WELCOME TO DARK CLOTH STUDIOS
There is nothing quite like a classic portrait made with black and white film. Although digital cameras have revolutionized photography, at Dark Cloth Studios we feel that the timeless quality of early photographic methods and equipment has never been surpassed
We take all of our portraits on large format film (usually 8 inches by 10 inches in size) using traditional studio cameras such as the Century Master Studio Camera pictured here. We have spent years acquiring a collection of early lenses, each which gives a different look to a portrait. Photographing using classic lenses allows the creation of an image with a remarkable presence that helps the photographer clearly convey the personality of the subject. It would be difficult to find a better way to create a unique and elegant portrait.
Why do these portraits have such a unique look?
To start with, large film can record an extraordinary amount of detail in a persons face. This is particularly noticeable in a person’s eyes and in the texture of their hair. Many people comment on the extraordinary 3 dimensional look of these photographs.
Early lenses also have a significant impact on your portrait. Modern lenses are certainly technically superb in every respect, but they all exhibit a certain consistent look. Many early lenses were hand crafted and designed to give a unique look or signature to a photograph. Some are very sharp in focus, others very soft. Certain lenses show the tones of the face differently, while others respond differently to the type of lighting used.
Finally, these large studio cameras offer a different way for the photographer to compose a portrait. Rather than looking through a viewfinder, the image is projected on a piece of special ground glass. This allows the photographer to view the portrait almost as it will look on final print.
Call us when you are ready for a classic portrait. You will not be disappointed.