What gear and skills do I need to create medium-format film portraits with a look like these examples?
Asked 5/7/2019
3 views
2 answers
0
I’m a beginner and want to learn how to make portraits with the same overall look as the sample images: visible film borders, a medium-format aspect ratio, and a natural handheld portrait style. The border says Portra 400, so I’m wondering whether these are likely real film scans or a digital effect.
If I wanted to work toward this style, what kind of camera/film/lens setup would typically be used, and what should I study first as a beginner?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
1
I just want to be near this result because I really love this kind of picture
What exactly is it about these images that you "love"? The importance of the camera, lens, and film varies with your objectives. What you want might be doable digitally. Or it may be an artifact of the digitization process.
I'm not photographer & I don’t know the exact terms
You should learn general photography first. As you acquire the vocabulary and knowledge needed to adequately describe what you like about these images, you will likely also gain the skills needed to reproduce them.
Get a digital camera. Consider mirrorless with a kit lens and nifty fifty to start. You can get a previous-generation model fairly inexpensively.
Read the camera manual. For every setting described in the manual, go out and take pictures using those settings.
Read a general photography book. Consider visiting a library and flipping through several different books. Look for one that focuses more on photographic content and techniques than technology. Many books about "digital" photography waste too many pages describing out-dated technology that is found in the camera manual or Wikipedia.
Apply concepts you read about to the images you take.
Examine your pictures for how you'd like to improve them.
Keep taking pictures and learning new concepts.
After learning the "basics" on digital, consider switching to film, if that is the path you'd like to take.
I was searching for what kind of camera this photographer used...
Without asking the photographer, it is unlikely the specific camera can be identified. Though, as others have stated, it is possible to identify properties of the camera that was likely used.
Similarly, the photographer would likely have to be asked about the specific lens used. However, someone who is very familiar with the characteristics of a wide range of lenses may be able to identify properties of the lens beyond focal length and max aperture. For instance, the bokeh of some lenses, such as Cooke triplets and Sonnar, are distinctive.
Even though it says Portra 400 on the border, are these actually film?
It's reasonable to expect that these were taken on film because artifacts typical of film are present. However, someone with great attention to detail could replicate them digitally.
Consider getting some Portra 400 film. Throw it in a camera with a decent light meter and lens. No need for medium format, if that's not an essential aspect of what you're after. I'd try something like a Canon T50/T70 with FD 50/1.8 lens in Program mode because they're readily available, inexpensive, easy to use, and produce good results.
Photograph a subject with a limited range of colors on an overcast day. Take the film to a local lab for development. Show them the sample images so they know not to bump the contrast and saturation when making the prints.
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
These images are very likely scans from real medium-format film, not just a digital effect. The visible Portra 400 border suggests 120 film, and the frame shape looks like 6x7 format.
Typical cameras for this look include 6x7 medium-format bodies such as a Pentax 67 or Mamiya RB67. A normal lens for 6x7 is around 105mm, and that focal length matches the natural portrait perspective seen here.
That said, gear is only part of it. As a beginner, the best first step is to learn general photography: exposure, focal length, depth of field, composition, and how portrait lighting works. You’ll also need the vocabulary to describe what you like about the images so you can reproduce it intentionally.
A practical path is to start with a digital camera first—ideally a mirrorless or DSLR with a kit lens and a 50mm prime—so you can learn quickly and cheaply. Read the manual, experiment with every setting, and practice portraits. Once you understand the basics, moving to medium-format film will make much more sense.
So: yes, likely film; likely 120 medium format; likely 6x7; but the key skill to develop first is solid photographic technique.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI7y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What aspect ratio were 1960s slides meant to be, and why do some scans have black borders?
How can I print full-size on a Canon SELPHY CP1300 without unwanted cropping?
Should I set a different aspect ratio in-camera, or shoot RAW/JPEG and crop later on a Canon 750D?
Can I sell photos printed with a Polaroid-style white border?
How can I include the thin black film-edge border when scanning a negative?