I am starting a new series ‘Film Diary’ to showcase pictures from ONE roll of film shot within a day with the same camera. In this way, we can better judge how a film performs in the same occasions such as weather, locations and camera/lens used.
To start, I have Kodak Tri-X 400, my most favourite black & white film.
Location: Chinatown, Singapore (9th August 2017)
Camera: Leica M6
Lens: Carl Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2.8 lens
Film: Kodak Tri-X 400 shot at ISO 400
Developer: Kodak Tmax Professional Developer (1:4), 20°C, 6 minutes.
Scanner: Epson V600 Epson software.
Kodak Tri-X 400
It’s Singapore National Day on 9th August 2017 so I had an off-day! Itching to shoot, so I just grabbed my Leica M6, loaded with Tri-X and went to the most convenient place: Chinatown.
I have been shooting at this place a lot but not quite bored with it yet. This is the place I got a few shots that I still adore and also the place I got scolded quite a bit by the elderly.
Chinatown, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
The above is the best shot among the 36. I took two of this same shot, I stood up during the first shot, then I sat down and took another shot. Personally, I feel that when I moved my ‘view’ down parallel to the subjects’ head level, it gives viewer (me) the impression that we are involved in the scene. Whereas the one of me standing up, it feels like I am watching from afar.
Reading, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
Next, I roamed into the shop alleys where there are lots of elderly tailors. This sight is sure to be vanished perhaps in the next 20-30 years. How many young Singaporeans would want to take over this business?
Singapore Tailor, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
Watch Repair, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
These two photos are slightly underexposed because I forgot to change my exposure setting, shooting at f/8, 1/125th. The shadow might be better if I had down a stop to f/5.6.
After lunch, we roamed into the wet market below the hawker centre. Since it’s already 1pm+, most of the stalls were packing up for the day. I feel that wet market might be a good place to use Cinestill 800T film.
Wet market Singapore, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
Wet market Singapore, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
The grains are so noisy here.
If you fancy old and vintage stuff, Chinatown is also a good place to roam. I am not sure whether it’s due to a public holiday or the shift of Sungei Road thieves’ market’s peddlers, the number of stalls seems to have mushroomed.
Paddler, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
Selling, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
Street vendor, Kodak Tri X 400 (2017)
That’s it for this series.
I really love the Leica M system. It’s comfortable to hold with, and the zone focusing system makes it faster to shoot in the street too, even though I did miss a few shots.
As for the film, I can’t love Tri-X enough. I love its tones so much, even though the developer also plays a part too. After I finished my current bottle of Tmax developer, I will consider to try either Hc-110 or D76.
Watch point of view video of this shoot on Youtube here.
Or head to FILM LOOK.
