It was the dead of winter, during a pandemic year when I loaded a roll of Kodak Tmax 400 into my trusty camera. I like to paint myself as outdoorsy, but when it comes to snow, cold, and ice, I tend to stay indoors. I decided to get out anyway and took some photos right after a big ice storm. I loved the glazed look of leaves and pine needles and the quiet walks that a fresh layer of snow can bring. As winter waned I worked my way through this roll slowly and documented how we made our way to spring after a very long winter.
I love how even when I know what I can expect I am still always a little surprised by the results of the film. Kodak Tmax400 black and white film is a consistent, sharp, and beautifully nuanced film. It creates images that are smooth and have a very fine grain, according to the Film Photography Project it has: “the world’s sharpest and finest 400-speed black and white film.”
I loved the contrast that I achieved and how highlight and shadow were soft with a broad range for grayscale. I would definitely use this film again to get consistent, sharp, beautifully nuanced photos.
Originally published Winter 2021
