Two Points:(posted 8128 days ago)Everyone is talking about film (the original topic) but no one mentions printing. With B&W the "performance" is in the printing. While a fine grained negative, properly developed, is necessary (the score) the final effect will come from artful printing.
Jock Sturges shoots an 8x10 view camera and this certainly contributes to the beautiful skin tones he gets. Ditto Edward Weston. Ralph Gibson would be an example of "non-creamy" (chunky?????) skin tones but he shoots and processes for grain and a gritty appearance.