All images without source were taken from the authors own portfolio

Outdoor Portrait Black-and-White Film Photography

Christopher Barlow

Introduction
Outdoor portrait black-and-white film photography is an artistic process in which a camera is
used skillfully to produce a creative abstraction of reality by capturing the mood and esthetics of
an individual on monochromatic film. My interest in this process began in high school. Often, my
teacher would tell me that portrait photographs stood apart from any other kind of photograph.
When asked why, he would explain that most other shots could be taken and re-taken by
anyone at any time, but a portrait captures a single moment in one persons life that can never
be replicated. Scenery is always there; people arent, he would say. That is why I have always
been fascinated with portrait photography, taking that moment in an individuals life and making
it last forever. That being said, not all portrait shots are inherently flawless. There is a definite
process for taking a good, well-composed outdoor portrait photograph with a film camera. Much
of this process is based on mimicking how the human eye works, and it involves the following
steps: carefully loading film into the camera, positioning the camera and subject, setting the
aperture, adjusting the shutter speed, and snapping the photo.

Loading the film
I will begin by carefully opening my camera. This is done by first locating the release
mechanism, a small button typically found on the bottom of the camera, and applying a light
force until a clicking sound is heard. Before continuing any further, I should make sure that there
is no film already inside the camera. Opening the camera now could ruin any pictures I have
previously taken. To do this, I simply check that the counter located next to the film-advance
lever (see Figure 1) reads S or 0. Now that the release switch is engaged, I can open the
camera by lifting the rewind wheel located on the left side. This will release the film door lock
and spring the film door open.

Figure 1 - This diagram shows the location of various components involved in loading the film
Adapted from: <http://cloud.lomography.com/576/354/c4/6b47017f060773cb0e28a6b2a6f36cdcfcddec.jpg>

Film-advance lever
All images without source were taken from the authors own portfolio
With the camera now open, I will take my film cartridge out of the canister and check its
attributes. First, I will make note of the ISO printed on the label. ISO controls both film speed
and image quality. Typically, a faster film speed - a higher ISO - will result in unwanted noise
or grain. Therefore, unless my subject is a small child whose movements may be unpredictable,
I will be using the lowest possible ISO (100 or 200). For examples of photos shot with different
ISOs, see Figure 2. In addition to this, I will want to make sure that my film is 35 mm, a standard
size that can be easily developed later on.


Figure 2 - These
images show the
difference between low
and high ISOs; note the
grainy texture in the
bottom left corner of the
image on the right
<http://digital-photography-
school.com/iso-settings>




Now that I have the appropriate film in hand, I can begin installing it into my camera. Placing the
spool of film into the slot beneath the rewind wheel, with the protruding cylinder facing
downward (picture a battery with the positive end down and negative end up), I will lock this into
place by pressing the rewind wheel back down to its original position. Taking the strip of film
across the backplate of the camera, I will insert the small spikes found on the sprocket gear on
the opposite side of the camera into the holes along the bottom of the film strip. Once this
connection is secure, I will close the camera and apply just enough force to hear the film door
lock click. Now, recalling the ISO of my film, I will set the ISO meter on my camera to the
corresponding number (see Figure 3). By simply lifting this wheel and twisting it until the correct
number appears in the window, I will now complete the loading process.


Finally, I will test that my film is installed properly.
This is done by snapping a photo and turning the
film-advance reel (see Figure 3). If I feel a slight
tension while doing this, I know that the film is set.
If it turns too easily, or not at all, I will need to re-
open the camera and start again.


Figure 3 This image shows the film-
advance lever (left) and ISO meter (right)

Adapted from:<http://photo.net/modern-film-cameras>
All images without source were taken from the authors own portfolio
Positioning the camera and subject
Now that my film is set, I will observe my surroundings as well as my subject in order to
determine their ideal location. An overcast setting in the late morning is preferable. If the sun is
exposed, I will try to find shade or wait for cloud cover; otherwise, I will place myself in front of
the sun and my subject in front of me. I do not ever want this order to be reversed, with the sun
behind my subject. Doing so would wash out my subject. In other words, the camera will not be
able to put the features of my subject into focus, and only a dark silhouette will appear.

Next, I will align my camera lens with the eye-level of my subject. If my subject is shorter than I
am (e.g. a small child), I will bring both myself and my camera down to their level, and I will
remain there throughout the remainder of the process. Not only will this help me find the correct
composition, but it will also allow me to establish a more comfortable environment for my
subject while I shoot. If my subject is taller than me, I will likely need a tripod. It is important that
I remain flexible for the subject. I do not ever want to request that my subject move in order to fit
into the frame of my camera. The best portrait shots capture their subject in a relaxed, natural
position.

With the eyes as the focal point of the
image, I will set the composition of the
image using the rule of thirds. The rule of
thirds states that, dividing the frame into 9
equal quadrants, the focal point of the
image should be placed either close to one
of the four resulting points of intersection or
along one of the dividing lines and never in
the exact center. For examples of good and
bad composition, see Figures 4 and 5.

Finally, the eyes will be the only point at
which I will set my camera to focus. I do not
want any potential distractions behind my
subject to appear in focus. Therefore, I will
try to position my subject at least fifteen feet
in front of any background objects. In order
to fully achieve this effect, I will also need to
establish a shallow depth of field (the range
between the closest and furthest objects
that appear in focus). This aspect of the
shot is controlled primarily by the aperture.


Figure 5 (right) - This image shows an
example of poor composition; the subject is
placed at the exact center of the frame

Figure 4 (above) This image shows an
example of good composition; the subject is
aligned with the 2/3 line
All images without source were taken from the authors own portfolio
Setting the aperture
Choosing the correct aperture is what will
elevate my portrait shot from amateur to
nearly professional. That is why I will almost
always have my camera set to aperture
priority mode when taking outdoor portraits.
This is done by rotating the settings wheel
to A (see Figure 6). Doing so will force my
camera to adjust its settings according to
the aperture I have set. As mentioned
previously, the aperture determines the
depth of field. A good portrait photograph
will have a shallow depth of field, only
focusing on the features of the subjects
face and blurring out the rest. For examples
of good and bad aperture control, see
Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 6 This image shows a camera
properly adjusted to aperture priority
Adapted from:<http://photo.net/modern-film-cameras>

Figure 7 This image shows good aperture
control; the background is completely
monotonous and the subject really pops





Figure 8 This image shows poor aperture
control; though the background is somewhat
blurred, the level of detail is still too high
and distracts the eye away from the subject
<http://www.practicalphotographytips.com/>

A shallow depth of field is achieved by increasing the size of the aperture. To change my
aperture, I will grip the inner-most ring on my lens and rotate it until the white line on the second
ring aligns with my desired f-stop number. The lower the f-stop number, the wider the aperture,
and vice versa. Under ideal conditions, I will typically set my aperture as wide as the lens will
allow (around f2).
All images without source were taken from the authors own portfolio
Adjusting the shutter speed
Set in aperture priority mode, my camera
will suggest an applicable shutter speed
based on the ISO I have selected. If I wish
to take complete control of the settings
before snapping my shot, I can do so by
changing the settings wheel to any of the
eleven numbers given. Each of these
numbers corresponds to an equivalent
shutter speed from one second to one one-
thousandth of a second. Once I have
selected my desired shutter speed, I should
always double-check the exposure level by
looking through the viewfinder and lightly
placing my finger on the operating button. A
typical film camera will display a red LED
when the exposure is correctly set.

Figure 9 This image shows the operating
button on the camera; a light pressure will
active the LED inside the viewfinder
<http://orlovac.eu/foto/x700manual.pdf>

Snapping the photo
Now all that is left for me to do is to press the operating button down fully. This will cause the
shutter to release for the amount of time that I have set (a mere fraction of a second) and
expose the film to the different rays of light coming through my lens. These rays of light will burn
an image onto the film, which holds a chemical compound sensitive to light particles. With black-
and-white photography, a special kind of film called monochromatic film is used. The
chemicals on this film only respond to different amounts of light hitting an area regardless of
frequency. Therefore, color will not be recorded on the film. Instead, an abstraction of what the
human eye sees will be reproduced on the film in grayscale.

Even if our eyes did not respond to color, however, we would still not see exactly like the film
sees. Since the chemicals on the film respond to light, it is actually the brightest areas of the
subject that will turn the darkest and most opaque on the film. Subsequently, areas where fewer
light particles left the subject and passed through the lens will remain light and translucent on
the film. Therefore, an inverse grayscale image is recorded. This is why we usually call a used
film strip a negative. For examples of negatives, see Figures 10 and 11.



Figures 10 and 11

These images
show examples
of negatives


All images without source were taken from the authors own portfolio
Conclusion
Taking a good outdoor portrait shot with a film camera is an intricate process that takes both
time and careful consideration. In the end, the best way to achieve the desired outcome is to
consider how we see naturally. People enjoy looking at pictures that closely resemble what they
see in the natural world. Similar to the retina in a human eye, a camera needs to be properly
equipped with film. Additionally, the human eye tends to favor asymmetry. Thus, positioning of
the camera and the subject in such a manner is vital. Expanding on this, focusing on more than
one point at a time is nearly impossible for the brain to achieve. This effect can be duplicated
with a camera by setting a wide aperture. Finally, a human eye is able to make numerous
alterations given various levels of light to provide the most information to our brain regarding a
certain subject. With some guidance, a camera can make these slight adjustments with user-
controlled shutter speeds. Ultimately, by simply pressing the operating button, a record of the
subject is instantly implanted on a thin strip of film. As a result, this record can be used to
communicate information regarding the subjects past life to a wide audience for years to come.