Camera Parts & Vocabulary
Over this stage of project I have learn basics of camera parts and the concept of how camera works in practise. Vocabulary enriched the knowledge, awareness and developed understanding of the camera parts. During this the most interesting future for me was the way that everything in photography links to one another. I have enjoyed the practise of the skills that I have learned. Using film camera gave me confidence in terms of my learning of aperture, shutter speed, ISO and structure of the camera on its own. I feel like I could revise the names of the camera parts again as I am not confident with all of the technical terms.
Film Development
First roll of film was focusing on the scavenger hunt, where I had to focus on the right exposure and the light meter. In terms of the development of the film it was successful, however the problem on the first roll appeared, I dod not pay enough attention to the exposure and light meter. This can be seen as some of the photographs are either over or under exposed. I liked the photograph that I have used large aperture, which gave effect of shallow depth of field. This project allowed me to learn on my mistakes in terms of making sure that I set my camera correctly.
Darkroom
Darkroom is my favourite part of project, I enjoyed it the most. During the darkroom practise, I have made contact sheet and test strips. Even know it is my favourite part I had found it difficult in terms of chemical process. I am comfortable with the process of making test strip.
- Dodging is a technique of taking light away from the areas that do not need it. I have explored that technique for my first roll of film for my light abstract project. The time of dodging is different for each photograph, which is sometimes hard to decide. This is an example where i have dodged the triangle area in the middle of the print.
- Burning is the second technique that i have used in my light abstract project. This allows us to burn in the area that needs more light to get darker or show some tones. In this case I have used burning to show the tones and contrast in the lightest area of the negative. By covering the area with right exposure I was able to add time to the brightest area on the photograph.
- Using contrast filters
Most of my photographs were grainy and bleary with lack of contrast in them. This might be because I have used the 400 ISO. This pushed me to use contrast filters, The bigger the number is the more contrast it gives to the image.
Sepia Toning
Sepia toning can be used on any darkroom printed photograph. The photograph has to be wet, first it goes through the bleach where it loses the dark tones, washing off the chemical is important. Second it goes to sepia toning chemical which allows the tone to come back but as a brown color. I had made the photographs that look wisely old (took photographs of objects that are not brand new) to make the effect stand out.
Cyanotype Toning
This is a blue prints. To produce that kind of images we have used solar paper, which is sensitive to white light but can be accessed in white light for few minutes. This allowed me to make my composition in the classroom. When I was traveling outside I had covered the composition with black bag. This allowed me to find a spot with sun light where i could expose my composition. After exposing, the solar paper will go to wash for 5 minutes. the covered parts of the paper will be white, the rest will remain blue. For the experiments I have used flowers, sticks and leafs. I want to improve that technique by exposing portraits, as I did not like the outcomes of using natural resources.
Graphic Photograms
It is a technique where there is no direct camera used to create an image. By using magazine cut out I had created an image. I feel that making the test strip for this procedure is limited, as the types of paper is not the same, the quality of thickness is different. On the other end the overlaying pieces have to be burned in as this piece of photograph becomes a thicker material then the rest of it, this remains white on the image which we can see in one of my own examples under. Overall the images are very interesting in terms of forming shapes, pattern and textures.
Blue Prints
This procedure had made the prints look much more effective and interesting then in black and white. It adds texture and interest in to the prints. It gives it dreamy cold look.
Project Evaluation
During the Alternative Processes I have learnt variety of techniques to manipulate the darkroom prints; Sepia and Blue print. And two techniques of how to make photographs without using camera; solar prints and graphic photograms. Throughout this project I have to learn how to make the decision of what is and is not suitable for each technique. I feel that my sepia prints were most successful photographs. This is because the photographs put us back in time, this gives them more value. I had shoot parts of my film specially to complete this body of work. I have enjoyed the experimental part of the project where I could make decision whether the image fits the technique or it does not. I am happy with my final outcomes and feel that the techniques that i have chosen for each one had added interest and value to individual photograph.
Solarized Prints
This is a darkroom technique that adds the silver kind of finish to the prints. It requires high contrast prints in order to look successful and effective. This technique really highlights the edges f an objects giving it a bright white that almost gives the shine to overall print.
Double Exposure
This is an images that are overlaid on one another. This has been done in a darkroom from the film that I have previously shooted for scavenger hunts or other projects. I have focused those images on a human form and nature. This compositions has worked well and I think that it is successful and gives the audience sense of confusion.
Painted Developer
This is a technique where I did not put all of the print in developer, instead of that I had experimented with paint brushes, sponges and fingers to create interesting patterns and textures within the print. Afterwords the print goes straight to stop bath and fixer. This technique allows to hide the parts of photograph that is not as important or not as interesting. It makes audience think of abstract.
Project Evaluation
This project has been based on kind of abstraction within the photography, which allows the photographer to transform the realistic world to maybe how the perceive the world. Solarized prints are very effective for patterns and lots of lines, it gives away that apocalyptic mood that speaks through the prints. By very easy procedure it changes the way that the print looks. Double exposed prints are really easy to produce and are very effective experiments. I did double exposed prints in two ways; one of them is putting two negatives together and the second is exposing one roll of film twice. I feel that the second way was much more effective and easier to work out the exposure time in a dark room then two negatives, one on another. Puting negatives one on another gave more range of photographs and more ways to experiment but I enjoyed taking photographs more. I had enjoyed the painted developer as it allowed me to express my self in a artistic way, but I am not as much positive about the outcomes which I found really confusing and abstract. Overall I had learned a lot and I feel like my darkroom skills are improving in terms of decisions and timing.
Pinhole Camera
The process of building pinhole camera was rarely easy. I did not have any trouble with building but when it come to making negatives I had massive issue with the timing that I should be exposing the paper. I have noticed that the light come in circular shape, therefore the negatives are less exposed on the edges of the print and a bit overexposed in the middd of it. Even more difficult then working out the time to expose the negatives; I have found working on the positives. My negatives where not sharp or bleary because of the movement while taking the negative. Some of my positives where under or over exposed so I needed to spend more time to get them right. I think that the possitives should be a bit bleary and confusing as it adds interest to them.
Negatives
Positives
Malgorzata Wilas 