Chasing high contrast: A B&W portrait series. Sharing some scans and an unexpected workflow tip. (Polaroid SX-70)
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a recent B&W portrait series I shot with a beautiful model recently. We were aiming for that classic, high-contrast film noir vibe, and honestly, Polaroid B&W film never ceases to amaze me with its moody tones and unpredictable chemistry.
For those interested in the tech specs: I shot this on a I-2 using i-Type B&W.
A quick tip/learning from this session: As many of you know, Polaroid B&W chemistry can be incredibly sensitive to storage conditions and expiration dates. Half of the packs I used for this shoot were slightly past their prime, which usually means a heavy loss in dynamic range or muddy shadows.
Lately, I've been using a clean little iOS app called Film Inventory to keep track of my stash. It honestly saved this shoot—it let me easily filter and pick out the batches with the most stable expiration dates and price points, so I could mix the fresh film for critical close-ups and use the older ones for more experimental, high-contrast background shots. If you’re like me and have a hoarding problem with instant film, it’s a lifesaver for batch tracking without dealing with clunky spreadsheets.
Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts on the tones and composition! How do you guys usually handle expiration dates when planning a B&W shoot?
Cheers!