I just bought a Six-16 Brownie (which I did find film for at Central Camera, by the way), but I haven't come across any location here for general tips on taking photos with Brownies, so here's a request for some. What sort of light is best? What's the best way to hold or set up the camera? Are high-contrast subjects better? Any recommendations for taking portraits? Thanks.

-Rob

-- Robert Shuster (rlshuster@earthlink.net), December 09, 2000

Answers

Snapshots

An extract from a Kodak instruction book for a similar camera :

"When making instantaneous exposures or snap- shots, the subject should be in broad, open sunlight, but the camera must not. The sun should be behind the back or over the shoulder of the operator. If it shines directly into the lens it will blur and fog the picture."

For portraits, similar rules apply, but obviously within the close-focus capabilities of your camera. Modern film has much more range than contempory film, so, especially for portraits, light shade (under a tree on a sunny day, for example) will probably give a better result than having the subject squinting in full sunlight.

-- Chris Eve (kypfer@itl.net), December 11, 2000.

lens flare

that stuff about foggin the film with direct sun is kinda for happy snappers..(i realise Chris didn't write it).

a lens hood can be made with black card, and then i suppose you could get some good silhouettes, and some gorgeous eighties stock shot hair lights.

bec.

-- Rebecca Coghlan (one_evil_sista@start.com.au), June 05, 2001.