Re: [Leica] 1930's look

[D Khong <dkhong@pacific.net.sg>]

>
>I've recently been looking at old photographs from the 1930s and 1940s.
>I love the look of these photographs, especially those which seem to be
>taken on slightly overcast days, or indoors with large, slightly
>diffused lightsources close by (though not necessarily in the fame).
>
>A perfect example is one of HCB's shots showing a man and his son on
>a balcony of some sort, with fine wrought iron railing.
>
>In particular, the tonal structure of these seems to be fantastic.  In
>many shots, there are a million different shades of grey even within
>a small area: often rendered as an almost uniform shade in more modern
>400 ASA B&W shots.
>
>I'm wondering how I can achieve this: The shots are not massively sharp,
>but they do exhibit this increadible tonal structure.  Is it the film?
>Lens?  Printing technique?  Am I actually looking at medium format
>pictures and should get a Rolleiflex instead?
>
>I would really like to achieve this kind of quality: Again, not worried
>about sharpness, but tonal quality is everything ;)  Any suggestions
>are welcome!
>
>
>M.
>
>Martin Howard,

I am also enthralled by pics reminiscent of the era of about 50 years ago
in particular WW2 B&W prints.  I get close to this effect by using an older
lens made in the 40-50s, HP5+ film and developing in D-76.  Now I use XTOL
instead and the tonality is even better, and grain is finer.

Dan K.