subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 4 April 2020 37
Getting to grips
with Grain
‘Grain’ is fundamental to analogue
black & white photography, and Silver
Efex Pro has some very smart tools for
controlling all aspects of digital grain.
Move the Grain per pixel slider right
over to the left for example, and you
get a very grainy, grungy look; slide it to
the right and it becomes harder,
increasing the contrast so the image
looks sharper and ‘cleaner.’ So these
tools enable you to amplify or subdue
the grain structure for a particular
black & white look. Note also that if you
increase the brightness and contrast
using the Global Adjustments tools at
the top of the panel, you can see the
look of the grain changing at the same
time. Very clever indeed.The Magnify and
Compare tools
The easiest way to get around
the image is to use the
Navigator box top right of the
main screen: simply click the
area you want to zoom into,
adjusting the magnifi cation
accordingly to check
everything over. To the left of
the top bar is the Compare
button, which enables you to
compare your edited version
with the original when you
click and hold down the
mouse. The History function,
found at the bottom left of
the main screen under the
Presets Library, is a bit
over-engineered, but the
slider does enable you to
pedal back through the
adjustments if you’re not
happy with some of them.Colour sensitivity
The grain, colour sensitivity and the specifi c Levels and
Curves settings are essentially what make up these
classic black & white fi lm emulations. The colour levels
and sensitivity are how the colours translate to black &
white. If you want to adjust the colours in the Film Types,
it’s easy enough, via the Sensitivity tool: move the red
fi lter slider to the right, anything red will get brighter, or
darker to the left. So don’t be afraid to experiment
depending on the colours in your image, as you can get
a totally different look to the original – making the blue
sky in a landscape look infrared, for instance, or richer
background tones, as below.Which fi lm type
to use?
The choice of Film Types can be
overwhelming, but as mentioned,
you can try them out by hovering
your mouse over the name of the
fi lm. According to DxO, Adox Silver
Max 21 was chosen for its fi ne grain
and ability to produce deep blacks
and a wide range of greys, making it
useful for portraits. Bergger BRF
400 Plus was picked for its
moderate contrast and average
grain, which makes it suited to
landscapes.
Foma 100, a classic panchromatic
fi lm with a fi ne grain and high
resolution, offers a wide range of
greys even in bright light, so
landscape and studio shooters might
want to try it. Ilford 100 and 400
offer versatility and sharpness, while
Rollei 100 Tonal offers a fi ne grain
and soft contrasts, and is popular for
architecture. Fuji Neopan 400,
meanwhile, was originally designed
for street photography and
reportage. Agfa Scala 200x was a
black & white slide fi lm, while the
Polaroid emulations are quirky and
intriguing. Earlier Film Types are
listed by ISO.