Tuesday 30 October 2007

Photograms Next Week



We shall meet as usual next Monday in the darkroom, next to the upstairs Art room.

We will be making 'Photograms'. This is where you lay objects on light sensitive paper. Bring some objects that you would like to place next week, things like perspex jewelry, dried flowers work well.

Have a read of these articles to get you in the mood and be on time please as everything takes ages in the darkroom.

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Making-a-photogram

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photogram

Man Ray is an artist famous for creating Photograms, have a look at his work for some inspiration!

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Saturday 20 October 2007

1/2 term focus The Genius of Photography

Over half term you should aim to get a good body of work completed to demonstrate the theme of "texture'. After half term we will move onto film printing. The brief is very flexible but as a general guide I would aim to have at least 20 images that you would be happy to include in your scrap book. I would suggest 10 man made substances and 10 from nature. Take them with a variety of depth of field using macro ( close up) settings and some showing contrasts between textures. You should also find at least 2 examples of an established photographers work from nature and/or man made that has influenced you and try an emulate that work. If you put the work up on your blog I will be checking them over half term. Use the sheets I gave you to help you write about your work.

This time of year the light is fantastic, the sun is very low and bright and the contrast with the great colours of the leaves is tailor made for taking nature texture photos. Look for leaves, conkers, mud, get up early and try and get some dew drop pictures, spider webs with sunlight behind, sunsets over the sea, the sky was flame red the other evening, etc.

Don't just stick to Texture images, carry your camera around everywhere and take pictures of everything, people, buildings, your lunch! Think of your self as a photographer and before you know it, you will be.

If you have one of the SLRs then please arrange to pass it on to someone else from the group half way through the hols.

One more thing a new programme, The Genius of Photography is starting on Thursday at 9pm, it is a six part series on the history and development of photography. It should give you an excellent overview and may give you some ideas of styles that you like. Click here for link
Have fun!

Monday 8 October 2007

Example for week 4


This is how I would like you to write about your images, we will do more work on this so dont panic.
1. Tech spec: Shutter 1/200, aperture f 4.5, ISO 50.
2. Visual techniques: The framing and composition of this image enhances the juxtaposition of the structure. The harsh concrete has been constructed at interesting angles with each other. It is a very modernist building yet it uses a quite basic structural design, almost like a tent or tepee, where the main building is supported by struts. The late winter sun casts shadows that highlight the sharp angles of the building, they soften the concrete and give a greater sense of depth of field to the composition. The building is too far away to really appreciate the texture of the concrete. Contrast is suggested by the stained glass in the background.
3. The narrative: The use of concrete suggests a harsh, Bauhaus, utilitarian type of building. However the stained glass gives away its actual role, it is the Catholic Cathedral in Liverpool. I find this quite ironic. One expects cathedrals to be oppulent, roccoco and with lots of detail, images of saints, gargoyles etc. The fact that this one presents such a simplistic imagery, in a way heightens the observer's awe. It is as though it is so important, so devine, that it doesn't have to try. Like wise the overall structure of the building ( it's tepee shape) suggests it is echoing the use of religion, to hold society up. As faith can keep an individual going and give them strength, this is what the concrete supports are doing.
4. Influences: a link to the Isokon flats ( these architects were strongly influenced by the Bauhaus movement.
http://www.archidose.org/Aug05/082205.html
A link to the Bauhaus website
http://www.bauhaus.de/english/

Week 4- composition

Sorry girls, I am not well and am not in school today. So for your next assignment I would like you to focus on composition. That means, what you choose to include within the frame of your picture, the angles and lines that when taken from different angles can create a whole different composition and 'meaning' to your image.
Looking at buildings with strong lines will help you with this, have a look at my example and the way I have written about it.
As you are taking your pictures remember to experiment with colour and depth of field which we have covered in our previous sessions. Just to pre warn you, over half term I would like you to start writing about your images and laying them in your sketch books, so it would be a good idea to order a sketch book from the art shop in school, they do them at very reduced prices.

Monday 1 October 2007

Week 3- cropping, colour and black and white

I hope you are starting to get your head around aperture and depth of field, remember, larger apertures (smaller F-stop number) and closer focal distances produce a shallower depth of field. Have a read of this webpage where the theory is explained in greater detail.
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm

Don't get too worried about how to work it out, you dont have to do that. You just have to be concerned with the depth of field, do you want it shallow or wide/deep? Try to remember, shallow = smaller number.


In today's lesson you had your first exciting commission! Taking photos of the band, one of the things to quickly get over is any shyness! Remember, you never see photographers, skulking at the back, you have to get in there to get your shot!


When you have identified your own pictures, experiment with cropping and turning the pics into black and white. You will find it makes such a difference to your compositions. When you are happy with your manipulation upload some before and after with the photo info ( aperture, shutter, ISO) included.

Your next task is to focus on COLOUR within depth of field.
Look or create some compositions where you are presented with a clear colour contrast. You could try placing an object, a croc shoe or a banana, something with a distinct colour, against a different background. What effect does the different colour contrasts and changing the depth of field have on the compositions? If you are good in photoshop you could try enhancing the colours. This is what we will do next lesson so please ensure you have a digital copy of your pics with you.


Remember, we have three SLR cameras you can borrow, try sharing between three or four of you and swop over after a couple of days and don't forget to sign them out.