Pictures of architecture

What film (or slide) it's better to use for pictures of architecture?

I use 4x5 Ilford HP5+ for everything: landscapes, portraiture, architecture.
There's nothing any better!

KB



"Carlo" wrote in message
om...
What film (or slide) it's better to use for pictures of architecture?

"Ken Burns" wrote in message link.net...
I use 4x5 Ilford HP5+ for everything: landscapes, portraiture, architecture.
There's nothing any better!

Unless you need color.


KB



"Carlo" wrote in message
om...
What film (or slide) it's better to use for pictures of architecture?

"Michael Scarpitti" wrote in message
om...
"Ken Burns" wrote in message
link.net...
I use 4x5 Ilford HP5+ for everything: landscapes, portraiture,
architecture.
There's nothing any better!

Unless you need color.


Color? Who needs color? If you want to see it in color, don't shoot a
photo of it. Just go look at it in person! If you want a real photo of it,
shoot it in B&W.

In article . net,
"Ken Burns" wrote:

Color? Who needs color? If you want to see it in color, don't shoot a
photo of it. Just go look at it in person! If you want a real photo of it,
shoot it in B&W.

Uh, Art directors, brides......etc etc.....people who pay my bills.

--


website:
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~gblank

"Gregory W. Blank" wrote in message
...
In article . net,
"Ken Burns" wrote:

Color? Who needs color? If you want to see it in color, don't shoot a
photo of it. Just go look at it in person! If you want a real photo of
it,
shoot it in B&W.

Uh, Art directors, brides......etc etc.....people who pay my bills.

Art directors, brides......etc etc......pay my bills too. They get images
in B&W.

Hi Carlo,

As buildings are not known to move very quickly, they are susceptible to
being captured on slow film, which is finer grained. This also enables
the photographer to make use of a tripod, for added stability and
elimination of camera shake. You have not mentioned whether you want
to shoot in color or black and white. In my opinion, B&W shows the
texture of surfaces better than color does, as that element, which can
obscure texture, has been abstracted. Personally, marble shown in B&W
is more pleasing to me than in color. So, I would recommend Kodak
Technical Pan if it is available to you, or Kodak T-Max 100. The
equivalent Ilford film is also quite acceptable.


More important than the film, however, may be the choice of camera
type. A 35 mm camera, indeed, any fixed barrel camera, has limited
application for architectural shots. The reason is that you get a
converging lines effect when the camera is tilted upward to encompass
the whole building in the image. The only way to avoid this is to use a
large format camera with bellows and to raise the front standard, as as
to include the upper floors, while keeping the film plane (rear
standard) parallel to the plane of the lines of the building.


Francis A. Miniter



Carlo wrote:

What film (or slide) it's better to use for pictures of architecture?

Thanks very much Francis...

My Camera is a Nikon FM3a, the lent is a Nikon 28 Perpective Control,
so I can avoid some converging line problems.
This is my first job (I ever made pictures for myself before now) and
I'm worried a lot.
They asked me for colors, I thougth using Velvia slides But someone
told me not to use slides for two reasons:
1) low latitude (i dont't know the exact translation... I mean you
cannot
differ exposure a lot...)
2) colors will be different when printed.

I'll probably make some B&W shots using Kodak Tri-x

Thaks again
Carlo

"Francis A. Miniter" wrote in message ...
Hi Carlo,

As buildings are not known to move very quickly, they are susceptible to
being captured on slow film, which is finer grained. This also enables
the photographer to make use of a tripod, for added stability and
elimination of camera shake. You have not mentioned whether you want
to shoot in color or black and white. In my opinion, B&W shows the
texture of surfaces better than color does, as that element, which can
obscure texture, has been abstracted. Personally, marble shown in B&W
is more pleasing to me than in color. So, I would recommend Kodak
Technical Pan if it is available to you, or Kodak T-Max 100. The
equivalent Ilford film is also quite acceptable.


More important than the film, however, may be the choice of camera
type. A 35 mm camera, indeed, any fixed barrel camera, has limited
application for architectural shots. The reason is that you get a
converging lines effect when the camera is tilted upward to encompass
the whole building in the image. The only way to avoid this is to use a
large format camera with bellows and to raise the front standard, as as
to include the upper floors, while keeping the film plane (rear
standard) parallel to the plane of the lines of the building.


Francis A. Miniter



Carlo wrote:

What film (or slide) it's better to use for pictures of architecture?

Carlo wrote:

Thanks very much Francis...

My Camera is a Nikon FM3a, the lent is a Nikon 28 Perpective Control,
so I can avoid some converging line problems.

I use the Nikon shift lens (PC) as well, though mostly for interior architecture. They do work well for
outdoors building shots.


This is my first job (I ever made pictures for myself before now) and
I'm worried a lot.

If you are using a tripod, and take your time, you should be able to get good results. I have found that
dialling the lens to where it looks good in the viewfinder, then going back 1 mm can give slightly
better looking end results. It is easy to over shift the PC lens.


They asked me for colors, I thougth using Velvia slides But someone
told me not to use slides for two reasons:
1) low latitude (i dont't know the exact translation... I mean you
cannot
differ exposure a lot...)

Latitude refers to how much you can be off and still get a usable print (I am being simple with this).
Basically, you can meter the scene with a hand held meter, and use those settings on the camera. Without
a hand held meter, you may want to bracket some images; for example, take three shots, each about 1/3 or
1/2 slightly different exposure. When you get the film back, then decide on which has the best colour
and details.


2) colors will be different when printed.

Ask your lab. A good lab should be able to get very close to the colours on the slide. Also, the cost of
printing an image from a slide should be similar to printing from a negative, until you get to large
print sizes.

With film choices, you can go with saturated films, if you have some room to adjust colours on the
prints. If it is more likely to match the prints to the slides, then more even films may give better
results.

Saturated choices: Fuji Velvia and Velvia 100F, Kodak E100VS

More even choices: Fuji Astia 100F, Kodak E100GX, Kodak E200



I'll probably make some B&W shots using Kodak Tri-x

Actually, AGFA APX100 or Ilford Pan F 50 would give really nice results, unless you want a grainy image.
Both of the films I mentioned give very smooth and even results, and are not difficult to process. Kodak
Technical Pan is another option, though the processing is more restrictive, and difficult.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
Alliance Graphique Studio
http://www.allgstudio.com

"Francis A. Miniter" wrote in message ...
Hi Carlo,

As buildings are not known to move very quickly,

Except in Mexico, Japan, Italy, or San Francisco

they are susceptible to
being captured on slow film, which is finer grained.

Hardly any really slow film is even available now.


This also enables
the photographer to make use of a tripod, for added stability and
elimination of camera shake.

Except in Mexico, Japan, Italy, or San Francisco

You have not mentioned whether you want
to shoot in color or black and white. In my opinion, B&W shows the
texture of surfaces better than color does, as that element, which can
obscure texture, has been abstracted. Personally, marble shown in B&W
is more pleasing to me than in color. So, I would recommend Kodak
Technical Pan if it is available to you, or Kodak T-Max 100. The
equivalent Ilford film is also quite acceptable.

I agree, but perhaps the client actually wants color.

More important than the film, however, may be the choice of camera
type. A 35 mm camera, indeed, any fixed barrel camera, has limited
application for architectural shots. The reason is that you get a
converging lines effect when the camera is tilted upward to encompass
the whole building in the image. The only way to avoid this is to use a
large format camera with bellows and to raise the front standard, as as
to include the upper floors, while keeping the film plane (rear
standard) parallel to the plane of the lines of the building.

Some 35mm systems have perspective control lenses. I believe Leica
offers a 28mm Super-Angulon for the R series cameras.

http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte...l/index_e.html

I believe Canon did for their manual line.



Francis A. Miniter



Carlo wrote:

What film (or slide) it's better to use for pictures of architecture?