Black and White film with tones more silver than grey.

[markbarendt]

edit:
and isn't the devil in the nuance?

No, not really in the context of off the shelf material, like film and paper's contribution to the effect. Photographic materials and their response to certain inputs are knowns. They are available to anyone who wants to learn them. Follow the directions and you get a very specific result. Even modifications to the process can be accurately predicted.

The nuance involved is more about being able to follow all the steps in the instructions well.

[DREW WILEY]

Yeah, sure ... just go buy a cookbook, then get the correct list of ingredients at the supermarket or
whatever, and you can open a gourmet restaurant??? The whole game is one of nuances!

[markbarendt]

Yeah, sure ... just go buy a cookbook, then get the correct list of ingredients at the supermarket or
whatever, and you can open a gourmet restaurant??? The whole game is one of nuances!

One of practice, learning, experience, and work.

I started and ran a studio for a while, it took real effort to learn/design the set ups and get things right. Once done though there were literally x's on the floor to place everything and predetermined settings for all the lights and the camera.

I could probably dig out my old notes, measure out the spots and remark the floor, set the lights and camera per the recipe and without so much as one meter reading, get a perfect exposure on the first shot.

I don't claim to be above average or highly nuanced in this respect. This is simply the norm for production studio work.

[DREW WILEY]

Well then, you learned some nuances of lighting. For those of us who shoot mainly outdoors, the
lighting changes all the time, and we have to acquire an instinct for it, one for which the rules seem
to change with virtually every different film, dev, paper, and paper dev combination. That's what makes it fun. But it's a helluva lot easier when good films and papers are available. I remember that
season when Seagull, Brilliant, and Galerie papers all were unavailable, and it sure took a lot more
luck to get certain "nuances" in the print. Then another generation of premium papers came along,
and today it's rather easy, esp considering the vast improvement in VC papers. But I never know
for sure until that final print is fully dry. Tiny differences can amount to the distinction between a
good print and a great one.

[Nicholas Lindan]

Yeah, sure ... just go buy a cookbook, then get the correct list of ingredients at the supermarket or
whatever, and you can open a gourmet restaurant???

If only most restaurants would be that good. I'd patronize a place that just did an excellent job with Julia Child recipes.

I stopped by 'one of the best restaurants in Cleveland' and the daily special was Roasted Pig Ears. Creativity isn't the end-all.

[keithwms]

Creativity isn't the end-all.

True, but it does have a way of getting new things started.

[himself]

I think creativity is probably the end-all, otherwise what's the point?

by the way, I have a mate and brother that are both head chefs in two different "gourmet" restaurants and both buy their ingredients from supermarkets... not really sure what that says, but there you go

[markbarendt]

Well then, you learned some nuances of lighting. For those of us who shoot mainly outdoors, the
lighting changes all the time, and we have to acquire an instinct for it, one for which the rules seem
to change with virtually every different film, dev, paper, and paper dev combination. That's what makes it fun. But it's a helluva lot easier when good films and papers are available. I remember that
season when Seagull, Brilliant, and Galerie papers all were unavailable, and it sure took a lot more
luck to get certain "nuances" in the print. Then another generation of premium papers came along,
and today it's rather easy, esp considering the vast improvement in VC papers. But I never know
for sure until that final print is fully dry. Tiny differences can amount to the distinction between a
good print and a great one.

I wouldn't call what I described as learning the nuances, the basics or the broad strokes maybe.

I do agree that there are things that must change when we switch one material for another but, every black and white film and paper available today can produce the silvery/glowy look.

Sure, beyond that basic function, adjustments can be made to suit one's preferences. Your idea of a great print and mine may be hugely different though.

[Thomas Bertilsson]

...and the daily special was Roasted Pig Ears.

Did you try it? It's delicious!