A Modern Vintage

LOS ANGELES

I had been dreaming

of doing a modern film noir shoot... So it was so exciting when my amazing boyfriend graciously shaved his face to model for me. We planned his wardrobe together, and I could not be happier with the outcome. I used 35mm, 120, and digital cameras on this shoot. I had previously bought a Kodak Brownie Reflex 20 and was so excited to try it out. The shutter and body seemed to be functioning perfectly so I modified a 120 Cinestill BWXX roll and wound it up. Once we got to LA, we wandered around our normal haunts, and here are some of the photos we made:
Vintage nighttime view of illuminated Hollywood signs and marquees along a busy street.
Black and white cityscape showing urban buildings and architecture in darkness.
Film noir style silhouette of someone in a fedora hat against a bright window.
Dramatic black and white close-up of a person in formal attire with a fedora hat.
Moody hallway scene with stark lighting and noir atmosphere.
Atmospheric black and white corridor with dramatic shadows and film noir aesthetic.
Film noir style image of figures in dark suits and hats against a shadowy wall.
Dark moody interior with desk lamp casting dramatic shadows in vintage noir style.
Silhouetted figure looking through large glass windows in black and white architectural setting.
Silhouetted person looking through series of windows in dramatic black and white composition.
Dramatic nighttime street scene with silhouetted figures illuminated by overhead lights.
I also tried a few in color to see the contrast...Notice how color affects an image and completely changes it.
Dramatic lighting creates silhouette against warm-toned wall with vintage lamps.
Film noir style lighting creates mysterious atmosphere with shadows and wall sconces.
Interior architectural scene with figure standing near bright windows.
Sunlit interior space with large windows overlooking urban buildings.
Figure in suit and hat poses against backdrop of modern city skyscrapers.
Black and white urban composition with skyscrapers and suited figure.
It's also good to note that the same photo will look different based on the camera, film, and process you use.
Dramatic low angle shot of city architecture with figure in vintage attire.

KODAK BROWNIE REFLEX 20

120 FILM


As you can see, the crop on this image is different from the others because this camera does 2 1/4 X 2 1/4" (a square negative). looks more like an album cover because of that. The sharpness of the image is pretty good and because the shutter is roughly around 1/40, staying steady enough to not get any camera shake is a little challenging.
Black and white dramatic cityscape showing tall skyscrapers against a moody sky.

CANON G

35MM FILM


The rectangular crop of the 35mm film does a better job capturing the shear height of the buildings. It makes them more imposing and elongates the image. I pushed this roll of film 3 stops so some of the images lost detail, but I do love the grain. If you don't know where it is, look at the top left corner. The blacks are very deep, and the silhouette creates more of that mysterious film noir look. Because we can't see his face, he is even more detached from us. He looks like he is part of the buildings, a part of the city.
Urban scene with dark silhouettes of office buildings and vintage style architecture.

CANON 5D MARK III

DIGITAL


The digital shot originally had a crop similar to the 35mm, but I adjusted it so the focus would be more upward towards his face. This one offers more detail in both the highlights and shadows, and it was easier to bring back that detail on his face and suit. The focus is also very sharp and crispy. This one has that modern vintage feel, and you can definitely tell this was taken with a digital camera.
Vintage office desk with typewriter and papers in dark noir atmosphere.
Hope you enjoyed, cause I sure did.

STICK AROUND FOR PART II...

Hope you enjoyed, cause I sure did.

STICK AROUND FOR PART II...

Book Your Date Today!


Please fill out the form to get in contact!