Very grainy films (Paolo Nozolino style)

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I'm very interested in getting very grainy black and white negatives, like Paolo Nozolino's (hope somebody has known of this portuguese photographer). I've been trying Tri-X in Rodinal at 1:25, but I'm far from the results I'm looking for. Should I try with TMAX 3200? I read something about developping the films with Dektol...does it work?

Any answers would be very helpfull! Thanks

-- thomas canet (thomascanet@ole.com), December 11, 2001

Answers

First of all, there are different kinds of graininess. You just have to try and see. T-MAX P3200 at EI 1600 or so in HC-110 Dil B or Microphen is grainy and nice. For other graininess, you might want to try APX 400 and for comparison Plus-X pushed to EI 320 or so in HC-110 Dil B or E, and Micriphen 1+1. Rodinal, D-76 1+1 are also ok. I would not use Dektol for film developing - it's not designed or optimized for films.

-- Ryuji Suzuki (rsuzuki@rs.cncdsl.com), December 12, 2001.

Yes it works. Try TMZ @ 1600 processed in Dektol 1:1, 70 deg. F for 5 minutes. Also try TMZ in Rodinol for sharper grain.

-- Steve Wiley (wiley@accesshub.net), December 12, 2001.

Here is information from a post I made in March of 2001 regarding using paper developers to get enlarged grain when processing film:

What follows is information on developing Tri-X Pan in various paper developers. The information is from an article entitled "DADA Developments" in the September 1983 PHOTOGraphic, by Frank Peeters.

Rate Tri-X at 1600 and develop for 8 minutes in Agfa Neutol at 68 degrees. The author makes a stock solution of Neutol by diluting it 1:8, per the manufacturer's instructions, then he further dilutes this 1:2 to make his working solution.

He also says you can rate Tri-X at 1600 and develop in Ilford Multigrade paper developer (1:29) for 7 minutes at 68 degrees. He says it works with Dektol and Selectol, but doesn't give times.

He suggests running tests at 400, 800 and 1600. Some of his best shots in daylight were done with a red filter.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), December 12, 2001.


some years ago i read an article about nozolino's developping and printing techniques. i recall reading that he uses the standard time proven combination of tri-x and d-76 development. don't remeber the development times though. apparently grain was also due to his lens of choise: non asph 35mm summicron. thomas, you're right, paulo nozolino is definitely a top notch photographer. try to find a book called "comment photographier la guerre" , a whole section is dedicated to his photographs taken in the former yougoslavia. hopes this helps, pat.

-- patrick hattori (pat_hattori@hotmail.com), December 27, 2001.

Yes I am an old friend of Nozolino and I know he uses Rodinal developer and Tri-X film He is one of the best in the world

-- Ricardo Gomez Perez (rgomezp@cantv.net), February 04, 2002.


I just tried TMax3200 @ 1600asa in D76 @ 29° C (don't ask me about farenheit degrees, I'm french) for 10mn in a small tank. result is GRAINY. I love Nozolino; please let me know if you encounter anything interesting about him on the net.

-- franck (fktetu@netcourrier.com), December 29, 2002.

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