Show us your grain!

artobest · 08-05-2008, 02:00 PM

Judging by the number of threads about film grain on the forum lately, it's obvious that many of us here see grain as one of the more interesting qualities of the archaic and unfashionable medium that we love so much. It's almost certainly the thing that most differentiates film photography from digital "image capture," with its faddish obsession with resolution, sharpness, and noise reduction.

With that in mind, I thought it would be good if we had a place to show off our best examples of this unique and organic aspect of the film photographer's art. So dust off those old high-ISO masterpieces and put them up for the rest of us to appreciate.

I'll kick things off with this one. Shot in Myanmar around 1996 using Sensia 200.

Attached Images

Last edited by artobest; 08-06-2008 at 08:45 AM. Reason: Edit: aded new images to show better detail

Nick_b · 08-05-2008, 02:40 PM

digital "image capture"

....

Here are a few....

artobest · 08-05-2008, 03:44 PM

Really nice work. Here's a couple of black and white ones from me as well.

UliBär · 08-05-2008, 03:49 PM

APX 400 developed in Calbe R09 -> Lots and lots of grain.

Nesster · 08-05-2008, 04:05 PM

Originally posted by artobest

Really nice work. Here's a couple of black and white ones from me as well.

Not to deny the excellence of others, I do look at the work here with total amazement, most of the time... but that first photo of yours is classic classic classic. You be channeling some mighty photo masters there.

titrisol · 08-05-2008, 11:54 PM

Roillei ATP25 no grain:

and a 100% crop of the center

titrisol · 08-05-2008, 11:58 PM

FOMApan 400 in Amaloco AM74, lotsa grain but thight and nice

artobest · 08-06-2008, 07:49 AM

Sometimes the best parts of a photo for me are tucked away in the background of ordinary shots, often out of focus. I sometimes think autofocus is the worst thing that ever happened to photography. You never get any nice out-of-focus pictures anymore! (Unless you own a top-of-the-line Canon

)

Nick_b · 08-06-2008, 08:54 AM

LOL I've got a hard drive full of OOF digital shots, and the best part I didn't have to buy a 1D MkIII to get em!

I don't know what magical camera you are using that doesn't take OOF shots but I want one!

Here is a MF OOF shot though.

Jonson PL · 11-02-2008, 02:56 PM

artobest, those are some great shots that you're showing

lithos · 11-02-2008, 05:55 PM

Portra 400NC, at about ISO 12800:

**Lowell Goudge** · 11-02-2008, 08:49 PM

you want grain?

OK here it is

Nesster · 11-03-2008, 03:47 AM

Ilford XP2, under exposed

Wombat · 11-09-2008, 05:35 AM

Here's my grainy shot of the breakwater at the ferry terminal near where I live. It was taken, strangely, using Ilford FP4plus at ISO 125. If anyone can explain why all of the shots off this roll came out so grainy I'd love to know. It was developed by a pro lab...

Edit: sorry, I think I should have used wide image for this one. I'm still lousy at posting pics.

J.Scott · 11-09-2008, 05:59 AM

Originally posted by Wombat

Edit: sorry, I think I should have used wide image for this one. I'm still lousy at posting pics.

Easily done! Great pic, BTW.

08-05-2008, 02:00 PM	#1
artobest Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Swansea, Wales Posts: 455	Show us your grain! Judging by the number of threads about film grain on the forum lately, it's obvious that many of us here see grain as one of the more interesting qualities of the archaic and unfashionable medium that we love so much. It's almost certainly the thing that most differentiates film photography from digital "image capture," with its faddish obsession with resolution, sharpness, and noise reduction. With that in mind, I thought it would be good if we had a place to show off our best examples of this unique and organic aspect of the film photographer's art. So dust off those old high-ISO masterpieces and put them up for the rest of us to appreciate. I'll kick things off with this one. Shot in Myanmar around 1996 using Sensia 200. Attached Images Last edited by artobest; 08-06-2008 at 08:45 AM. Reason: Edit: aded new images to show better detail

08-05-2008, 03:44 PM	#3
artobest Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Swansea, Wales Posts: 455 Original Poster	Really nice work. Here's a couple of black and white ones from me as well. Attached Images Last edited by artobest; 02-03-2010 at 11:37 AM.

08-06-2008, 07:49 AM	#8
artobest Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Swansea, Wales Posts: 455 Original Poster	Sometimes the best parts of a photo for me are tucked away in the background of ordinary shots, often out of focus. I sometimes think autofocus is the worst thing that ever happened to photography. You never get any nice out-of-focus pictures anymore! (Unless you own a top-of-the-line Canon ) Attached Images

11-02-2008, 08:49 PM	#12
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,887	Tri-X 400 at 3200 ISO you want grain? OK here it is Attached Images

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08-05-2008, 02:40 PM	#2
Nick_b Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ottawa Canada Posts: 43	digital "image capture" .... Here are a few....

08-05-2008, 03:49 PM	#4
UliBär Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Braunschweig, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 59	APX 400 developed in Calbe R09 -> Lots and lots of grain.

08-05-2008, 04:05 PM	#5
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	Originally posted by artobest Really nice work. Here's a couple of black and white ones from me as well. Not to deny the excellence of others, I do look at the work here with total amazement, most of the time... but that first photo of yours is classic classic classic. You be channeling some mighty photo masters there.

08-05-2008, 11:54 PM	#6
titrisol Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In the most populated state... state of denial Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,852	Roillei ATP25 no grain: and a 100% crop of the center

08-05-2008, 11:58 PM	#7
titrisol Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In the most populated state... state of denial Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,852	FOMApan 400 in Amaloco AM74, lotsa grain but thight and nice

08-06-2008, 08:54 AM	#9
Nick_b Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ottawa Canada Posts: 43	LOL I've got a hard drive full of OOF digital shots, and the best part I didn't have to buy a 1D MkIII to get em! I don't know what magical camera you are using that doesn't take OOF shots but I want one! Here is a MF OOF shot though.

11-02-2008, 02:56 PM	#10
Jonson PL Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Copenhagen Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,842	artobest, those are some great shots that you're showing

11-02-2008, 05:55 PM	#11
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	Portra 400NC, at about ISO 12800:

11-03-2008, 03:47 AM	#13
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	Ilford XP2, under exposed

11-09-2008, 05:35 AM	#14
Wombat Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 901	Here's my grainy shot of the breakwater at the ferry terminal near where I live. It was taken, strangely, using Ilford FP4plus at ISO 125. If anyone can explain why all of the shots off this roll came out so grainy I'd love to know. It was developed by a pro lab... Edit: sorry, I think I should have used wide image for this one. I'm still lousy at posting pics.

11-09-2008, 05:59 AM	#15
J.Scott Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,675	Originally posted by Wombat Edit: sorry, I think I should have used wide image for this one. I'm still lousy at posting pics. Easily done! Great pic, BTW.