Kodak Tri-X film is really the "Cadillac" of black and white films.
When I first was writing this, I thought, “oh, cool, I’ll use a bunch of Helmut Newton or maybe Avedon images”. But then I realized I have no idea which images of theirs are attributed to Kodak Tri-X film. Maybe they used Ilford, or Agfa.
However, with the exception of a couple I knew personally, such as the lighting director for Herb Ritts, or the few assistants I’ve known, I actually have no first hand knowledge. I suppose I can make educated guesses looking at the toe and contrast. But by the time it has been scanned so it’s digitally viewable, I have no idea. I knew this was going to be the most difficult category!
You can be clueless and still get an image out of Tri-X.
So, you’re stuck with images I actually took. As many are quite old, it is in no way self promotion. It’s just to show what’s typical in the ‘people realm’. I must confess that yellow and red filters were used in many. But, either way, it’s one of the films I’m happy are still available.
The girl putting on make-up is on camera flash shot at 400 iso. (putting on lipstick) Nikon F5, 50mm lens. The image below is 120 Tri-X shot in natural light. (no flash, no fill) Rolleiflex 6008, 80mm Zeiss. As you can see, it responds well in just about every condition. Although I use HC-110 now, these were just developed normally with Kodak D-76.
© Federico Mastrianni – Cameron Diaz look-a-like from Click Models, NYC. Rollei 6008, 80mm lens.
Again, no filter was used, and only daylight. I guess you can say this is a typical Kodak Tri-X film output in terms of contrast when shot at it’s native 400 iso. Probably 1999.
Next PostKodak Ektar – Too Much Pop?
Yashica T4 – Legend or Hype?