Pushing Ahead

It may be hard to believe with how much I champion CineStill films, but I had used their famed 800t emulsion on only one trip. If you visit the film portfolio page on this site you'll see many of the photographs made on that particular trip to Walt Disney World. It was a lot of fun shooting film at night, and I learned a lot from those negatives. So it was that I had decided I wanted to just about only shoot film in New York City and that I'd do it with CineStill 800t. But I also decided I was going to push this film to get the most out of the dark Manhattan streets.

1600 or Bust!

I'm actually going to write this blog out of order. I usually progress chronologically in time, but not today. It'll make sense later...I promise.

Our third night in New York was an important one. In our film club, we have established some traditions and this night is one of them. We go into Chinatown and have dinner at Hop Kee and then walk over to Little Italy for dessert and coffee at Ferrara. Last year, when I took my Leica Q on this trip, my favorite photographs were made on this night. It is likely because no matter where you look in these parts of Manhattan you'll find a very intimate story unfolding.

This first one was made peering down Doyers Street from Pell Street. Any time I've ever been in Chinatown there has always been some sort of life and activity happening. This night was no different with lots of folks gathered around shop windows enjoy beverages and conversation. As I focused my lens on the people around the table in the background, this couple jumped out of a restaurant, takeout in hand, and I quickly racked focus on them before pressing the shutter release button.

Bustling nighttime street in Japan with lanterns and shops illuminated by warm lighting.

Similarly, back on Pell Street, despite the late hour, it seemed like the action was just getting started. Two gentlemen were playing a game of badminton on the street, illuminated only by the lights from the lamps and store fronts pouring onto the pavement. This is the sort of scene that CineStill really excels at presenting. Pushed to 1600, the darkened alleys and unlit portions of the street are deep and rich black, with the illuminated parts of the scene gorgeously lit. Red halation abounds in these sorts of scenes, giving that now cult classic look that 800t has become famous (or infamous) for.

On the subject of halation and infamy, I recognize that this look is not for everyone. Could one get a similar look, without red halation by shooting Kodak Vision film? Absolutely. But the development process is different. Plus, some, including me, dig this look. It oozes nostalgia and I love it.

Night scene of an urban street with neon signs and a spa storefront.

Lantern-lit alley in Japan with paper lanterns strung across the narrow street at night.

Empire State Building illuminated at night with street lamps glowing in the foreground.

Vintage neon signs for Ferrara and Pepe's Pizza glowing against dark night sky.

Our film students shot most of a vampire movie on the way to Ferrara. New York doth inspire, or something like that. So when we got into the pastry and coffee shop, we were itching for some sweets and caffeine.

Spots like Ferrara don't really exist in Miami. If they do, then I don't know about them. They deal only in coffee and desserts...and dessert liqueurs. With so many parents of students on the trip with us, we split the groups into different tables: students in one, and adults in the other. Between cannolis, gelatos, coffees, and other beverages, it was a fantastic way to spend the evening. In fact, this is how I would always choose to close a night in this part of New York. Because Little Italy, like Chinatown, is teeming with life. It doesn't matter where you look or which street you walk down, there is something happening, something worth photographing.

Martini glasses and cocktails on a dimly lit restaurant table.

We wandered the streets of Little Italy for a while after, taking it all in and letting the feast of food we had just consumed begin digesting.

Part of what I love so much about these two neighborhoods is that unless you are looking down streets and alleys you can almost forget that the rest of Manhattan exists outside of this area. Yes, the megastructures of FiDi can be seen from those alleys, but otherwise, you can almost make believe that you are in a different part of the world. It is uniquely New York, and decidedly Italian or Chinese.

This multiculturalism is what truly makes America, and New York above any other American city, so beautiful. That I could have the best egg drop soup and lo mein this side of the Pacific AND the best cannoli and espresso this side of the Atlantic is pretty amazing.

City street at night with illuminated storefront signs and pedestrians.

I finished that roll almost exactly as we returned to Midtown. I made a few photographs on the train and on the walk back to the hotel. New York looks different at night. I wouldn't say it is more beautiful, but then again maybe that is how I feel. My New York exists within the darkened alleys and streets, illuminated by fluorescent lights and office windows. CineStill captures this like no other film can. It brings the vibrancy and energy of the city to life.

Interior of a subway car with passengers during their commute.

Street food vendor with umbrella serving customers at night.

Purple illuminated fountain display in an urban plaza at night.

1600...again!

I found it really easy to meter CineStill 800t at 1600. So on the last night of the trip, I decided to repeat what had been done the evening before. That first night, I had pushed CineStill 800t to 3200. The second night saw me pushing Palm 400 two stops to 1600. The third night found me pushing CineStill to 1600 and I thought it was pretty easy to meter for that. Why change it now? So I loaded up some 800t, rated it at 1600, and had some fun.

Dark moody photograph of someone on a phone in a subway station with red lighting.

Two passengers sitting together on public transit in an illuminated subway car.

We had to dress up for an awards show. We were, after all, in New York because our film club students had four of their film selected for the film festival. So we all dressed to the nines and got on the Q train to get to King's Theater in Brooklyn. It is of the French Baroque style, harkening back to a period when theaters were utilized often and for opulent productions.

One of the first exposures of this final roll was of one of my film club co-moderators, Valentina. I love the heavy contrast that is found here. She is mostly obscured by shadow, giving a very noire-like vibe to photograph. The strange light leaks must be from it being the first or second exposure on the roll. I usually only fire off one exposure to make sure the film has caught on the sprockets and thus these sorts of light leaks are common early in my rolls.

Passengers sitting in a dimly lit subway car during a commute.

Regardless, I love the results. The photos that followed, all made in the subway, were possibly better. I made a portrait of Carolina and Valentina aboard the Q, as well as one of our four film students in suit and tie, ready to impress anyone with their knowledge of full and half Windsor knot tying abilities. While these photos were easy enough to meter for, it might have been easier to simply push this roll to 3200. I had to use shutter speeds so slow that if I had not been blessed with the steadiest of hands they would have all been wasted. Never-the-less, these exposures work!

The walk from the train station to King's Theater is not a long one. But Brooklyn is a pretty unique place within the New York City ecosystem. While Manhattan typically feels very urban and cluttered, teeming with life, Brooklyn feels much more open. But this doesn't mean there is less life on the streets. The stories are just different.

Taking this one for example, made as we approached King's theater, the story unfolding is an everyday one. And yet there is an intimacy that can really only be found in barber shops. I love photographs made at barber shops for this reason. This art has been practiced seemingly since the dawn of time and is as ingrained in the culture of manhood as anything else.

As I was making this photograph, the barber actually saw me and held the motion for me to make the photo. As usual, New Yorkers always pull through.

Person working behind counter with neon open sign in window at night.

We got to the theater and joined in the festivities. Steph's cab finally arrived a few minutes later as she was busy meeting with some clients while I handed film club business. When she arrived, I had to remind myself to breathe.

Steph shows up a lot on these blogs and within the various pages of this site. My kids do too. But, someone once told me that it was obvious Steph was my muse. I can't say I ever thought about it in that way, but it's true. If I could choose one thing to photograph for the rest of my life, it would be Steph. And this photo is a great example of why.

Something I love to do is add context to any portrait. People are just more interesting when their location tells the story with them. Here I included the chandeliers forming leading lines to Steph's face. The unique window leading to the Brooklyn streets is also placed here, helping backlight her and separate her from the background. The light falling on Steph from her two o'clock is lighting her from the front and creating pretty optimal lighting...except it wasn't much light. I was fairly certain this exposure would result in a heap of motion blur. This was made at 1/25, about half of where I generally consider my minimum to be with a 50mm lens.

I again wish that I had simply pushed this roll to 3200. However, I am very happy with this resultant exposure. It is, truthfully, the last exposure I was happy with on this trip. There were a few shots I fired off before this roll was finished, but none touched this one. The beauty, glamor, elegance, all wrapped up in one frame. It just could not be topped.

Moody nighttime portrait with blurred lights and urban atmosphere.

Final Focus

This experience of pushing film, both with Palm 400 Panchromatic and with CineStill 800t, as made me question why I still keep my digital cameras around. For over a year I have taken a digital camera alongside a film with me for two reasons: 1) I could not get over the instant gratification of having digital photos available at the moment, and 2) nighttime and lowlight photography was possible.

However, by pushing 800 speed film to 1600, I allowed myself to capture all our adventures on film, the way I prefer it to be. As I was nervous about the results, I decided to err on the side of caution and push the majority of these CineStill rolls only one stop. I was terrified something would go wrong and I would end up with no photos to show for our nights in New York. I'm glad I did this, but will be pushing to 3200 next time.

Find out why in the last installment of this series, Adventure in New York, Part V.