52 Rolls Week 38:52

Film Test and chasing Fall across Colorado.  We find ourselves at Boreas Pass, a place we've been before.

First we revisit the Baker Water Tank taken in 2011 with my last 120 roll of Kodak 100GX:

Next an image from this year taken with Fuji Velvia 50:

And a comparison to Fujicolor Pro 400H:

Yu can see why I preferred Kodak E100GX to Velvia 50....It has better true color rendering.  The Velvia 50 image would need more manipulation.


See the Current Film Test Results Here.

Celebrating Fall: Boreas Pass

A Preview of Next Week's 52 Rolls Posting:

52 Rolls Week #33 Updates

Some experiments based on suggestions from 52 Rolls posted comments.

First lets revisit Portra 160 with warming filter:

The suggestion was to adjust the White balance and reduce the 'warming'.  Now I typically use warming filters with chrome films, which tend to be very blue.  Example below, same scene, Velvia 50 with warming filter:

Now lets look at Portra 160 with White Balance adjusted (in Photoshop Levels):

And Portra 160 with both the White Balance and Black adjusted (in Photoshop Levels):

This one is getting closer to the natural color, but still a bit off.  One viewer commented that your film choice is a reflection of your interpretation of reality.  I like that!  So I'll stick with the Chrome version of reality.

Revisit 52 Rolls Week #33

52 Rolls: Week #33

Continuing with the Snowy Range Theme, this week I've posted a color film comparison for the 52 Rolls Project.  It's been a while since we've had a film comparison:  Fuji Velvia 50 (E-6) versus Kodak Portra 160 (C-41), Mirror Lake and the Snowy Range:

Hopefully I don't need to tell you which is which.  Velvia 50 above, with the typical Transparency film bluer than blue sky. below, just a little too much cyan for me in the Portra 160 sky.  But that is also typical of C-41 films.

Here the same view, taken minutes apart as I had just changed film............This sun angle make the Portra sky more tolerable for me.......But I still prefer the true blue.  

An Abstract for Mother's Day!

From my recent Macro Workshop with Eli Vega......

Perspectives in Color and More Cropping

Too bad Fuji is eliminating Velvia 50/120:

This is the crop I planned when making the image:

In Photoshop, I saw another possibility:

Original Full Frame:

Photo Workshop #5

Crop #2 (above) and Original Scene (below):

Photo WorkShop #4

Two crops from the same image:  Crop #1

Original Image:

Photo Workshop #3

Simplicity:

Photo WorkShop #2

Same image, with diffuser, but out of focus.  A mistake, but I like it!

Photo Workshop @ Hudson Gardens

Haven't shot color for a while (because I don't like Fuji Film).  But recently took a workshop with Local Artist Eli Vega and thought I would try some color along the way.  Not my best but some interesting things; And I know what I would do differently next time:

So we were learning how to use a diffuser:  With Diffuser (above) and without (Below).

This week we will look at some color results; next week we'll look at the B&W which I expect to be much better.

Hope you are having a relaxing Labor Day!

Saturdays Online: What was on those old Rolls of Film.....And why aren't my Photos Better?

Today in a tongue in cheek offering we answer these burning photographic questions?

First kudos to the ShoeBoxBlog for their insight:

Do you remember what's on that last roll of film that you shot BEFORE switching to digital?  Did you ever finish it and get the roll developed?  Sometimes wonderful 'gifts' can be found on those undeveloped rolls.  And how often have you heard that some famous photographer died, and left dozens of undeveloped film rolls in their belongings?

Or conversely are you guilty of endless selfies and images of your lunch plate, because you feel you should be taking pictures since you have that digital camera on your phone?  And is your addiction to social media fueling this?

And finally an explanation of why your images may not be as good as you expect.  This is completely satire, but some of the comments you'll see after the article have no sense of humor.
If Your Photos Aren’t Good Enough, Your Camera Isn’t Expensive Enough
 But do you really need a reason to add to your camera family? Nah, JUST DO IT!

And I always try to include a recent image of my own.  

On film, from Cottonwood Pass, Colorado.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: Yellow

Yellow is a close one; another aesthetic choice here:

Velvia 50:  A bit Green

E100VS: True Yellow

Comments:  I mentioned that E100VS seemed to "see" outside our human visible range on the red end.  Velvia 50 seems to "see" greens with more intensity.  So it may be more on the blue end of the spectrum.  Same as yesterday's Blues, if you hadn't seen the truer color, you would probably accept the other as OK.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: Blue in Full Sunlight

Another close one............

Velvia 50: True Blue

 E100VS: A bit Magenta, but OK

Comments: Yesterday's image was in low light.  Here in full sun E100VS does better.  The background browns are the Cedar from our test.  Here also the cedar background is more golden for Velvia 50.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: I've got the Blues

Let's check the Blue Hydrangeas:

Velvia 50

E100VS

Comments:  We have a couple of problems here that allow me to state right away that Velvia 50 wins this color.  First, the background was the yellow exterior of my house.  Which one appears yellow to you?  Also if you know Hydrangeas, you would pick Velvia 50 as the truer color.  There was obviously some source of reddish light just outside our visible human range that the E100VS is picking up.  I like that color, but I know that it is not the correct color.  Remember, some films can "see" outside our human eye's visible range.  This will affect the color balance.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: More on Brown

Let's look at some Cedar lumber we used to build planter boxes:

Velvia 50:  A bit too golden

E100VS:  Just a little too magenta

Comments:  Looking at the Cedar now and allowing for a month's worth of fading by the sun, I'd say that reality is in the middle.  E100VS always brightens any red highlights in the image,  so the Cedar is a bit more red/magenta than reality.  But the Velvia 50 is too golden.  So this is an aesthetic choice, since neither is the true color, but both look OK.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: Browns, not so good

Up to this point we've had a tie.  But If you are interested in earth tones, perhaps this breaks the tie.  Velvia 50 Browns are not so good.

Velvia 50: Too Red

E100VS: True Tea

Comments: Not the best lighting conditions for either, but E100VS handles the low light better.  I think we all know which is closest to the actual color of ice tea........Not A tie, E100VS wins!

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: Check the White Balance

 Velvia 50: A little green

 E100VS: True White

Comments:  If you know anything about flowers, you'll know that most white flower are actually a bit green.  And As I remember them, the Velvia is probably closer to the actual color of the flowers, but the E100VS is more aesthetically pleasing.  I'm still going to call it a tie!

Velvia 50 vs. E100 VS: The Results

This test highlights April flowers...........so let's jump in!

Conditions:  Mamiya 645 with changeable backs.  Each film has it's own back with proper ISO setting: each image taken from the same position, same lighting conditions, by changing the back while the camera was on the tripod.  Photos are not retouched; so have been cropped.

Lens: Mamiya Sekor f/4 80mm with Macro. 

WHY?  I never was satisfied with Velvia 100 and I am still looking for a replacement for E100GX; Everyone told me I'd love Velvia 50:

RED:

Velvia 50

E100VS

I'd say these are pretty close, with the Velvia a bit more orange; E100VS known for sometimes unreal reds seems OK...... So it's a tie here!  I'd be happy with either color.

To See E100GX Reds CLICK HERE:

Next Film Test: Fuji Velvia 50 vs. Kodak E100VS, Medium Format 120

Because of the uncertainty of Kodak's future and the recent announcement that they will discontinue E-6 Film, it is obviuosly time to run another film test.  I prefer color transparency film to print film.  So Here we go:

Fuji Velvia 50 vs. Kodak E100VS, medium format (120).  I have chosen medium format, because ISO 50 requires a tripod under most circumstances.  It's doubtful that I would really be inclined to carry a tripod around for my 35mm.  Kind of defeats the purpose of traveling light........So in the near future expect a Fuji Provia 100/400 test against the now extinct E100VS (you can still buy it, but the price has gone up significantly).

As the spring flowers bloom the tests will proceed.