In fall 2007, I was spending many days and nights cutting and assembling pieces of film strips on Steinbeck editing table.
As film student in learning, the hours spent in dark editing room with piano pieces of Frédéric Chopin seemed to take me back in time when Vittorio De Sica was still editing Ladri di biciclette in his studio. It was deeply meditative experience.
The end result was a film titled “The Messenger” — a short 10 minute piece shot entirely on 16mm film rolls using old school Bolex hand crank camera with no synch sound and edited by hands —  it was rather simple project with no technical challenge (except for infinite timelapse that took good hours shooting by the freezing bay in Boston). It’s a sweet little piece and still stands as my personal favorite and is the project that I always look back and enjoy showing to other people. Something I feel proud about.

“The Messenger” was my introduction to the beauty of B&W films.
I don’t shoot much film (motion picture) anymore, but when I do shoot B&W photography I always recollect the lessons from the aforementioned project. The contrast, the latitude, and the amount of grainy particles can vary between stock types and film speed (ISO/ASA); and each one of element is responsible for personal style in capturing the moment. Therefore, test shooting and experimenting with different film stocks are very important part about film photography. After spending much time on testing different film stocks you will likely develop affinity to certain stock types and also gain connoisseur eyes.

My personal favorite for B&W is Ilford 400. I absolutely ADORE the neutral contrast and sharpness this stock has. There is something special about the grainy touch when I shoot this film with subject slightly underexposed.
Here are some of my photos from Mexico trip back in 2012 where Ilford 400’s beauty has mesmerized me into B&W photography.

Recently, though, I have new crush on this B&W film that started to preoccupy my Nikon F6 through its sprocket holes more often. Her name is ARISTA Premium 400 and god she is beautiful too. I just love the graininess and intensity of contrast this film offer. See, there is hardly a monogamy when it comes to film. My affair with dearly ARISTA has only begun…

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My first introduction to ARISTA was at Photoworks on Market Street in San Francisco — A small photo store that I am practically regular for developing and scanning all my film photography. When I stopped there to pick up my films from Thailand/Cambodia trip, I saw a pile of ARISTA at the register counter. The guy offered me to test shoot the roll and there it was, my first trial for ARISTA Premium was on 🙂

In April, one of my best friends from college visited San Francisco. Since the weather was perfect, I decided to crack open the fresh roll of ARISTA and explored city’s photogenic locations and photograph one of San Francisco’s many wonders including Sutro Bath Ruin.

Here’s the result of my first ARISTA Premium 400:

Fillmore Street near Hayes Valley around the sundown hour. Exposed for my friend’s silhouette.

 

Near Hayes Valley. Exposed for the car in foreground. Brought down exposure to about 1/3 to compensate for the bright background.

 

Spring time in San Francisco. Within the window and beyond.

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Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown on Webster St./Post St.

 

Strange metallic mushrooms in Tenderloin. Sunset was near.

 

One of my favorite shots from this roll. Sun light was in its prime seconds.
Streets of Tenderloin, San Francisco.

The wall of Tenderloin.

 

 

Behold! Sutro Bath Ruin — One of the most obscure structures in San Francisco. It once was a privately owned outdoor swimming pool, but its facade burned down by fire in early 20th Century and since been abandoned. The remain of swimming pools and buildings turned into (literally) hobos mansions.

You must be curious to peek the interior of that tunnel under the rock shelves…
Here it is. Tunnel filled with salt water and rusty pipes that used to be part of pump to circulate the water in the pool back in the day.
Breaking tide of Pacific was awaiting ahead of tunnel light.
People sitting on the ledge of swimming pool to watch the sun goes down in the Pacific Ocean.

Hope you enjoyed the accentuating ‘edge’ in this B&W film as much as I do 🙂
If you are interested, you can buy a roll of ARISTA Premium 400 from Freestyle Photo. A roll of this film is only $2.69.