Film Noir - Feb 5th, 2009

I was recently listening to a podcast by Brooks Jenson, the editor of “Lenswork” magazine.  I have high respect for the work that he does with his publication.   He was discussing sweet f-stops.  He referred to the typical quote of use “f/8 and be there.”  (I think that may have been an Elliott Erwitt quote.)

It’s not often that you shoot wide-open because of the physical limitations of lenses.  But some seem to be designed to thrive at wide-open apertures.  That’s what I was doing on that cold night in February.   Using a lens at the far extreme of what it was designed to be capable of.

    When You watch a movie, and there are out-of-focus highlights in the background, the shape of those highlights represents the shape of the aperture in the lens at that time.  So, if they are truly circular, the lens was wide open.

This is an emotionally vulnerable place for photographers.  The place where most things can go wrong.  But if it never mattered anyway, it’s a gamble worth taking.