HELP--which color print film for a wedding?

[tedkaufman]

This is not exactly a LF question, but I can't think of a more knowledgeable gro up to pose this question to, so please bear with me.

I have gotten roped into shooting a friend's wedding. Since I've always used tr ansparency films for all commercial and personal work, I don't know much at all about color print films.

What film(s) do wedding guys use? I'll probably shoot this on 35mm. Enlargment s are not likely to exceed 8x10. I'm most concerned with achieving soft and nat ural skin tones and holding detail in the white dress while not blocking up foli age.

The last time I shot a wedding--about 30 years ago!--a wedding photographer from my home town told me all the wedding guys send their film to labs that speciali ze in wedding prints. I used a lab he recommended and I was pleasantly surprise d by the overall quality and particularly by the accurate skin tones. Do any of you know if such labs still exist and where I might find one?

[echard wheeler]

I use kodak portra nc 400 @ 200.

good luck eck

[Kevin J. Kolosky]

I also use Portra NC 400. A very good lab is the Herff Jones Labs in Minnesota.(they used to be called Camera Arts)

[David Kaufman]

I have done a large number of weddings and bar-mitzvahs and do all my own colour printing. The best films in my opinion, for flesh tones, response to varied light conditions, and grain, are in Fuji's lineup: NPS 160, NPL 160 (tungsten) and NPH 400. I have tested NPH 400 against Kodak's Portra 400 and NPH has finer grain and slightly lower contrast. For 35mm I have often used Fuji Superia Reala but now I feel that NPS is a slightly better film. Fuji Superia Reala has very accurate colour and very smooth grain especially in flesh tones, but I think NPS handles a wider range of lighting and produces eaasier to print flesh tones under flash lighting. So in summary, for flash shooting--NPS 160; for available light where adequate--Reala; for lower light levesl--NPH 400 (which has very fine grain for an EI 400 film. You can also get NPH in an 800 EI version but it gets pretty grainy.

[Jason_1622]

Yes, I've shot plenty of weddings this year and usually shoot with fuji nph 400 for the 35mm shots and fuji nps 160 for the medium format formal shots. Once I shot with the npl when I lit the format shots with lowel tota lights, but I usually use strobes with a daylight film like nps. The kodak portra line of film is fine too. Either will work great. Oh, and if you need it, the fuji nghII 800 speed and whatever the new model is that just replaced the nghII is good stuff for low light shooting. But shoot it at n-1/3 and develop normal to keep good density in the shadows...

[F. William Baker]

Fuji NPH 400 is great...Like you I only do weddings as favors to very good friends. NPH is very fine grained and will easily go to 8x10 with no problem. You'd be surprised what some regular wedding photographers charge...lots of $$$$$'s

Good Luck FWB

[Hank Pennington]

We use NPS in 120 for fomals and NPH in 35mm for candids. We service a diverse population and find that these two are much better than any of the Kodak line for accurately portraying a wide range of skin tones. Clients are delighted, many crediting us for being "better" photographers for the matchup in tones. By the way, more as a convenience than for better results on film, we expose the NPS at 100 ISO, the same as the Polaroids we use for proofing. Results with the NPS are still great, and it sure helps when proofing a setup.

We are really happy with ProLab, Inc. in Seattle. WA. (800-426-6770) or (www.digitalimaging.com). Their work has been consistently above par in the 10+ years we have used them, and their staff is especially alert for problems, either on our side or their side of the process.

Hank

[Josh Root]

Mind you, I don't shoot weddings. But NPS and NPH are my favorite color print films. The kodak films people have suggested are great also. It all comes down to a matter of opinion.

[Edsel Adams]

As a career wedding shooter,I'll offer my 2c.Many prefer the green boxes,but the Portra films still do a fine job.I shoot the 160 VC out doors with fill flash,and the 400NC indoors with flash.All of these films (including the Fuji's)have amazing low grain,providing you dont underexpose them.This might be where the "shoot at 320 or 200", stuff comes from.Follow the sage advice of exposing for the shadows with neg stocks,and you will do fine at the box speed.These modern pro films are made to allow high contrast subjects ,such as a bride in white & groom in black.Also have a high exposure latitude.Many foolishly over expose these films grossly.All this does is pushes caucasian skin onto the films shoulder,and blows out the details.Meter carefully shoot at box speed.Good luck & happy shooting.

[David R Munson]

For the admittedly limited color work that I do, I've always preferred Portra 160 NC.