nothing really wrong with that, the entire goal of film is to avoid that as much as possible. I guess there really is no way around it though so it's just something I'll have to get used to. Anyway, C&C are welcome; hope you enjoy!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7243/...1cf7b4ab_o.jpg
Shen Hao 4x5, Kodak Ektar 100, Fuji 90mm, f/45, ~2.5 min exposure, Polarizer
(My gosh Flickr's new BBCode about caused me to punch my computer screen in frustration!!!)
Real nice image.
I could not agree more about Kodak color negative film. A few I find easy to scan, others I have never gotten right, despite numerous, numerous tries. However, as soon as I opened it I thought it had the look of Kodak color neg film. I find it a real bitch and have quit using it.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
I love Ektar100 but do find it SOMETIMES difficult to get everything bang on color wise. If I nail the exposure, the colors fall into place fairly easily but if you're over or under even by a little bit I find it hellishly difficult to get right..
Skiers4life : just a thought - I would personally go a little lighter on the CPL - you've lost a fair bit of the sheen on the water surface that would otherwise tell us where the water is flowing, how fast etc.. Its a stunning image however and even as it is I would be very proud of it if I were you... I Never get color images of waterfalls right...
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skiers4life
(Posted in FM as well.)
This is Kanarra Creek, just outside of Zion National Park. Taken last fall. I am finding color negative film quite difficult to scan, but after many (MANY!!!) tries, I have finally come up with a scan that I am happy with. It's a little bit high in contrast, but the scene was pretty contrasty so I'm ok with losing a bit of detail in the shadows.
I am finding color negative film (in this case 4x5 Kodak Ektar 100) both amazing and amazingly frustrating. First, it's amazing because it's just ridiculously tolerant of exposure errors. No joke, I metered this scene for around 4 minutes but cut it short at 2:30 because I decided I didn't particularly like the scene. (Free tip: The middle of an exposure is a poor time to rethink a composition.) However, the film's forgiveness made it just fine.
My frustration comes from the fact that it took A LOT of tweaking individual curves in PS to color balance this shot. While there's nothing really wrong with that, the entire goal of film is to avoid that as much as possible. I guess there really is no way around it though so it's just something I'll have to get used to. Anyway, C&C are welcome; hope you enjoy!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7243/...1cf7b4ab_o.jpg
Shen Hao 4x5, Kodak Ektar 100, Fuji 90mm, f/45, ~2.5 min exposure, Polarizer
(My gosh Flickr's new BBCode about caused me to punch my computer screen in frustration!!!)
This is an awesome image! For color balancing with color negative film, give Color Perfect a try. It's a Photoshop plugin and will set you back a little bit of money, but for getting scans of color negative film right, this is the easiest and most accurate way I've found to date. You can try with a demo version and see what you think.
I'm not affiliated with Color Perfect and don't really care if you buy it or not :) Just wanted to throw it out there as something worth trying.
Cheers,
Karl
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions everyone; I appreciate it! I will definitely look in to some of these plugins. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has trouble with Ektar from time to time.
@alexn - I have the same sentiments about the CPL. Just before this trip I bought a Singh-Ray polarizer and these were the first images using it. Apparently it is much higher quality than the previous one because it killed ALL reflections in each water shot I took! I have since made a mental note to back off a little bit on this polarizer whenever water is in the scene.
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skiers4life
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions everyone; I appreciate it! I will definitely look in to some of these plugins. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has trouble with Ektar from time to time.
@alexn - I have the same sentiments about the CPL. Just before this trip I bought a Singh-Ray polarizer and these were the first images using it. Apparently it is much higher quality than the previous one because it killed ALL reflections in each water shot I took! I have since made a mental note to back off a little bit on this polarizer whenever water is in the scene.
So essentially you're saying it's a GOOD polarizer... Haha
Wonder how it compares to my B+W
Also, to the Photoshop comment, not everyone uses a computer to get their images on paper ;)
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
StoneNYC
So essentially you're saying it's a GOOD polarizer... Haha
Wonder how it compares to my B+W
Also, to the Photoshop comment, not everyone uses a computer to get their images on paper ;)
Ha! Yes, I'm saying it actually did what it was supposed to do...which is apparently something I've been missing. The unfailing accuracy of the internet says Singh Ray and B+W are pretty equal...
As to getting an image on paper, I have nothing but respect for those that print in the darkroom...and have absolutely no desire to ever try it! I at least develop my own BW film (color still gets sent out) before I scan it; hopefully this makes me somewhat of a real photographer. ;)
Re: Large Format Landscapes
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skiers4life
Ha! Yes, I'm saying it actually did what it was supposed to do...which is apparently something I've been missing. The unfailing accuracy of the internet says Singh Ray and B+W are pretty equal...
As to getting an image on paper, I have nothing but respect for those that print in the darkroom...and have absolutely no desire to ever try it! I at least develop my own BW film (color still gets sent out) before I scan it; hopefully this makes me somewhat of a real photographer. ;)
None of us are real, just names and pixels haha
