Getting more contrast with B&W film (filters?)

[puggie]

How do I go about getting more contrast on B&W film? Is this where red and yellow filters come into use? I'm using a Pentax Spotmatic with pentax lenses so not new or expensive but not shabby kit either. Here are some examples (Kodak BW400 FWIW):

Grass looks very nothing on this:

One of the better ones:

Just looking for some advice on how to make these better images from the camera, rather tha just hitting them with the photoshop stick.

 

[Yardbent]

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article..."here"

 

[excalibur2]

Well filters can help at times, but I'm sure everyone has had the problem of a dull day and everything looking grey and it's difficult to pep up these shots, maybe have a spare camera with colour film for dull B/W subjects .....but get the exposure correct, use say FP4 with matching developer, a contrasty subject or sunny day, and I can't see what can go wrong.

 

[joxby]

I dunno about Kodak 400, is that CN btw, but I sometimes extend development a little on ilford films for a bit more contrast, you have to do your own souping for that though.
So its like this, you can use filters at time of shot, you can choose contrasty film, you can use development to increase contrast and if you are printing for contrast the developer and paper you use can define contrast.

 

[puggie]

Good reading, thanks.

I'm more looking to get it right in camera rather than 'fix it in the mix' with PP. I'm waiting on another TP member to get back to me about a bundle of darkroom gear, the kodak is C41 process.

I'll start playing with different films nextn once I've sorted out my own dev setup.

 

[c4rv3r]

Red filters are the way to go, but try experimenting with exposure too, i don't have any filters, so what i tend to do is slightly under expose by about 1 stop, probably bad advice.. but it definitely worked well on my cloud photographs. Also its all about the film choice