Assignment #2 - Take a walk...tell a story.

Assignment #2: Take a walk...tell a story.

We talked about this in class, but here it is:

Go to somewhere in Ephraim that you've never been before. Take a picture. Walk 100 steps. Take another picture. Walk another 100 steps. Take another picture. Do that until your roll is done.

Here's the trick:

Tell me a story! Make your images connect to each other in a narrative way. Make the story fanciful, truthful, lie-ful, mourn-ful, happy-ful, or any other kind of -ful you can think of. I don't care honestly what kind of story you tell me. Just tell me SOMETHING.

If you are having a hard time making a story while you are shooting, then you can come back into the darkroom and take a look at what you've gotten and then make up a story after the fact. Either way is fine.

What is due:

1. Contact sheet
2. Three prints printed on FIBER paper. Which three prints do you choose? Pick the ones that are the most critical or the most visually important to telling your story.
3. Due on Wednesday, February 6th. I have changed that and moved it up 2 days. We will critique them on Wednsday. Please have them ready for critique. If they are not ready at the beginning of class your grade will suffer.

Tips:

Make 'em good. That's all.

:)

Darkroom Stuff

Hey Gang,

Sorry I couldn't be to class today. I will make it up to you...I promise.

Anyway, here's what I want you to do this weekend:

I'd like you to take that roll of film and make a contact sheet of it. Amy should have gone over that with you today. If she didn't have time, then we'll go over it on Monday.

In any case, proof sheet or not, I would like you to select two images from your roll of film. One print from each roll of film will be DUE on Monday.

Here's how I want you to select your two images:

Select the image that has the BEST EXPOSURE. One that you look at and can see that there is plenty of silver on the negative to make a good print of.

Select the image that is YOUR FAVORITE. If the image that has the best exposure is the same as your favorite image, then pick your SECOND FAVORITE.

Make one print of each image. This will give you a grand total of TWO prints that I want to see on Monday. Do your best to make them the best you can. What I want to do on Monday is have a lesson about contrast and about how we can control it. That being said, I want to make sure that when you make your prints this weekend is that you DO NOT use any contrast control filters. DON'T USE ANY.

Usually we will use a filter, but I want you to learn how to make a print as well as you can without them. We'll talk about them in class and I'll show you ways that we can control contrast in the darkroom using filters.

Again, please don't use any filters.  PLEASE oh PLEASE.

One print from each image is due on Monday. Please print these full-frame and make sure they are negatives that you shot with your HOLGA.

Clyde Butcher

Clyde is a pretty awesome guy. Watch this video. You will learn something.

Assignment #1 - Make A Photograph

So gang, Assignment #1 is officially here now. Get the Holga out, load it up, and go make a photograph. Do both me and you a favor though and please do NOT just make a photograph of a 'thing'. Please make a photograph that tells me something. Have something to say. Have a reason to push the button.

We saw in the roll from class that the Holga really does need to have light in order to make a good exposure. The film that we shot in the classroom, the hallway, in the darker shade of the atrium, those images were all very underexposed. The shots that were in the direct sunlight were exposed properly. Please make sure you are shooting in an environment that gives you plenty of light. Give the Holga a fighting chance to make a good exposure.

Come back with that exposed roll by next Monday and be prepared to process your film. I know that there will be MANY of you who have trouble loading your film onto the reel, so we'll plan to do the loading in the darkroom with the lights off instead of cramming all of you into the little tiny film loading room.

Good luck!

Vivian Maier

Here's someone you may or may not have heard about.

Part Two:

Part Three:

Ask yourself...what are your motives? Why are you a photographer? Is it for you or for someone else. If it's for someone else, please re-examine your motives.

Syllabus

Division: Fine Arts
Department: Visual Art
Course: ART 1500
Title: Silver & Alternative Photography

Instructor:

Kimberly Slade
sladekimberly@gmail.com
801-803-4818

ART 1500

This course introduces photographic processes based in the traditional wet darkroom. Techniques include camera building, exposure, film processing, silver-based printing, and alternative 19th century photographic processes. Artworks are discussed in the context of historical and contemporary photographic concepts and imagery. Students will present a final portfolio and critiques will be held regularly throughout the semester. A film camera and course fee are required.

Content:

demonstrate a proficiency in materials and techniques in alternative and black and white photography

demonstrate fluency in historical content and context as related to major figures and movements in silver alternative processes

demonstrate critical analysis of works of art in critique

This course will include:

basic camera operation/exposure
black and white photographic chemistry
black and white film development
enlarging and printing onto black and white paper 19th century processes and techniques
alternative processes and techniques
historical perspectives on photography design/composition elements and principles contemporary critical issues in photography group critiques
exhibition presentation

Representative Text and/or Supplies:

Black and White Photography, current edition, Henry Horenstein
The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes, current edition, Christopher James

Required Supplies:

Holga 120 Camera (not pinhole version)
5-rolls Ilford HP5+ 120 black and white film
120 Negative Sleeves (you might want to team up with another student to buy these...they come in packages of 25)
11x14 white or cream matt boards (we will go over colors and probably cut them in class, don't get them yet)
1 pad of Bristol Smooth watercolor paper, 9x12 (get the pad pictured below from utrecht.com)

All of these supplies can be ordered online. Personally I like B&H from New York, but you can order these supplies just about anywhere.     

Optional Supplies:

35mm camera
35mm Ilford HP5+ film
35mm negative sleeves
Tripod