Need some Film/Developer Help

[shapirophoto]

I'm a photo student, and I'm starting a personal project... Something not assigned by school...

I want to do a series of 4x5 portraits in the vein of Alec Soth, or Richard Renaldi

But I want to do them in B&W and in 4x5 (as opposed to 8x10)

What film? I really learned most of my technical darkroom skills with HP5+ but I've found that, in certain situations, it's too fast. I.e. if I'm shooting typically with 5.6 or 8 it's past my shutter speed ability... So I'm looking at FP4+

Also what developer? I've typically used HC-110 but it's just a gimmee the school stocks it. I just bought a packet of D-76, and I'm thnking about Diafine... I really develop the negs and scan them with an imacon. I hear the Diafine is ideally suited to that because it gives a flatter negative and retains detail... Anyway guys... any advice or help.

Here's a photo:

This is HP5+ with a botched development in HC-110

[Andrew O'Neill]

Going by the example you provided, it looks as though you are rating HP5 too high. Personally, I use it (for normal contrast situations) at an EI of 250. To slow it down further, you could slap a ND filter on the lens.
I do use FP4+ and love it. If you bought some D-76, rate it at about 64/80, and develop it in D-76 diluted 1+1. I personally have never cared for HC-110, but that's me... so, nobody jump all over me for saying that.

[shapirophoto]

Going by the example you provided, it looks as though you are rating HP5 too high. Personally, I use it (for normal contrast situations) at an EI of 250. To slow it down further, you could slap a ND filter on the lens.
I do use FP4+ and love it. If you bought some D-76, rate it at about 64/80, and develop it in D-76 diluted 1+1. I personally have never cared for HC-110, but that's me... so, nobody jump all over me for saying that.

Yeah I feel you. I really REALLY messed up the HC-110 in that example, that's more an example of image style less image quality here's a bad composition but right image quality...

[Andrew O'Neill]

Now that's more like it. The tone's are much richer.

[Bruce Barlow]

Stick with HP5, rate it at 250, or use Tri-X or T-Max 400. For portraits, you want as much film speed as you can get, given shallow depth of field at open apertures.

While I've made portraits at 1/2 second shutter speeds, it ain't as much fun as having some leeway.

[Ron Marshall]

XTOL works well with FP4, but I would stay with HP5 or TMY, also using XTOL.