About Bob Todrick Expertise I can answer questions on most areas of photography. Though fine-art nudes is my main focus, I can, as well answer most questions dealing with darkroom processes (including many alternative processes).
My expertise does not include digital.
Experience I have photographed since 1975. Among my clients have been a number of major retail department stores (the Bay, Eatons). I photographed for Canada's premier motorsports magazine for a number of years, and have done much portraiture and wedding photography.
In 1990 I gave up shooting professionally to concentrate on my fine-art work and have had numerous group and one person shows since.
Organizations Co-founder of the Group of Several.
Publications Numerous newspaper and print ads.
GRAPHIS photo annual.
Question Hello, I've recently purchased an AF SLR camera for which I intend to use on various arts projects. I'm looking to recreate similar effects to what can be achieved with a lomo colorsplash camera, which I can replicate very well, my question though is about film.
Is there such a thing of rough quality 35mm film, similar in ways to the film used in 35mm film cinema cameras? if there isn't can you perhaps suggest another alternative?
Thanks, Stuart Barrett
Answer I'm assuming by 'rough' you mean grainy?
In actuallity 35mm motion picture film is essentially the same as still camera film (in fact motion picture film is also a 'negative' film...the positive, projection version is printed after editing), and is just as 'fine grained'. Any regular 35mm still film would appear very grainy if blown up to fill a 50 foot screen.
That being said, what you want is as grainy a film as possible...something that is not that common. As you can well imagine what the majority of people want is fine grained, vibrant colored film...a case of the market dictating what is manufactured. At the moment your options are film like Fuji and Kodak 800 ASA color films. The problem is that technology marches on...an 800 ASA film of today has as fine a grain structure as a 100 ASA film of 20 years ago.
You can do things like underexposing the film and then overdeveloping...this drives up grain substantially...you'll just have to experiment. Underexpose the film by 2 stops and overdevelop by 50% will start to get you in the ballpark (this is commonly called 'push processing). You will have to take your film to a custom lab however, as 1 hour photofinishers usually don't do this. That or process the film yourself.
The other option is to scan the film and then apply grain using a Photoshop plug in. Usually looks artificial, but it may work for what you wish to do.
Hope this helps.
