DSLR Photography Forum

Hello mates, i've been taking Film only for about 4 months with a canon A1 and a Canon 50mm 1,4.22 lens (It's actually my Favourite). I have a quite big Library of pics, and i've decided i'm going totally film since I had a blast with it. Today I'm going to show you some of my pics, and i would like your "Brutally honest" Critique. I want to be a better photographer, so i'll take every non offensive comment, into my mind for future shooting.Also i lack the EFIX data of all the pics since they are film. Let's Start with this one:

"Psycho!"


This was taken after a wine bottle break in my kitchen : It's called Psycho! Because the bear pictued was gifted to me by my best friend and he's called Hitchcock (the Director of the homonymous Movie).

"El Perico"


This one was taken during my music class. It's translated from spanish as "The Parrot" and that is the alias we've given to this mate.

"Master Photo"


This one is my Photography teacher during a school Gig. We call him "Mater photo". I Hesitated a lot with this pic, i felt that by framing with the rule of thirds It would be more "Technically" correct, i felt that it was better by slightly "tweaking" it, just like Neo does with the laws of Physics.

Laughter


This one is my Grandmum. I feel like the magic in this one is the colours, and the fact that many people hesitate to decide if she's laughing, or she's actually crying. I feel that if i crop it a little to remove some of the top portion and the right side it'll be a little better.

"Us and Them"

This one was taken in the same Gig that the previous B&W one. I actually felt in love with this one. I dunno what's so charming for me, it just clicked inside my mechanical-steam-powered-heart. Name taken from my favourite band. "Pink Floyd", from the album "The Dark Side Of the Moon"

"Sweet Child O'mine"

Same Gig.

"La Ramera"

Same Gig, again. Different Band.

"Mewseek"

The start of my Affair with Black and White.

"Reflections of my Passion"

This one actually involved some PP, bassicaly colour correction and Noise adding. I really liked the outcome.

Well, since this is starting to get a little long. I rather make a second post later in the thread if i see you are interested (If all this ain't that good and I'm just feeding my ego, no point in uploading'em no?). Thanks Mates!
< / MumStalker >

Wow! Excellent photos - particularly El Perico, Mewseek and Refelctions. They show a vision and unique perspective. Welcome to Shuttertalk.

Good to see real film grain and old fashioned photography here. Good stuff.

Great series of images, welcome to Shuttertalk.

Thanks! i'm glad you've liked'em

And no Technicall Critique? anyone?

OK then
The film grain is really attractive and often covers a multitude of sins, as they say: the journo/textured feel may often allow folks to bypass matters of exposure. The band ones really work in this regard..a lo-tech, gritty medium capturing and reflecting the simlar textures or ethos of a band: you're already onto a winner above digital in this regard, as any grainy stuff has then usually to be added in software, where it looks "added" unless you're blessed with a sensor that gives "grainy" film-type noise. The Canon and Nikon full-framers do this nicely around 1600+ generally.
Mind you, given that film's exposure latitude is narrower than digital, it might be an idea to set exposure either by metering off the subject(rather than allowing background exposure to underexpose subject detail): you could spotmeter off a body, or off a face(and add +1.5 exposure compensation), or off a grey card...or get up closer if centre-weighted, then flip to manual and dial the settings in. These all look great, by the way, IF silhouetting was what you wanted: if not, remember what you did, add +2 stops exposure compensation next time and do the same. Some of the folks here are(arguably) a bit spoilt by digital, then perhaps get all artsy about "film" without having much understanding of light or what it does to emulsion: metering is the key. Change it, overrride it, ignore it...all are valid, but with film, an actual respectful understanding of it is a necessary apprenticeship. I'm not saying you haven't done this already, of course, just saying how it's been for me.
I don't know what your choice of film stock is, but I do like it particularly for your subject; Kodak Tri-X and T-Max work really well for these kind of shots...also taking being "pushed" to higher ISO/ASA and corrected in developing. I find generally that "doing photos" is pretty much like recording music; get the "front end" sorted and as correctamondo as possible, saves less destructive pratting about later. Hope this is helpful; really glad to see your work!