As I write these words it is mid-September, with almost a third of 2025 yet to go, yet I’m nonetheless fairly certain that the image above will turn out to be my favorite of the year. I wasn’t expecting this when I took the photo or when I processed and scanned the film. I’d gone out for a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge mainly for the pleasure of stretching my legs on a pretty evening but also to test out a “new”—in fact, a rather ancient—lens, a 1935 Leitz Hektor f6.3 I’d recently acquired. Impressed with the moody skies, I loaded my Leica III with color film (Kodak UltraMax 400).
Here’s the original scan:
Although I remembered taking the picture of these girls and having some hopes for it, something about the scan didn’t sit well with me. The idea of making it monochrome only came to me in the darkroom, later, where I’d recently had some success printing black and white photos from color negatives. Boosting the exposure (by opening up the aperture or increasing the time the enlarger projects the image onto the paper) and using filters to increase contrast can with certain C41 negatives yield superb black and white prints. After undertaking these procedures and moving the paper through the chemistry under the red safety lights, I switched on the overheads:
The monochrome palette of the Ilford multigrade RC paper for me transformed the image. Suddenly my eyes were drawn, as they had been when I fired the shutter, to the girls and to the trio of women behind them, the whole family grouping framed by the jostling crowd and the familiar stones and cables of my city’s most iconic bridge. The image now seemed to cohere, and in its somber, unassuming way perhaps to say something about the difficult year.
(Please excuse the odd swirl in the lower portion of my iPhone photo of the finished print, the last image in this post. It’s a reflection caused by the chemicals in the fixer tray).
Thanks for having a look.
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Gary Smith on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 27/10/2025
Comment posted: 27/10/2025
Comment posted: 27/10/2025
Comment posted: 27/10/2025
Charles Young on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 27/10/2025
I suggest lightening up (holding back) the faces of the girls and women in the foreground.
Comment posted: 27/10/2025
David Hume on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Cheers, David H.
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Alexandre Kreisman on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
This is a nice print!
If I may say, try FB paper, the result will be even more satisfying and pleasing to the eye.
Also, If you can, try the cold light source from Heiland, comparing to the filters it's like night and day + so much more easy to use with a good f-stop timer ....
Nice one!
Cheers
Alex
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Jeffery Luhn on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
I agree with Mr. Hume that the monochromatic image looses a lot. The subjects of greatest interest don't stand out as much. I've never had much luck printing color negatives with B&W paper after Kodak discontinued their Panalure paper. That was a good product.
It's hard to imagine a foot traffic location with a wider swath of humanity than that bridge. Maybe the arrivals gate at NYC or SFO airports?
Jeffery
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Stefan Wilde on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Comment posted: 28/10/2025
Dean Lawrence on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 29/10/2025
So because the scene is nothing to do with doom colour definitely wins.
But I do love the mono version purely for the way my ( warped) brain translated it. I wish I had taken this shot I'm not surprised it's a favourite.
Dean.
Comment posted: 29/10/2025
Scott Ferguson on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 29/10/2025
Fascinating post, as usual!
I think shifting to monochrome was a really interesting creative fix/enhancement for a very interesting shot. I prefer the monochrome, but I find the look of both versions quite interesting -- the color has a very interesting look that feels a bit muted and at the same time certain colors popping, like the pinks and blues. It reminds me of a technique that was popular in cinema 20 or so years ago called "bleach bypass" that gave color film a very distinctive look and was often used for sequences like flashbacks to battle scenes reflecting the PTSD of the person having the flashback.
On the technical side, as I recall, the lens you're shooting with is a 28mm f6.3, so you don't have much latitude to open up on an overcast day. There is definitely a vintage look to both versions that's very interesting and fitting given the vintage of the gear you are using. To me, this image, in either color or b&w has the feel of classic journalistic photos and I think of moments where populations are on the move, perhaps during wartime or conflict or disaster, as opposed to people visiting one of NYC's great landmarks. I think that quality is enhanced by the brooking sky and that you are capturing people in motion and seemingly not noticing that you are shooting them, even though you had to be pretty close if you were shooting with a 28mm.
I'm assuming you grabbed this shot without engaging with the family that is the main subject. I like to shoot people in various cultural and national costume/clothing when I'm out and about, but I'm often a little hesitant with Islamic people knowing that in some branches of the faith, they are very averse to being photographed. That hasn't stopped me from shooting, but I am often a little hesitant/cautious about it and probably don't get shots nearly as good as this one as a result.
I think it's fun that you're more or less ready to announce that this is likely to be your 'photo of the year' for 2025, which has made me think of what my photo of the year might be. Maybe a pitch to Hamish to do a end of year post where anyone/everyone can submit a single favorite photo of 2025 that we could all enjoy!
Cheers,
s
David Pauley on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 30/10/2025
Thanks so much for your response. I was as you deduced pretty close to this family grouping. When I grabbed the photo with the 28mm Hektor they were I believe focused on another photographer, a family member, who was setting up for a shot with a IPhone. I did not ask permission and indeed didn't devote more than 30 seconds on the photo as I was zone focusing at f8 or f11 while walking and didn't have to fiddle with the rangefinder. I would say that despite some involved portrait sessions with strangers' cooperation (as with my previous piece here) when doing street work I still often err on the side of taking the shot and worrying about permission, or not worrying about it, later. I know you go about this differently and am intrigued by doing more of that given the great results you've gotten.
As for a more general favorite frames of the year series here on 35mmc, I think it sounds great!
Ibraar Hussain on My Favorite Photo of 2025?
Comment posted: 31/10/2025
I like both, the color reminds me of transparencies from the 70ies with that distinctive pop.
the BW is a fantastic blend of tone