Black and White Wedding Photography (Actual Day)

[reznor]

Hi all, need some opinions with regards to black and white wedding photography coverage.

1. Which is preferable and why? Traditional b-w films or C41 b+w films?

2. Assuming traditional b+w films is preferred, how do you edit the prints to make, assuming printing is done in traditional darkroom? Or is plain suicidal to attempt to do that (self-printing)?

Please feel free to let your thoughts loose...

Cheers mates...

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by reznor
Hi all, need some opinions with regards to black and white wedding photography coverage.

1. Which is preferable and why? Traditional b-w films or C41 b+w films?

2. Assuming traditional b+w films is preferred, how do you edit the prints to make, assuming printing is done in traditional darkroom? Or is plain suicidal to attempt to do that (self-printing)?

Please feel free to let your thoughts loose...

Cheers mates...

1. I use T400CN.

2. Edit? Edit what? You can't "edit", you can only manipulate them in the wet darkroom. Won't be suicidal if you know what you are doing.

Regards
CK

 

[reznor]

edit = photo editing.

let's say i do self printing. printing 8-10 rolls of pix would prob rot my fingers away...

so, i suppose some form of photo editing, choosing what to print would be preferable, no?

using T400CN, do you printing everything urself in the darkroom? or send to commercial lab. if so, which is/are the lab(s) to go to for the "best" black and white prints?

 

[rueyloon]

hmm... I would say go for proper B/W film and get it printed on color paper, with a good shop the effect would be good,

I had some problem with CN400 before, usually the tonality isn't as good and the Black and White isn't as "nice", hard to quantify it into words.

and B/W for wedding isn't popular, usually the couples would only ask for "some".

proper b/w prints cost $1.50 each
b/w prints on color paper cost $0.50 each

 

[Jed]

[1] Which is preferable. Probably a matter of personal taste, unless you're after a specific result.

[2] Like others have said. If you are a competent darkroom worker, there's nothing suicidal and to be honest, you wouldn't even need to ask. If you are asking, then chances are you have at least some doubts, in which case, I would steer clear.

[3] I personally would print myself regardless of whether I shoot C41 or traditional silver halide.

[4] Just for the record, my personal preference for weddings is C41 process stuff, conventionally processed, personally printed.

[5] Rueyloon, eh? Conventional black and white films on colour paper? And you have no problems with the tonality on this, but complain about that achieved by T400CN? Something doesn't quite sync...

[6] My personal take is the complete reverse of Rueyloon's RE C41 films. They have, IMO, a much better tonality for shooting weddings, being particularly suited to white dresses and fair skin. I don't really have problem and find it preferable to *most* conventional B&W films for its strengths. I wouldn't print it on colour paper though, which might potentially explain Rueyloon's bad experience with it.

 

[ckiang]

Quick note: I don't go to many labs, but at least the one I go do does good C41 B&W on normal Fuji Crystal Archive. No colour cast problem.

Regards
CK