Hot take: I think pushing development times on C-41 is a waste of film most of the time

For the past 2 years I was pushing Portra 400 to 1600 thinking I was getting those "gritty moody" shots everyone raves about. Last month I got back a roll from The Darkroom lab and the negatives looked like garbage - super contrasty, weird color shifts, and grain that looked like sandpaper. My buddy Tom who shoots weddings asked why I was ruining my film. He showed me his box speed Portra 400 shots from the same sunset at Lake Merritt and they looked WAY better. I always thought pushing was some kind of magic trick to get more out of your film but really it's just underexposing and letting the developer try to fix it. Anyone else feel like pushing color negative film is overrated?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencer66428d ago

That super contrasty look with weird color shifts is exactly what happened to me too. I shot a whole roll of Portra 400 pushed to 800 at a friend's backyard party and the skin tones came out looking like everyone had jaundice. What finally clicked for me was that pushing adds contrast and grain but it can't fix shadows that weren't exposed in the first place. If you really need that extra stop, try rating your film at 800 but telling the lab to process normally, or just shoot box speed and warm up the shadows in Lightroom instead.

lee_grant9728d ago

Nah, pushing Portra is the whole point if you're going for that grungy look. Sometimes jaundice skin tones and contrasty shadows actually work for certain aesthetics like a lo-fi party vibe. That said, box speed is safer if you don't want any surprises, but pushing still has its place if you embrace the wonkiness.