ILFORD XP2, a B&W film with C-41 (color) processing

Using C-41 color development for a B&W film seems like a stupid idea, but it's not, and here's why...

The thing is: I already process color film at home. My C-41 setup is dialed in. Temperature control, agitation, storage, everything works. I know C-41 is way more complicated than black and white, but I’ve got it figured out and removed all the blockers. And since I’m already running it, I can throw XP2 in the tank with my color rolls. That alone makes it worth it.

This photo was taken around Thursday 9 AM in Manhattan. I really liked the amount of elements and the vibes inside the barber shop. To me, the studium is clearly identified: a barber shop in NYC, according to the letters on the front glass, taken from the outside, with a closed f-stop to get both the letters and what’s happening inside. The punctum is just driven by their smiles and facial expressions. I wanna be there hanging around with these guys, vibing with them! I wanna know what they’re talking about!

If you read the caption above, you may be asking what the hell is this studium and punctum thing, it’s my new cultural discovery, let me quickly summarize:

In photography, studium and punctum are two concepts introduced by Roland Barthes in his book Camera Lucida. They help describe how we, as viewers, engage emotionally and intellectually with a photograph.

Studium

Studium is the general, cultural, or intellectual interest we have in a photograph. It’s the context, the subject matter, the composition — all the elements we can analyze or appreciate as part of our understanding. For example, you might look at a photograph of a crowded street in Tokyo and find it interesting because of the cultural details, the lighting, the technique. Studium is broad, polite. It invites appreciation but not necessarily emotion.

Punctum

Punctum is the element that pierces you. It’s personal. It’s not always intentional. It could be a small detail in the background, the way someone’s hand hangs at their side, or the subtle expression in someone’s eyes. Punctum is what stops you in your tracks. It hurts, surprises, or pulls you in without explanation. It’s not about analyzing. It’s about feeling.

Barthes says that not all photos have punctum, but the ones that do are the ones we carry with us. They move beyond documentation. They become memory.

Back to ILFORD XP2

XP2 lets me shoot black and white while keeping my workflow simple. I use the same chemicals. I batch it with my color rolls. No extra bottles, no extra steps, no extra chemicals with different expiration dates to track.

It's just practical.

That’s me! Shot taken by my wife Maysa Moreno.

The results are clean. The tones are smooth. It scans well. I get the black and white look I want, without the logistics I don't.

Speaking about Camera Lucida…

If you're already running C-41 at home, XP2 makes sense. It's black and white, simplified.

No mystery. Just one process.

I like the diagonal lines cutting through this one, with the Grand Central Terminal and the Metlife building.

The results are awesome. I know this film stock is more expensive when compared to other black & white films, but the price justifies if you look under that perspective of using your current C-41 workflow towards it.

Something I love and can’t explain about film photography is this blur thing. Digital is too much sterile, too much frozen. Film photography brings life to still shots.

Happy shooting! ✌🏼