Use of X-ray film: technical discussion with example images

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Originally Posted by Jim Fitzgerald

I've been away from the thread for a while but I think everyone should understand by now that x-ray film is fun, cheap and can give you great results. Still, you have to create something worthwhile! All of the information is here along with examples. Just do it people! The more you DO the more you KNOW!!

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+100

Scott, that is a fine example of a highlight portrait. It is very striking. I think that is the first example of a highlight shot I've seen done on x-ray film. Did you come up with that highlight idea on your own? I recognised it because I remember it from one of Mortenson's books. (expose for the highlights, let the shadows fall where they may).

Blotchy X-ray (Fuji HTR), kind of suits the image...
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Originally Posted by premortho

Scott, that is a fine example of a highlight portrait. It is very striking. I think that is the first example of a highlight shot I've seen done on x-ray film. Did you come up with that highlight idea on your own? I recognised it because I remember it from one of Mortenson's books. (expose for the highlights, let the shadows fall where they may).

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Thank you for the kind words. Are you refering to William Mortensen? I just googled Mortensen photographer and his work came up. So no, I hadn't even heard of him. But I have now and just ordered a book of his work. Thanks!

The look I was after was actually a culmination of the entire process. I exposed the (x-ray) film at 80 asa and metered incident light and shot as metered. I processed using my baseline for this film + 2 minutes to bring in a little more contrast as I shot it in shade and wanted a bit more than I saw. Aftere processing I scanned the negative and completed my processing using dodging, burning and contrast in Photoshop to get the look I was after. As this is my wife, and she NEVER likes her photos I am careful to show her images as flattering as possible. I have found that on female portraits overexposure on the skin tends to smooth things out a bit and hide "imperfections". There was certainly plenty of detail in the original negative (you could clearly see skin pores). And there you have it. :)

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Originally Posted by premortho

Scott, that is a fine example of a highlight portrait. It is very striking. I think that is the first example of a highlight shot I've seen done on x-ray film. Did you come up with that highlight idea on your own? I recognised it because I remember it from one of Mortenson's books. (expose for the highlights, let the shadows fall where they may).

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sorry, but you are about as wrong as it gets with classification.

Neverless - good start, Tim.

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Originally Posted by SergeiR

sorry, but you are about as wrong as it gets with classification.

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I'm not familiar with the term highlight portrait. I did a google search without much luck - what is a highlight portrait? Is it related to a high key portrait?

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Originally Posted by Mkillmer

I'm not familiar with the term highlight portrait. I did a google search without much luck - what is a highlight portrait? Is it related to a high key portrait?

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There isnt such thing :) it might be however something lost in translation (i am guilty of doing it too , every now and then ;)) and indeed meant as high key.

I was talking about classification of this as something that follows Mortensen's concepts - its pretty far from his 7D negative for pictorial portraits and i believe its not falling into his commercial portraiture category (i.e your off the mill typical AA style) mainly b/c of being a bit too high up too. But i dont have reference in front of me to judge latest. And its too late and i am lazy to dig book out ;)

Very bright areas and generally dense / contrastry negatives are something that you easily get with X-ray, i believe. Which is just perfect, apparently, for Jim's printing style. And i can vouch that it makes lith printing pretty darn easy too - have to blast them quite a bit though, to get your typical +2 exposure starting point ;)

5X7 slider back Calter 240mm at f22 and f16.

Attachment 100730

See? Randy's negative got pictorial potential, as Mortensen would say ;)))

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Originally Posted by Randy Moe

5X7 slider back Calter 240mm at f22 and f16.

Attachment 100730

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Love that first pose Randy! Excellent.