I'm slightly disappointed with the results of recent photos of streets scenes. The composition isn't bad for a beginner like myself but I would like to see more contrast, particularly between walls and foliage and in sharpening shadow/light.

How would the following filters effect the outcome?

Polarizing, Yellow/orange (16), any others you can think of.

Is a polarizing filter a decent investment generally for street photography? I'm living in the Middle East at the moment and can't really afford to buy first and experiment later so some well-balanced opinions would be well received.

Thanks, Mike

-- Mike Tate (m_tate@hotmail.com), December 03, 2000

Answers

Mike, I think it would be helpful if you talked a little about what film you are using and if you do your own developing/printing. From what you say, my first guess is that your fix will not be with filters, but in fine tuning your film/developing/printing procedures.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), December 03, 2000.

re....

The last rolls I used were 400 Ilford. I have a Minolta 300x with a 72mm zoom. Presently, I am having the films lab developed. One lab here in the Mid East gave distasterous results and the rest I had developed on a trip back to the UK. The results were good in some cases but lacked contrast in others. I'm looking at the possibility of starting to self-develop here but I have to check out availability and prices to see if it is practical. Obviously it will take time to set up a room, fit it out, and learning the basic techniques. In the mean time I was wondering if I could improve the results slightly with filter use. Thanks, Mike

-- Mike Tate (m_tate@hotmail.com), December 03, 2000.

If you posted a sample, it would be much easier to tell.

However, it sounds like you just aren't reading the light all that well. It's just practice, not equipment.

And getting some control over the handling of the film might help.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), December 03, 2000.

re...

I don't have a scanner at present so I couldn't post a sample but, for instance, I have one picture with a statue and some foliage in the background. How can I enhance the difference between the to colours? Generally, I set the f-stop and light the internal light meter guide me on the speed setting. I heard that some filters can help distinguish between colours that may otherwise blend on a B&W photo. How can I read the light better? Thanks, Mike

-- Mike Tate (m_tate@hotmail.com), December 03, 2000.

try a yellow filter and see if it makes a difference. Take the same shot you spoke of earlier.....remember that the light meter is fooling you too. You need to get a reading where the subject actually is....not where you are. Black & white is much different than color. If you are taking sunlight pic's it is not a good time. Try it on a cloudy day.

-- msecuro (msziggy@juno.com), December 03, 2000.

What I mean by "reading the light" is to understand how the light makes things look on film. It's not the same as looking through the finder. And it isn't something you will get from a few rolls of film. It comes from shooting over and over in different light and seeing what the results look like.

I've been doing street photography for thirty years and have never used a filter for it.

A recent example:

The Rush, Copyright 2000 Jeff Spirer

www.spirer.com

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), December 03, 2000.

Mike, I am glad Jeff responded 'cause he is a street photographer, which I am not. It did suspect that street photographers would say that they don't use filters.

SO, I go back to my original post. I think it is a film/developing/printing problem. I gather you neither develop nor print your own film. My general feeling is that you are going to have a VERY hard time coming up with a lab that will do justice to your film and to your negatives. If you shoot b&w and send out the film, you will not get the same quality of prints that you have come to admire in magazines and books, UNLESS you can come up with a top notch custom lab & that is expensive.

One suggestion I have is that you switch to chromogenic (C-41 process) black and white film, such as Ilford's XP-2 Super. That film can be developed by regular color labs with good results. Then you can either locate a custom lab that will do enlargements for you, or do your own.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), December 04, 2000.