Critique Welcomed Waiting For The Local Elk

[Brian Moore]

I have a Yashica 635 (TLR) that I bought some years ago and used fairly frequently for a while. I put it aside a couple of years ago after experiencing some odd looks to the film I last used in it. I assumed the camera was in need of a CLA. Recently, however, it occurred to me that maybe my film was bad. So I decided to run a roll of test film though it. I decided to shoot some "redscale". Redscale probably isn't the best test film but I did what I did. This film expired in 2015.

Redscale isn't everyone's cup of tea. Indeed, it's not even my cup of tea. However I found some years ago that when overexposed a stop or two it can yield a not unpleasant color palette. The first two shots below are the same image. For the second one I desaturated green and yellow in Lightroom.

The third shot is my favorite of the bunch. I didn't change anything in post except an adjustment to exposure. It is my daughter, Meg. We were standing at the front of my house waiting for the local elk. I had one frame left and I told Meg to strike a pose. It was getting dark but even so I forgot all about exposure values and just snapped the picture.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Very lyrical and elegant posed photo of your daughter, almost abstract, Brian.

 

[Brian Moore]

Very lyrical and elegant posed photo of your daughter, almost abstract, Brian.

Thanks Gianluca. It is one of these pictures that, as soon as I glanced at the newly processed negative, I knew I was going to like it.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Not a lot wrong with the camera by the look of it, or the images that come from it, Brian. I rather like the unusual palette of no2. Of no3, basically what Gianluca said . Great stuff.

 

[Brian Moore]

Not a lot wrong with the camera by the look of it, or the images that come from it, Brian. I rather like the unusual palette of no2. Of no3, basically what Gianluca said . Great stuff.

Thanks Ralph. Much appreciated.

 

[Pete Askew]

Ah yed, Redscale. A tricky one and not a film I could find a use for.

Anyway, it appears I was wrong and both the original rendering and especially the ‘desaturated' version work well. And then there is the portrait. The pose and expression are wonderful and the fact that it is a bit underexposed adds rather than detracts from the feel of it I think. Is there a hint of resignation or despair in Meg, Is that a special film or is the light the result of smoke from a world burning due to climate change.

Maybe I have just talked (written) myself into liking Redscale after all.

 

[Brian Moore]

Redscale. A tricky one and not a film I could find a use for.

Which is probably why I still have 4 rolls of 120 from 2015 in the fridge.

Anyway, it appears I was wrong and both the original rendering and especially the ‘desaturated' version work well.

Thanks Pete. It may seem too obvious but I find that redscale film overexposed a stop or two renders red things a very nice shade of red. The desaturated version gets somewhat close but I also think the age of this film has affected its colors.

The pose and expression are wonderful and the fact that it is a bit underexposed adds rather than detracts from the feel of it I think.

In the original negative Meg is almost a silhouette; it's what attracted me as soon as I saw the film when I hung it to dry. I subsequently shed some light on Meg in Lr. No resignation or despair,...she just struck a pose that came to her. I won't deny the climate change part, though.

Thanks for your comments, Pete. Much appreciated.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

I honestly don't know what you are talking about when it comes to Redscale. But the last one is intriguing and I want to support a cause to give Brian's daughter at least 50 per cent of the credit in the success of this photo because her expression and pose are seriously theatrical. Then it will be up to her to share a quote of the 50% of the credit she has earned with each one of her five fingers.

 

[Brian Moore]

I honestly don't know what you are talking about when it comes to Redscale. But the last one is intriguing and I want to support a cause to give Brian's daughter at least 50 per cent of the credit in the success of this photo because her expression and pose are seriously theatrical. Then it will be up to her to share a quote of the 50% of the credit she has earned with each one of her five fingers.

Gianluca,... Redscale film is color film that has been reversed; the exposure is made through the non-emulsion side, imparting a pronounced red tone to the picture. You can buy ready-made redscale film or you can prepare your own in a darkroom (in 35mm at least) by pulling the film from its canister, cutting it (being sure to leave a "tail" of film attached to the canister), reversing it, taping it onto the tail, then rewinding it back into its canister. All your shots with that roll will now be exposed through the back of the film.

I'd say Meg deserves more like 98% of the credit; she is quite comfortable being seriously theatrical. How she might distribute the credit among her five fingers is anyone's guess.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

The second does it for me. I love that shot. A painterly quality.

Meg always looks good in your foties, Brian. I hope she pays you!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Gianluca,... Redscale film is color film that has been reversed; the exposure is made through the non-emulsion side, imparting a pronounced red tone to the picture. You can buy ready-made redscale film or you can prepare your own in a darkroom (in 35mm at least) by pulling the film from its canister, cutting it (being sure to leave a "tail" of film attached to the canister), reversing it, taping it onto the tail, then rewinding it back into its canister. All your shots with that roll will now be exposed through the back of the film.

I'd say Meg deserves more like 98% of the credit; she is quite comfortable being seriously theatrical. How she might distribute the credit among her five fingers is anyone's guess.

Thanks for the explanation, Brian [I didn't get it], now the puzzle is complete!

You technicians are so sweet when you put your minds to it

 

[Gianluca Drago]

I hope she pays you!

Or viceversa.

 

[Brian Moore]

The second does it for me. I love that shot. A painterly quality.

Thanks Rob.

Meg always looks good in your foties, Brian. I hope she pays you!

Thanks Rob,...I'm not getting paid for that work.

 

[Brian Moore]

You technicians are so sweet when you put your minds to it