Week One Report

Dates: May 9 & 11, 2017

Processes I learned this week: Photograms (5.9.17), Lumens (5.11.17), built a pinhole camera that uses 35 mm film using a matchbook (5.11.17)

Notes on what I learned for each process, including tips, tricks, recipes, materials, failures, etc:

1. Photograms- first set of objects: a leaf, pin needs and dried flower were not translucent at all. love the delicate flow. second set of objects moderately translucent.  less translucent objects (leaf and whirligig) turned out best 30 seconds with glass, but more delicate flower petal looked best at 10 seconds. Next step then is to learn how to dodge. Have not had a chance to do this yet!!!

First photograms

Photograms, Round Two: Finding Exposures that Capture Interior of Objects

2. Lumens- preferred my images before developing, which added odd hazy glaze that obscures interesting details (see picture). Need to be more careful about sun, consistency in object placement when transporting outside. Exposed for a couple of hours. The time warped glass looked cool, so my choice of objects is fine. Used same glass, plus other objects with varying translucency the following week for my cyanograms on cloth. Those turned out cool!

Lumens, After Exposure Before Fixing

Lumens, After Fixing
(note to self- rescan with images matched to original)

3. Pinhole matchbox- Spent the better part of Thursday making this camera. Chose to do this rather than the easier paint can pinhole, since I had already done that in summer camp long ago. Though in hindsight the paint can might have been more efficient. Need to revisit that in the future.

Building the camera was fun. Reminded me of an am radio construction kit that I got for Christmas in the 5^th grade. Immensely emotionally rewarding to build something that works. Except, not sure that my camera works. Came undone during photo shoot (take up spool separated from matchbox body, exposing some film. Frustrating!) Also, without clicker, advancing film is not precise. Using the pinhole at same time as shooting on an old school 35mm camera for darkroom class. Much better than my crummy pinhole.

Edie- today (5.22) finish up that $&%!  role on the pinhole and develop it!! You have time and sun!!!

Edie- today (5.26) maybe over the weekend? Pair it with the "Rolls Royce"?? Update (5/30): Did 12 exposures yesterday, 6 at high elevenses and 6 between thunderstorms in the late afternoon. Exposures range from 1-20 minutes. Classmate Fred "finished" a second role, and the 1-2 minute exposures looked good. I hope to finish this interminable roll soon.   

Other processes I worked with this week and notes, tips, tricks, and failures.

Ordinary black and white film photography. Hand developed and printed my first roll of film!!

Information I learned from other students in class:

How to scan and maquette my lumens, which  I did before processing them in order to measure the effect of developing on my existing images.  As developing did change to the images, I am glad to have made a record of this intermediate stage.