What's "great light" for black and white film shooting?

ChrisR

ChrisR

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OK, we've all heard that stuff about great light... and I really believe it. I was out this (early evening) and the light in Haddington was wonderful (lowish sun and approaching dark clouds). But it struck me that my response was mostly about the colours of the light, so I wondered, what is "great light" for black and white (film)?

(Apart from the obvious answer of anything that joxby shoots!)
 
From a black and white photographers perspective light is linked to contrast. For me it's contrast that "makes" a black and white photograph.

Direct lighting will add contrast whereas side lighting depending on the subject matter will add texture and/or shadows.

I don't think there is any one type of light that can be classed as "great light" for black and white photography, it very much depends on your subject matter and what you are trying to achieve.
 
For me, when I shoot landscapes, it's all about contrast and texture in equal measure. Also, and this is really only if you want to get properly into it, the colour makes a difference as well if you know the rough response of the film. Adox CHS** was fantastic for this as it was very insensitive to reds, and in some cases this could be used to your advantage.

Also, you can play the colour of the light to your advantage with solid coloured filters as well, accentuating or nullifying both textures and contrast.
 
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Well, I may be( no will be) shooting above my weight here, but for me the subject of light is about it's clarity, the clarity that allows you to produce the shot the way as seen, without any influence from other particles. IE TRUE LIGHT.

The finest light they say is the early morning, no contamination from the surrounding environment and a clear see through vista to the subject.

So for me it is get up early and grab what is available. B&W or colour.
 
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Another vote for early morning or indeed evening, rather than mid day overhead sun, as you get less shadows under noses and chins!
 
Ah, but this still presupposes certain subject matter. For church interiors (especially if there are stained glass windows and dark fabric involved) I favour flat lighting. Rain or even fog works well for me.

My view is that as long as there's light, you can photograph successfully. You just change subject matter according to the light.
 
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StephenM said:
Ah, but this still presupposes certain subject matter. For church interiors (especially if there are stain glass windows and dark fabric involved) I favour flat lighting. Rain or even fog works well for me.

My view is that as long as there's light, you can photograph successfully. You just change subject matter according to the light.
Click to expand...

Bit of a holy thread revival on this one, as I've been thinking of it lately. For some reason my memory of this thread is the firm conclusion that great light for black and white was the same as great light for colour, which is clearly NOT what was said above. I think my experience since then echoes what Stephen says, black and white can work really well in many different lighting conditions. Equally (in my case) it can fail in most different lighting conditions! :( The cases I don't find it working well include (but are not limited to, as they say) those classic "golden hour" situations (despite the clarity). But maybe that's because I can't get the colour of the light out of my mind!
 
Are we missing out the effect of intensity in this thread.
Whilst a nice low in the sky sun offers lots of long shadows picking out texture and contour, it is also doesn't have that sharp bite that buggers slide up.
B/W neg film is more forgiving than slide of course, but its still a consideration, I still find plenty of frames busted by harsh sun light.
I look forward to the autumnal and winter months from a photographic perspective, because there is simply a lot more of that type of smooth, mellow light for longer periods than in the summer.
Perhaps it is the colour introduced to the light that makes it that way, rather than just a general reduction in intensity....I dunno, I've not thought much about the spectral sensitivity of the film I happen to be using...:)
 
I'm kind of in the process of changing my thinking about this.

I'm increasingly less convinced it's about light, but about tone.

Light may be a factor in that but not necessarily.

Not sure really.
 
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