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Retro colours


Damien Bhatti

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Could anybody advise me as to what filmstock could bring out really rich red/oranges and browns? I have been looking at old recipe photography of the 70s and the colours seem so drenched...what kind of techniques would be involved in creating those kinds of rich palettes, (these colours are pretty wild)

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Reversal films should give you the look you're after. Kodachrome has very saturated reds. When Ive filmed sunsets on Kodachrome, the reds are so vibrant that they seem to leap off the screen! However, Kodachrome has now been discontinued but there are various rolls available on eBay and other sources, all of which can be processed at Dwaynes.

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i was driving the other day

an the radio was playing this song

that i'd never heard before

"mama, don't take my kodachrome away"

i think it was by paul simon.

does any one know if the song was written

before or after kodak discontinued?

 

Reversal films should give you the look you're after

 

would you need to cross process color reversal film to get it

to be as punchy as kodachrome?

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i was driving the other day

an the radio was playing this song

that i'd never heard before

"mama, don't take my kodachrome away"

i think it was by paul simon.

does any one know if the song was written

before or after kodak discontinued?

 

it was recorded long before the stock was discontinued.

Edited by Jan Weis
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I have been looking at old recipe photography of the 70s and the colours seem so drenched...what kind of techniques would be involved in creating those kinds of rich palettes, (these colours are pretty wild)

 

In those days almost all printed photos were shot on Kodachrome 25 , and then "manipulated" when being prepaired for printing. A thousand bucks of lab work could be needed to get good printing plates for one image. (well before Photoshop...)

 

Evenb today food stylists are involved with food shoots and they have a bunch of makup to make the food look good. (any food you see in a photo was never eaten as the process makes it unsafe to eat.)

 

If you want that look, use a reversal film. UNDEREXPOSE a half stop. and rember the latitude is only a half stop. You lighting will have to be "right on"

 

I am not sure how you can get that to a release print with that sort of colour, but with the Ektachrome or Kodachrome you should be able ot make a popping video.

 

Cross process will give "funny colour" that will look Unnatural. normal reversal should give you Correct Colours. Silver retention (skip Bleach) will lower the colour saturation, not increse it.

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If you want that look, use a reversal film. UNDEREXPOSE a half stop. and rember the latitude is only a half stop. You lighting will have to be "right on"

 

Forgive my incompetence, but why would a reversal be better in this situation..and when underexposing half a stop, you would process it normally/?

 

Thanks for the comments...it doesnt seem like its a "look" people are going for nowadays, does anybody know of any filmakers who are into these sorts of saturated colours...?

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Reversal films in general are known for their vibrant colours and contrasty nature. They also tend to look 'retro.' Underexposing reversal films slightly (like third of a stop) and developing them normally will increase colour saturation.

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Reversal films in general are known for their vibrant colours and contrasty nature. They also tend to look 'retro.' Underexposing reversal films slightly (like third of a stop) and developing them normally will increase colour saturation.

 

would you recommend a stock like 5285?

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Kodak 5285 (Ektachrome 100D) would probably be a good choice. I have shot a little of this stock in super 8 and the colours are certainly vivid. Kodachrome would probably give a little bit more of a vintage look but 100D is not quite as contrasty so it should be just a little bit more telecine friendly compared to Kodachrome. In the movie "The Life Aquatic" with Bill Murray, the majority of the movie would have been shot on negative film obviously. However, for the mock vintage documentary footage, they shot on an Ektachrome reversal stock to get a convincing 'retro' look. I'm not sure what specific film stock was used for this application but chances are, it may have been Ektachrome 100D.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Kodak 5285 (Ektachrome 100D) would probably be a good choice. I have shot a little of this stock in super 8 and the colours are certainly vivid. Kodachrome would probably give a little bit more of a vintage look but 100D is not quite as contrasty so it should be just a little bit more telecine friendly compared to Kodachrome.

 

Hi folks,

if you'll let me chime in here. My grandpa, who was a pro photographer, always pulled the trick of exposing 100ASA reversal film film at 125 to give it a more saturated look. But another thing we'd do in photography when wanting vivid colours was to use Fuji stock. Stuff like Velvia and the Provia F would give you very saturated colours especially on exterior shots with lots of foliage. Does anyone know whether that stock is available in 16mm?

 

Cheers, Dave

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Hi folks,

if you'll let me chime in here. My grandpa, who was a pro photographer, always pulled the trick of exposing 100ASA reversal film film at 125 to give it a more saturated look. But another thing we'd do in photography when wanting vivid colours was to use Fuji stock. Stuff like Velvia and the Provia F would give you very saturated colours especially on exterior shots with lots of foliage. Does anyone know whether that stock is available in 16mm?

 

Cheers, Dave

 

 

Velvia 50 is avaiable from Spectra

 

http://www.spectrafilmandvideo.com/

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what would he do with it? it is Kodachrome II (K-12) which cannot be processed except as a very expensive b&w Negative.

 

Hi Charles, I wasn't serious, Just kidding Damien, I hope you don't mind...

 

Regards, Dave

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Hi Charles, I wasn't serious, Just kidding Damien, I hope you don't mind...

 

Regards, Dave

 

No, thats cool - why would I mind ? :) - I was wondering about getting some really old stock and seeing what would happen but the rub is in the processing...i have some old kodachrome super 8 cartridges from germany lying around, id like to get them developed, not nice seeing a unused cartridge lying around, bit of a shame...

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