Exhibition

On the 15th of June, we had the opening night of our exhibition where families, friends, businesses and so on came along to view our work. 

My exhibition featured a lightbox with my negatives on them, and beside that was my two moving image pieces playing on a monitor along with the media students. 

The overall presentation of my project was strong and I liked the contrast between my negatives and positives; showing the process of my work from the start to finish. I think that the negatives worked really well with the lightbox and lit them up, making them strong and powerful visually. I’m very happy with my moving image also and found that seeing it on a larger scale made it so much more powerful. In conclusion, I am very happy with my exhibit however I feel that I would have preferred my moving image on a monitor by itself like on a Mac or small monitor. 

I am very happy with my exhibit and found that it fitted well with all the other work. 

Evaluation of FMP

For my Final Major Project, I wanted to work more with analogue photography and experiment in the darkroom as I am more digitally based. I researched different photographers on Pinterest and found some interesting work that focused mainly on long exposure. I decided that I wanted to concentrate on movement, using long exposure as my medium. I decided to look at femininity and how it is stereotypically and realistically portrayed and capture this through photography. I came across photographers likes Elena Oganesyan who I found would be particularly influential as well as other photographers like Taida Celi and Miroslav Tichy. I found artists whose work were quite haunting and ghostly like Nico Nordström and Kim Kim and found interesting to incorporate.

I went onto producing work with 35mm and 120 film, photographing my friend’s movement with different format film. My friend’s had practiced ballet when they were younger, so this was an interesting concept to introduce into my work and photograph them whilst they created ballet poises. I tried more abstract ways of photographing my friends so that the negatives would be more interesting; thus working with different methods like moving the camera and changing the angles. I went onto processing the negatives and then developing them into positive images in the darkroom.

I started to experiment more in the darkroom, using different materials and methods to produce more contemporary, creative pieces. I scratched into the negative film as well as applied different materials like masking tape and thread on top of it to produce more distorted and textured imagery. I applied water to the paper to form ripples on the photos and moved the paper in a variety of ways to form different effects and motions.

I decided to show the artistic process of my work in my images as well as marks and fingerprints to show the craft of my photographs. I found that a lot of work wasn’t visually strong as they were more experimental so only a small quantity were part of my final project. I scanned my images in as I wanted to try and change the colour to make them more vibrant like Elena Oganesyan and Taida Celi’s work. I found that this development worked well and the different colours created very interesting compositions however, they weren’t as strong as my original photographs.

After developing the photographs, my tutors suggested creating moving image pieces to develop my work, so I produced two moving images using Adobe Premiere Pro. I found that going down this route and using a different medium made my project stronger and more powerful. I feel that it is a creative tool that has helped to develop and strengthen my project.

I was initially heading down the route of just producing photographs that were inspired by photographers like Elena Oganesyan and creating a collection of images to hang up on the wall for the exhibit. However, I needed up producing moving images with these photographs which I find is much stronger and has developed my work a lot more. Even though it didn’t meet my original intentions, I feel that it is much more improved and visually stronger than my original goal.

Overall, I feel that this project has gone well and even though it hasn’t gone in the direction it was initially intended on going in, my work has become a lot stronger because of it. I have found that the images produced is what I wanted them to look like in the end which I

am happy about, however I did wish that some of the images were in colour like photographer Elena Oganesyan had done with her photographs. I feel that colour may have made my images more striking and bold. When experimenting on Photoshop the images I changed from black and white to colour looked very vibrant and lucid which I found fit my project and incorporated some of Oganesyan’s style into it. I found I was getting somewhere with my images when changing the hue however, they weren’t as strong as the originals. Apart from that, I found that this project overall has been a success and has come out better than expected; especially with the moving image piece which I find has made my project even more powerful and creative. Finally, I feel I have develop my skills more and expanded my knowledge on analogue photography which was one of the initial aims of this project, and whilst doing that I have created experimental pieces and developed them in moving images.

Premiere Pro // Moving Image Piece

From my crit with Jo and Shaun, I have decided to created two moving image pieces with my photographs I produced in the darkroom. I found that this would be a good way to develop the images and transform them into something other than just photographs; it allowed me to be creative and experiment with movement once more, this time making the images physically move.

I went to the STEM building to start working with Jamie, and I brought the images I was using and the order to put them into when sequencing them into the movie.

Jamie took the Jpegs and imported them into Adobe Premiere Pro CS6. I then showed him the sequence in which they went in and we sorted them out on the computer into the right order. From there I told Jamie what I wanted the clips to look like and how I wanted the images to look like; flickering images whilst it’s rolling. Jamie suggested more abstract effects to transform the images into an intricate and experimental moving image piece as he thought that the flicker wouldn’t be as effective.

For the first images, we put them into the order I had sorted with Jo and Shaun, from there we adjusted the amount of time each image would be shown. We started to experiment more; speeding up the time the images would be shown for and slowing them down as well as manipulating the images- enlarging them, reversing the sequence and repeating it again.

When we had edited and found the right sequence and effects to transform the photos into a moving image clip, we looked back at it. We felt that we could still add something to the film and Jamie felt that we could copy this sequence and then overlay it under the original sequence, but slowing it down so it was out of time with the original sequence. From watching this over, you could see the faint two layers which added dimension and depth to the moving image which I really liked about it and felt it improved a lot.

From there Jamie could see that something was missing so decided to add sound to add depth to it and bring it to life. From there he added a random song from the Mac- David Bowie and found segments which had unusual sounds like wind blowing and howling which seemed like an interesting choice. We overlapped the sound with the images and played it back; finding that this sound piece completely transformed the moving image and gave it a whole new style and outlook.

We played it over again to see if anything else needed adding but found that this final piece was finished and we didn’t see any other improvements that could be added.

Overall, I found that doing this first video and transforming my photographs into a moving image piece really changed the way I viewed my images and felt that it really transformed them into very sublime and elegant pieces that allowed me to develop my work and be creative, exploring new methods and working with new medias. It made me very excited for creating new moving images and felt it changed the way I portrayed my photographs.

 

I went onto producing the other moving image piece with the other images. We imported the images and placed them into a sequence. We then went onto manipulating the clip; speeding up certain aspects, slowing down some, repeating it and enlarging the images. We then repeated what we did in the previous clip and overlapped the clip with a duplicate clip to create layered images. We also thought that adding sound like last time would also improve it too so we added another David Bowie track to it with unusual sounds, as well as sounds from inside a moving car as it added more dimension and layers to the clip.

We yet again played it over to see whether there was any other improvements we could make but we found that this final edit was just right. We made the clip so that it was on a loop so it wouldn’t just end but keep going.

Overall, I found the second video was much more effective than the first one due to developing and adding more advanced transitions like reversing, and fading in and out. I found that this video had more depth in it as there were varieties of effects like reversing the sequence, changing the speed throughout, fading and overlapping images which made it more professional.

Generally, I felt that producing these moving images allowed me to be creative with my images and not just frame them or hang them like a photographer would typically do. It allowed me to go out of my comfort zone and go from producing a still image to a moving piece of art that I typically wouldn’t of thought of doing.

After producing these, Jamie and Brian gave me a couple of artists who I could look at that relate to my work- link below.

Artist Research for Moving Image Clip

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crit with Jo and Shaun

I had a crate with Jo and Shaun about how I could showcase my work and what I could do to develop it. Shaun told me that the images I had produced looked a lot like film reels of old films that flicker when moving so came to the conclusion of creating moving image mini films with these photographs.

Both Jo and Shaun helped me to determine which images to use and what order to put them in, and they came to a conclusion to produce two moving images with a section of images; some from my first shoot and some from my second shoot.

Jo went on to tell me to talk to Jamie about helping about with creating the mini movies as I am unfamiliar with movie software like Adobe Premier pro and he specialises in it.

Fifth Darkroom Experiments

Some negatives from third shoot:

Darkroom experiments:

The first image I produced was one of my friend composing a ballet pose. At first, I got a test strip and exposed the image for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 seconds.

I found that the 10 seconds was the right exposure for my image. I went on to exposing the image onto 6×4 paper for 10 seconds, however after the 10 second exposure I moved the image right a little and exposed yet again for 10 seconds.

 

I quite liked the effect that the moving of the image created however, the image had  low contrast which I feel makes this image weak in comparison to others that I’ve produced.

I went on to exposing the image yet again onto 10×8 paper.

I think that the image looked better exposed onto 10×8 paper however still found that it wasn’t strong enough to be in my final project.

I decided to move the image when I exposed the image onto 10×8 paper to see whether it was more effective or made the photo visually stronger. I exposed the image for 5 seconds, moving the image and exposing for another 5 seconds.

The photograph came out under exposed and had very low contrast which meant that the image wasn’t clear or shown in much detail. I went on to trying different methods to produce stronger imagery. I decided to expose the image for 10 seconds, move the paper and expose for another 10 seconds, move the paper again and expose.

I liked the effect that this process caused however, the image I exposed first came out too over exposed showing clearly the outline of the negative frame. I find that this has made the image weaker.

I exposed another image, using a test strip to determine the right exposure time. I exposed the image for 5, 10, 15 and 20 seconds.

I found that between 5 and 10 would be the best exposure. I went on to exposing the image on a test strip for 7 and 10 seconds.

I found 7 and 10 seconds to be too dark when exposing them again so I went for 5 second exposure on test strips. I tried changing the contrast as the portraiture blended in too much with the background leaving the image looking flat.

5 second exposure

I still found the image flat so I continued to adjust the contrast.

I found that the contrast wasn’t adjusting well and the image just looked flat.

I decided to expose the image on 5×7 paper to see the full image.

5 second exposure

I found the image had low contrast and wasn’t very strong. I went onto enlarging the image onto 5×7 paper again this time adjusting the contrast once again.

5 second exposure

I found the enlargement of the image visually weak and the adjustment of the contrast still left the contrast low. Overall, I found this image not very strong and quite flat in comparison to the other images I have produced.

I decided to try experimenting further with this image to develop it. I moved the image whilst exposing it for 10 seconds. I moved the paper after 5 seconds so that the full image was exposed and you could see the portraiture however you could see the movement also.

10 second exposure

The experiment came out successfully however the brightness and contrast was low meaning that although it was successful and you could see the image, the image wasn’t as clear as I wanted it to be.

I wanted to change the scale so decided to expose onto 10×8 paper. For the next image,    I exposed the image for 7 seconds, moving the image from right to left for 3 seconds.

 

1o second exposure

I liked this image however, fingerprint marks were left when exposing the image which ruined the photo. I do think that this image would have worked well and fitted in well in my project if there were no fingerprint marks.

I tried movement again, this time moving the image from bottom right corner to the middle after 7 seconds.

10 second exposure

I really liked this image and felt that it’s a strong piece. I like the shadows presented that are caused by moving the paper, and the faded look they give. The only negative sides are that the contrast is low and the image is quite flat which lets the image down. However, overall I find this image very successful and fits in with my project.

I went on to exposing another image but only exposing a section of the negative to see how it would look.

1o second exposure

I found that this image came out too over exposed when I had developed it. The image isn’t very clear however, from what I can tell from the photo, the imagery is very flat and the portraiture blends into the background. I didn’t find this image strong and chose not to carry on exposing it as it would just be flat.

I exposed another image and used test strips to determine the right exposure.

This test strip shows 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 second exposures. I found that 10 and 15 seconds looked the best so went on to exposing the image on a test strip for 13 seconds.

13 second exposure

I found this exposure just right. I decided to experiment with this image as the photograph itself is too focused for my project and doesn’t show movement. I went onto experimenting and spontaneously moving the paper around to form intricate and abstract imagery.

I exposed the image for 10 seconds moving the paper fast to see the effect of this.

As a result of moving the paper too fast, the image isn’t shown through and it looks very faded and under exposed. I missed exposing the face so you can only see the back half of her which made this image unsuccessful.

I decided this time to expose the image for 5 seconds so the image would appear fully and clearly on the paper and then quickly move the paper for another 5 seconds.

10 second exposure

I found this successful and looked interesting with the faded movement of the negative. I wish that the outline of the image would have faded with the moving image as it would have looked more effective blended together.

I went on to trying to move the paper in other ways; moving the paper from left to right for 13 seconds.

I liked this image and how it created dimensions with the different shades and shadows. I found the portraiture faint however you could still see it clear when looking closely. I like how effective it is and it reminds me of Julia Margaret Cameron’s work.

I went on to exposing more of this image and developing my work. I left the paper to expose it for 10 seconds and then move it slow for 3 seconds.

This image left shadow marks and subtle movement however the portrait was still very clear which is not what I wanted it to be, making this outcome unsuccessful.

I went on to playing around with speed of movement, slowly moving the paper left and right for 13 seconds as oppose to quickly like I had previously done.

I found this image under exposed and dull which made it visually weak. I think that if the exposure was stronger then the image would have looked more effective.

I continued with movement however tried from different angles. I exposed the image again for 10 seconds, then exposed it again moving the paper from right top corner to bottom middle for another 10 seconds. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found this image over exposed as a result of exposing it too much and this resulted in  the image being very dark and difficult to see the face. Overall for this image, I liked the effect it had however, the image itself was very over exposed and dark which didn’t look good.

I went on to exposing the image for 10 seconds, then moving the image, exposing again for 10 seconds, moving and exposing for 5 seconds.

The outcome of this was quite unsuccessful as the image came out very under exposed so I couldn’t see the face very well. I think that the abstract style that the experiment produced was effective however the exposure time was not right. I think that because I exposed it so many times that the image came out very dark and over exposed.

I decided to try the expose, move and expose again but in a different way. I exposed the image for 10 seconds, moved the paper and then exposed it for another 10 seconds.

I really didn’t like the outcome as I felt that the outline was too harsh as oppose to the faded appearance I want to show. The overall photograph wasn’t a successful outcome because of the harsh lines produced, I just found that it doesn’t fit with my project as I prefer a more faded and soft appearance.

I decided to try different scales and go larger to see the effect and how it would change the imagery. I decided to expose the image for 10 seconds without any effect but at an angle. I wanted to do this as I found it to be more effective then just placing it in a neat and formal manner on the paper as I feel that it would look too empty on the paper.

I found that the placement of the image was successful and worked well with the large paper to small image ratio. I felt that adjusting the angle filled up the space well and was very effective in displaying the imagery in the large white space. The only issue shown is that the image is under exposed, looking very bright and faded which didn’t look appropriate.

I decided to expand out of the space of just having the image still on the paper and chose to involve movement like previous images. I exposed the image for 13 seconds whilst moving it quickly after 10.

I liked the outcome and found it interesting how the fully exposed image showed the face and the fast movement also showed a slightly distorted face as it fades out. I think that this was successful and very effective. The overall composition I found was satisfactory however I didn’t find it very effective or that the space was used well, meaning that overall it wasn’t as strong as some of the final images I had picked out.

The last development I tried on this image was moving the paper in a circular motion whilst exposing the image. I have never tried this concept and thought that it would be interesting to see how it turned out.

13 second exposure

I really liked the outcome of the this experiment. I found that the positioning of the image was a success and worked really well. I find that the image filled the space well. The outline of the image when exposed for 10 seconds merged well with the faded movement of the paper which previously didn’t work well when trying out that experiment.

I liked the outcome of this image so decided to go onto exposing another image. I used a test strip to determine the right exposure time, exposing the image for 5, 10 and 15 seconds.

10 seconds seemed like the best exposure time for the image so went onto exposing the image on another test strip for 10 seconds to see whether it was right.

The test strip showed that 10 seconds was the best exposure time for this image so I went onto exposing this image on 6×4 paper.

10 second exposure

I liked this image and found the composition really nice however, the image is too focused and doesn’t fit into my work so I decided to experiment and create movement with the image so that it’s more out of focus.

Firstly, before experimenting I exposed the image originally again but I offset it to see whether this would develop the image further. I found that this image wouldn’t work with my project even offset, and the original image looked visually stronger displaying  the full photograph than this one.

I went on to moving the next image; exposing it for 10 seconds but after 5 seconds moving it down slowly.

I liked the effect of this image as it only displayed some of the face and then faded upwards. I still found the original image stronger however and felt that although it looked interesting, visually was weak.

I decided to try more abstract methods by spontaneously moving the paper without thought to see the effect of this.

The first image was the paper shaken slowly for 10 seconds.

I really liked the effect of this method and found the abstract form very interesting and effective. I found the movement worked really well but the only issue with this image was that there’s no portrait shown and it is more abstract then I wanted which didn’t fit in with my work.

I went onto producing another image using spontaneous movement. I exposed the image for 10 seconds moving the image from the left bottom corner swinging the paper towards the middle.

Again, I really liked the effect this experiment had however yet again it isn’t appropriate for my work and wouldn’t fit in as there’s no portrait.

I decided to expose another image, firstly using test strips to find the right exposure time. I exposed the image for 10, 20 and 30 seconds.

I found that the 20 second exposure was best so went onto exposing on 5×7 paper.

I really liked this image and found it really eerie and interesting with the long exposure of the face. I found that the 20 second exposure time worked well and even though the contrast was quite low, I found it created an unnatural and ghostly appearance. I decided that I should expose it onto a large scale as it would look more spacious, not cramp like it does on the 5×7 paper.

20 second exposure

I found using 10×8 much better as the space was used well and didn’t look too overcrowded like the image on the 5×7 paper. I really like the effect that this long exposure has caused and find it really effective. It’s a lot different to the other images and I feel that it’s more creative and visually strong.

I decided that this was the best image so went onto trying to explore more ways I could make this image stronger. I chose to expose onto 5×7 but this time expose for longer; 40 seconds moving the paper whilst exposing.

I found the outcome of this experiment unsuccessful as although I liked the overall imagery of this piece as I find it aesthetically strong and abstract, the photo doesn’t fit in with my project as it doesn’t show the portraiture, it’s just shades and patterns. I feel that this is a visually strong piece however, it just doesn’t work well with my project.

I exposed another image, using a test strip to establish the right exposure time. I exposed the image for 5, 10 and 15 seconds.

I found that 15 seconds was the best exposure time so went onto 5×7 paper.

15 second exposure

I decided to offset the image to the left top hand as I thought that it would look better than just in the middle of the page like I had done previously. I didn’t however find this image visually strong just exposing and not manipulating the image somehow, so I chose to go onto experimenting and seeing how I could develop the photo.

This time, I enlarged the neg so that it would cut off some of the image. I found that it would be interesting as it would disguise the model’s identity.

10 second exposure

Overall, the image was under exposed a lot so I went onto exposing the image for 5 seconds more to make a final impression on the photo.

15 second exposure

I tried to manipulate the image by enlarging it however it didn’t make it visually stronger so I decided to manipulate the image even further.

This time, I exposed the image for 15 seconds, moved the image left and exposed for 10 seconds. Moved the image to the left again and exposed for 5 seconds.

By doing this I was expecting the model to look like she was moving and this is how it came out. I really like the effect it had and how the image faded due to less exposure time and found it very successful. The exposure and contrast are just right and I feel that manipulating this image to look as if she’s moving is very effective. I feel this is a strong piece of work and I would contemplate using this in my final piece.

I went onto exposing onto a larger scale and manipulating the image so that they weren’t flat and just rectangle of the paper. I held up the paper to the lens to give it an concave appearance and exposed for 15 seconds, moved the image and exposed for 10, move and expose again for 5 seconds.

I found this experiment successful as I liked the concave effect it had however, overall I didn’t like this photo as I don’t find the different exposed image merge well together and I feel they don’t work well. I don’t feel this is strong enough to go into my final project however, it was a good experimental piece.

I decided to apply water to a 10×8 piece of paper and expose the image for 30 seconds.

The outcome of this was unsuccessful as the water had only covered some leaving heavy and harsh marks which didn’t look good. I was hoping for the water marks to be soft and faded but it was the opposite and didn’t work well. The image is very under exposed and the overall experiment using water was unsuccessful.

After this, I decided to expose a different image. I got a test strip and exposed the image for 5, 10, 15 and 20 seconds.

I found that 10 and 15 were the best exposure times so used another test strip to expose the image for 10 and 15 seconds to determine the best time.

I found that 10 seconds was the best exposure time so exposed onto 6×4 paper. I wanted to expose this image just normally first but I wanted to then try manipulating the image.

10 second exposure

I liked the outcome of this image and felt it was well focused however that’s not how I want it as my project features blurred, movement pieces which are quite abstract. I wanted however to see what the negative looked like and I am glad that it did come out so well however it’s not what I include into my project.

I decided to manipulate the image by exposing it for 10 seconds; moving it after 7 seconds.

I didn’t like the outcome of this image and found that the exposure and contrast was too low. I find that it isn’t a strong photo so I went onto trying different methods to see whether they would be more successful.

I wanted to try water again so I applied water and exposed the image for 15 seconds, moving the paper after 10 seconds.

This image came out very under exposed due to the application of water which mean’t there wasn’t enough light getting to the paper. I feel that this image would have been successful given more light. Overall, this image is very weak due to the under exposure however, if more exposed then this image would have been stronger.

I tried the application of water again on the paper and shook it to remove excess water. I then exposed the image for 15 seconds.

The outcome of this was unsuccessful as the image is very under exposed and faint. The water ran which made the image distorted which was another issue but some ripples of the water looks quite interesting. Overall, this photo isn’t strong and is unsuccessful.

I wanted to continue to develop this image and try the application of water once more. I exposed this image with water on the paper for 15 seconds.

The water caused some ripples which was an interesting concept as it connected nature with people. The image features a contrast between the image with water which is under exposed and without which is over exposed, which doesn’t work.

I decided to try another image as the overall experimentation of this image hasn’t worked and there aren’t any strong pieces. I took a negative image and scratched into it to see the effect when exposed. I exposed the image for 10 seconds, offsetting it to the left side.

I found that when I developed this image, it came out too focused which is not what I would use in my work. The scratches in the negative came out too harsh and sharp, so I tried to scratch into the paper with my fingernails once developed to soften the black marks however, it didn’t work and was overall unsuccessful.

I went onto exposing another image which when looking at the negative couldn’t see what it was, and it almost looked smokey and like light had exposed it. I put it in the neg carrier and exposed it onto 6×4 paper.

60 second exposure

I found this successful and I really liked the image and the contrast between dark and light tones. The image creates a smokey, almost water like appearance which I fine effective, and it is more obscure and dramatic which I find appealing. Overall, I really like this image and would use this for my final project.

Although I really like the outcome of this negative, I wanted to see whether I could develop the image more. I exposed the image for 60 seconds, moving the image every 2o seconds.

I found this piece visually strong and successful. I expected the exposure to be quite low because I was moving it every 20 seconds however the exposure was just right.I found this image came out very unusual and looked like it was layered, which gave it dimension. I found that although I did like this piece, the original piece was stronger as it had the model’s face on.

After exposing this image and being satisfied with the results, I went onto exposing a final image. I photographed my friend in the woods and found that the branches left shadow marks due to the sun which I found interesting so photographed the shadows on her face. I exposed this image onto a test strip for 5, 10 and 15 seconds.

I found 15 seconds to be the best exposure so exposed the image on 5×7 paper.

I found that this image was too focused and the tones were too harsh. The image doesn’t portray what I want it to do which is femininity and instead looks sinister and menacing. I carried on experimenting to see whether I could change this look and the next thing I did was expose like the first time but then scratch with my fingernails.

I found that this didn’t improve my image but made it weaker with the random scratches which did nothing for it. I knew as soon as I scratched into it that it didn’t look right so went onto trying different ways to present the image on the paper. I offset the image so only half the face was showing and exposed for 15 seconds.

I found that even changing the presentation and offsetting the image hasn’t made any difference and I still feel this image is weak visually. I tried one more time to see whether I could use this image somehow as I felt that it had some potential. I chose this time to expose the image for 15 seconds; moving the paper to the left after 7.5 seconds.

I find that this image looks almost like an illusion and looks mirrored. I like the effect that it has caused however, I don’t really like the image itself as I find that it’s too sinister and dark. I decided this negative image wasn’t right and concluded that I would not use this image in my final project.

Overall, I have found this darkroom session very productive and although most of the photographs produced haven’t been strong and won’t be used for my final piece, I have experimented and allowed myself to be more creative and spontaneous with my work. It has allowed me to develop skills and come out of my comfort zone, producing high quality images.

Contact Sheet of potential final pieces:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experimentation with my Images

After I developed my negative films in the darkroom, I decided to scan my images in and edit them on Photoshop. I wanted to see what they looked like in colour and see whether it changed the outlook of the photographs.

I took this image as I thought colour would work well with the model and would make it look more interesting and bold.

I first of all took the square tool and covered the whole image with a square. I selected a green colour for the square.

 

 

I then selected the effects tool to see how I could alter the appearance of the photo. I looked at each effect to see which had the most effective look and chose Vivid Light as I found the imagery to look quite eerie and almost like water; a cloudy and out of focus appearance.

 

I really liked the effect this image had; all my images are black and white and it was nice to add some colour to my images. This image had a cool yet bold tint, and looks almost discoloured and like swampy water which I find interesting.

I went onto adjusting the hue to a purple tone. I kept the Vivid Tone effect as I found the other effects weren’t as effective. I liked this colour however, I prefer the green hue as it’s more effective and it looks more appropriate for my project.

I carried on trying different tones to see whether any were as effective as the green, I kept with the Vivid Light as that was the most effective effect. I changed the image to a browny, muddy colour.

I really liked this colour and preferred it to the purple colour. I am not too sure whether I prefer the green or this one however. I feel that this image looks effective however is too similar to my black and white photographs, whereas the green colour has a pop of colour and although is very bold and fresh, fits with my project also.

I thought that I would try different effects with this same brown colour. I found an effect called Exclusion which was quite interesting however, it discoloured the white border and didn’t make the image look as effective. I like the navy kind of colour that the effect gave to the image however, it was too similar to my original image.

After trying all these options, I felt the green toned image was the most effective and suitable for my project. Even though I knew that image would be the one I would use, i wanted to try other effects and attempt to develop the image more.

 

I went through the same process with another image. I tried gradient instead and mixing different tones of colours.

For this image, I merged a few colours together; I had bright pink, orange, purple and a very dark/ almost black pink tones. I then used the Screen effect as that was most appropriate. I do like the image however, I don’t prefer it to the original image as I feel that this image is too bold and hides a lot of the detail of the photograph.

I then tried having lighter tones using just pinky colours.

I didn’t like this image either and found it didn’t do anything for the image. The original image which is black and white is much more effective and is bolder than these I had photoshopped.

 

I wanted to try other images but, I wanted to add textures instead of colours to see whether this would have an effect. I went on to adding a rectangle over the top of the image and then edited the fill of the rectangle.

I had left the Screen effect on the rectangle as that is the most suitable effect. I tried out the different effects until I came to the second to last one. I really liked the effect it had on the image and felt it looked more three dimensional. I thought that the contrast was too low so I went on to edit the contrast of the image.

I added an adjustment tool called Curve to adjust the overall contrast and tonal range of the image.

I moved the line slightly down which made the image darker and added highlights to the photo showing some of the details. This adjustment helped the image’s contrast and tone a lot, making it a lot darker and less faded then it was before.

I liked the complete change of appearance in the photo and how it changed the look of the whole image. I think that this image adds texture and is a lot less harsh than the original photo due to the pattern fill. I like that just this fill makes a lot of difference and changes the whole character of the photograph.

 

Overall, I found this Photoshop session interesting and productive as I was able to experiment further but in a digital way which is what I am used to doing. I wanted to see whether the images would look more intriguing in colour however, in my opinion I feel that the black and white original images are best left in black and white than colour. I am glad that I experimented as it allowed me to see whether I could develop the images further however, the original images are more effective and I feel that I should keep them that way.

 

 

 

Fourth Darkroom Experiments

I went into the darkroom with all my negatives from both shoots. I started off with the second shoot reusing some of the images I had already done previously in the darkroom as well as some different ones. I started off with a 120 negative film image and used test strips to get the right exposure; I did 10 seconds, 15 seconds and 20 seconds.

I found that 10 seconds was just a bit under exposed and 20 over exposed, but I felt that 15 seconds was also a bit dark so I got another test strip a exposed the image for 12 seconds and 15 seconds.

I found that 12 seconds was just under exposed and felt I could add another second exposure to make it a bit darker.

13 second exposure

When developing the film, I didn’t develop it fully which mean that some edges looked feathered and faded which I liked about the image. I also scraped my nails on the image before fixing the photo and found the effect this had was very interesting and added a nice texture to it. The image itself had a water effect and looked like the model was floating in water which I found fascinating; it created a soft and delicate form. I really liked this image and think that it would fit well with my final project.

I felt happy with that image and decided to choose another image from the negatives. I got a test strip and exposed the image for 5 seconds and 10 seconds.

I found from this test strip that 5 seconds under exposed the image a lot and 10 second’s also a bit under exposed so I chose on exposing the image at 13 seconds.

When the image had been developed, I found that around the image had fingerprint shadows which I found interesting as it shows the artistic process of the image development. I liked this image just printed in its original state without any experiments however I decided to do some experimentation with the image as I thought that it would look more interesting.

I went onto applying water to the paper like I have done before. I exposed the image for 13 seconds and then developed the image which came out under exposed. I didn’t expose the photo for longer than when I expose the original image which meant that the water wouldn’t allow the exposing of the image very well.

From there I went on to applying water again but exposing the image for an extra 10 seconds.

This image came out more exposed when I developed it and felt that it looked good. I liked the effect that the water had on the image and gives the symbolism of purity and fertility. I feel that this image represents the virtue and power of women and that the  purity of the water helps to portray the meaning of what women are.

I went on to experimenting more with this image, I placed masking tape over one area of the negative image and went back into the darkroom to see the outcome.

I didn’t like the outcome of this experiment; I found that the contrast between dark and light was too much and created a harsh line. The effect the masking tape produced wasn’t a great outcome and I won’t be using it as a final piece.

After this, I went on to using other images; I changed the negative image in the neg carrier. I got a test strip and exposed the image for 5 seconds and 10 seconds.

I found that 5 seconds was the right exposure and 10 was just a bit too dark for the image. I went on to exposing the image for 5 seconds on 10×8 paper.

I exposed the image onto a 10×8 paper to see the image fully as I weren’t able to see the image clear. When I developed the image it showed a woman jumping, displaying the movement in her arms and legs. I find this image has come out well and makes the image look quite mythical and almost like she’s a fairy and some mythical creature moving. I tried one experiment; putting water on the paper before exposing the image. I used a 5×7 piece of paper so I focused on one area; the woman jumping.

I exposed the image for just a bit longer than when exposing the image with no water.

10 seconds

I like the outcome of this experiment as I think that the two contrasts of under exposure and over exposure looks like a water pattern, and you can see the water ripples faintly in the image which gives it texture.

I tried experimenting with materials next and decided to put masking tape over a 35mm negative image. I exposed for 10 seconds and 20 seconds on a test strip.

I found that 20 seconds was the best exposure as 10 seconds was very under exposed. I tried it out again on a test strip but just as 20 seconds to see whether the whole image was the right exposure.

The image seemed under exposed so I added a few more seconds to the exposure time and printed the image onto 5×7 paper.

25 second exposure

After developing the image before fixing it, I used my fingernails to scratch marks into the image to give some texture. I liked the effect these scratches had on the image and looked as if they were already part of the photo. I feel that it gave the image a bit more as the original didn’t stand out as much.

I went on to exposing another image I had previously exposed but instead of testing the exposure, I just decided upon the exposure that I felt would be right- I wanted to experiment and expose the images without over thinking it and just see how the image comes out; it would almost be a surprise.

I exposed this image onto 5×7 paper and found when I developed it, there were areas which didn’t show anything; however, I felt that this looked good and showed the imperfections that things can have.

I chose to expose another image, and carried on with spontaneously exposing the image without test strips. I applied water onto 10×8 paper and smeared the water all over the paper. I then exposed the image for 30 seconds.

When the image developed, I found that the water had smudged the right side of the face which I found looked unusual. I thought the exposure was right and overall the image looked ok. However, because of the smudge caused by the water I decided upon exposing the image again with the application of water.

 

 

I found that this image came out better and still faintly showed water marks. I like the exposure and think the image fits in with my project. I also feel that although it does fit in with my project, it isn’t strong enough to be part of my final piece.

I went on to exposing another image, this time I took a 35mm negative image and used a scalpel to scratch into the film. I put the image back into the neg carrier and went to expose the image.

10 second exposure

When I saw the image developed, I didn’t think that it looked good as I found the scratch marks came out too black which seemed too harsh. I tried to scratch over the top of the marks to form white scratches to soften them however, it didn’t work out as well. I feel this image doesn’t fit in well with my work as the scratches are too harsh in comparison with my other images which have a soft, delicate style.

I exposed the image again but on 5×7 paper and thought that I would try to scratch more into this image.

After the development, I scratched into the image. I found that I was able to scratch a bit more however I still didn’t feel that it fitted with my work and I didn’t like the scratches. I think that the image would have looked better without the scratches on it.

I still wanted to see whether there was any way this image could work so I ended up exposing the image for 10 seconds, moving it after exposure to then expose for another 10 seconds, and then move it again after exposure and expose for another 10 seconds.

I wanted to see whether the scratches would be fainter, however this was unsuccessful and the scratches were still shown; I feel that this effect looked good however and I do like this image. I think that it’c quite interesting and the contrasts in exposure look effective. I still feel that this image would not fit with my work though.

My last experiment was using two images from my first shoot and creating a double exposure with them like I had done previously. I wanted to make the image a bit darker.

I exposed this image for 20 seconds and liked the overall outcome. I found the double exposure interesting and working with images of two different scales works well. The double exposure wasn’t massively noticeable, but I found they blended together well and made the image look more interesting and added substance to the original photo.

Overall, I feel that this darkroom session produced good work that would work well in my final project. I enjoyed experimenting with double exposure to create more abstract pieces which added dimension and surrealism. I also found that making the image out of focus when exposing it created a blurry and obscure effect, which made the image look like it was taken under water which I found particularly interesting and effective. However, I found that scratching onto the film was too harsh and the marks created were too sharp and black. This wasn’t appropriate as most of my images are quite soft and subdued. I did nevertheless find that using water created a soft, distorted effect which was very effective. I found this session in the darkroom very productive and allowed me to see what worked and what didn’t.

Contact Sheet of potential final pieces:

 

 

 

 

 

Third Darkroom Experiments: Second Shoot

I went back in to the darkroom with the negatives from the second shoot. I put a 120 film into the neg carrier and started with test strips to see what the right exposure and contrast would be for the image. With the first test strip I exposed the image for 5 seconds and 10 seconds.

I found that 5 seconds was under exposed but 10 seconds seemed right, so I used another test strip to expose the image for 10 seconds to see whether it was right before printing onto the photo paper.

I found that when exposing the image for 10 seconds onto a larger area of the photo, the image was over exposed and came out too dark. So I thought about exposing the image half way between 5 and 10 seconds, using another test strip to expose the image for 7 seconds.

I liked the outcome of this exposure and found that it was just right for what I wanted to portray in my work; the 7 second exposure meant that the image had a darker exposure than 5 seconds however wasn’t as dark and harsh as the 10 second exposure. It created a soft tone that was just dark enough to see the detail.

I felt that this image didn’t need experimentation as it already captured movement and I felt for this image, it would look better as the original.

Both image are the same just slightly different. For me, I prefer the right hand image as I find the left too wide. I really like this image and would use it for my final piece in the exhibition.

When I managed to get the image I wanted from the negative, I went onto creating another piece with a different image. I put a new negative into the neg carrier and went back into the darkroom; I got a test strip and exposed the image for 5 seconds.

I found the image to be a bit under exposed so decided on exposing it for a few more seconds longer.

I decided to expose this image for 8 seconds and found that this was the right exposure. I then went on to get a 10×8 piece of paper and expose he image for 8 seconds; before doing so however, I rub my finger prints on to see the effect of it.

When the image was developed, there were marks and smears on the photo which I found interesting as it showed the artistic process of my images. I also like that some of the image isn’t fully developed as shown on the bottom where it looks like it faded, I find it really interesting and adds more to the photo.

I went on to produce another image but this time trying a different experiment; splashing water onto the paper before exposing the image onto it to see how the water would effect the exposure of the image. I shook the paper to make sure some areas has water and some didn’t to see the effect and then projected the image for a few seconds longer to allow the image to fully expose onto the paper.

10 second exposure

The image didn’t really change as much as I thought it would; the only changes were that the image was under exposed and there were vague water marks on it. I still liked the image however, not as much as the original and hoped that there would be more of an effect.

After deciding that the first image I exposed was the right one, I went onto choosing another image. I juxtaposed two images together to form a new image as I thought the different segments in the images looked interesting together rather than just them. I got a test strip and exposed the image for 5 seconds and 10 seconds.

The test strip showed that the 5 seconds was under exposed however the 10 seconds wasn’t very clear so I went onto exposing the image onto a test strip for just 10 seconds so I could see a larger area of the image and how it looks exposed for 10 seconds.

I found this exposure right as it was dark enough to show all the details; especially my model in the background behind the trees. I went on to expose the image onto 10×8 paper.

I really liked this print and how it came out; it showed all the details, as well as the faded corners that hadn’t fully developed which looked interesting. I thought that this image could be one for my final project.

I then went on to experimenting with water again; I got a 10×8 piece of paper and sprayed water on it like the previous attempt. I then exposed the image however, I exposed it then exposed it again but in a different place so the image would look like it’s moved.

I didn’t like this image as I found that the water was too harsh and just looked like splatters which I didn’t think fitted with the photos in my project. I also didn’t find the huge contrast in under and over exposure good and didn’t work in the photo. I am glad I experimented with water to see the end result however I did expect it to work so I am disappointed it didn’t.

I decided to print only a part of the image so I got 5×7 paper and put it at the corner of the image.

I liked the effect this image had when only being shown a part of it. I think that it is much more interesting then just exposing the image as a full image. This image had a different view to the other ones as is was only exposed on the corner of the paper. I would like to do more photos like this as I think that it is a good image.

I decided to use another image and experiment with a different photo. I then went onto using test strips to determine the right exposure time. I tested 5, 10 and 15 seconds.

There weren’t much difference in the different exposures however I found that between 5 and 10 seconds was probably the best exposure. I went on to try two exposures; one was 7 seconds and I tried 10 again.

I found that 7 seconds was the best exposure as 10 was just a bit too dark. I got 10×8 paper and exposed the image at 7 seconds.

I really liked this image as not all of it was developed properly meaning that it wasn’t a perfect rectangle but had faded areas which looks very soft and delicate. I found that this print had come out really well and decided to try experimenting and again added water.

I exposed this image for 10 seconds as previously, when exposing the image with water on for the same amount of time without water I found that because there was a liquid, the image was becoming under exposed. Therefore instead of exposing for 7 seconds I just did 10 seconds.

The outcome of this is that areas that didn’t have water were a lot darker than those with water which I found interesting however the two tones blended together instead of being two different block exposures. There was also some water movement shown on the image which I particularly liked and gave an eerie and mythical quality to it. I do like this image a lot however, I feel like it may be too under exposed.

I chose to expose the image again but just as normal with no experimentation just to see whether I could get a better image.

When I developed the image, a black mark which resembles a shadow appeared which spoilt the image and didn’t look as good as the first image I exposed.

I decided to do one last piece and just spontaneously expose a portrait image onto 10×8 paper. I held up the paper to the lens to kind of deform the image in some way and make the lines curved and bent.

I found the result quite interesting however I wish I would have exposed it for a bit less time- I had exposed it for 10 seconds when I should have exposed for about 5/7 seconds. I think that this image has an eerie tone to it and I feel the texture of the image looks quite smokey and almost like water. It transforms this image into something quite mythical and fairy-like. I do think this image is interesting and was a good extermination however I don’t feel like it should go into my final piece.

From this darkroom session, I gained successful imagery which I can use for my final piece. It allowed me to experiment with water and even though on some occasions it didn’t work, I attempted applying water again and found successful images. I also experimented with ways in which I could display the images on the paper; only exposing certain parts of the image and have it coming off the page which I found effective. I was able to be more creative and find different ways to exhibit my work and how I could make them different to others using materials and methods in the darkroom. Even though some pieces didn’t work out, I was able to conclude that even just exposing the original image was effective and simply moving the image slightly was successful as well.

Contact Sheet of potential final pieces:

Second Darkroom Experiments: Second Shoot

Some negatives from second shoot:

Darkroom experiments:

After my second shoot, I chose to experiment more like I did in my first Darkroom experimentation. I like that for my second shoot, I used a different format- 120 film as it means that I can work with different sizes and forms (square 120 film as oppose to rectangle 35mm). This means that I can try different formats which allows me to work with scale, varying my work.

For the first piece, I took an image of my friend who I had photographed in my second shoot. I then juxtaposed a closeup photo of a plant to form a double exposure image. I used a test strip and set the exposure time for 10 seconds however as shown above, there wasn’t enough exposure. The plant was showing through slightly however only the silhouette of the model was being shown.

I then went onto expose the image for 20 seconds and yet again the exposure wasn’t enough as shown below.

I then began to expose the image every twenty seconds:

40 second light exposure

60 second light exposure

From this experiment, I realised that it didn’t work as well as I thought it would. The plants were over exposed and the model was under exposed however, when I tried to exposure the model more, the plant would be too over exposed. I just found that the image didn’t look as good as I thought it would.

I then decided to try another double exposure image however when I had exposed it, I found that it didn’t look as good and the contrasts were too harsh from the trees. The contrast between the trees and the model didn’t look right and I felt the image didn’t go with my project.

I went onto experimenting with another image, but I chose to scratch onto the film before going into the Darkroom. When I went into exposing the image, I found that the image was too under exposed however, the scratches were too harsh with the film and I felt that it didn’t go with the subdued and sublime imagery I was trying to portray. The test strip of the image is shown below:

I tried some more experimentations juxtaposing two images together to form a double exposure but yet again it didn’t work however, I wanted to try more double exposures.

60 second exposure

120 second exposure

I decided to expose the same image for 180 seconds on 5×7 photo paper and although it doesn’t go with my project, I found it interesting and I liked the patterns created.

After this experimentation, I went onto just exposing the normal film images without doing anything to them. I started off with test strips; exposing the image for 5 seconds (as shown below).

This image was under exposed so I went onto expose it for 15 seconds and found that there was a huge difference.

I thought that this image was just right and went onto exposing the image fully onto a 8×10 piece of photo paper.

I really liked this image and I particularly liked how it didn’t show all of the image but it looks as if it has faded out. This effect creates a softer tone and makes the image more interesting as oppose to just a rectangular image. I decided upon doing another test strip and adding a couple more seconds just to add a bit more contrast and more exposure to the image to make it darker. I exposed the image for 17 seconds.

I found this exposure was right so from there I exposed the image on 8×10 paper.

I really liked this image and found it fitted perfectly with my project. This image looks quite mythical and spiritual which is something that I like and find it has a nice effect with the faded effect. The image looks old and like Victorian fairy photographs which I particularly find interesting. The movement is quite subtle in the photo however, it creates an elegant and feminine image.

Victorian Fairy Photographs

I went on to another image, I found this image very interesting as looking at the negative, the image looks abstract and I couldn’t quite tell what it is. I went on to exposing the image and spontaneously exposing it onto 8×10 paper at 10 seconds.

This negative had been exposed to light which is why I chose the image; as I wanted to see what the image was as it was unclear due to the exposure. Once I had developed it, I noticed a hand moving in the right hand side, and what would have been a body there also however, the light exposure had cut it out. I found the image abstract and very intriguing. I really like this image and find that although it is more abstract, it goes very well with my project. I find that the image has water like pattern on the image as well as finger prints which I particularly find interesting about the image. I wanted to incorporate artistic processes in my project so the finger prints were something that I liked and found it gave my image substance and depth, as well as a uneven and almost gritty and grainy appearance to it.

I went onto printing this piece again but with a bit more exposure time, adding 3 seconds to create a darker contrast. I didn’t take into consideration setting the image in the middle of the page all neat, and I liked the way it came out.

I found this image yet again really interesting and I think the darker tone is more effective. I find that the light exposure caused to the film causes the image to fade towards the bottom and look almost like flickering. It shows the imperfections and flaws of the film which is something I find powerful about the photograph.

I continued to print some more of this image, but printing onto 5×7 paper instead of 10×8. I wanted to try different scale, and see whether the image would look different.

I liked the way this image came out, the exposure was just right and using 5×7 paper meant that only an area of the image was printed; thus more detail would be shown. There are finger prints on the paper when developing and fixing the image which I find interesting as it shows the artistic process which is what I was looking to portray. Even though I did like the varied scale, I think I still prefer the image on the 10×8 paper.

Overall, I found this darkroom session very productive and managed to produce lots of high quality work that I can use for my final piece. I was able to experiment with scale and see which images worked best on which size paper. I found that doing this and working with different scales allowed the work to be portrayed in different ways. I narrowed the images down to these two. I found that for the first image, the exposure in this was just right as the other was under exposed and wasn’t showing all the detail. For the second image, I preferred the 10×8 image instead of the 5×7 as with the 5×7, it did feel like the image has been cut off and I preferred showing all the image and found this format more appropriate.

Contact Sheet of potential final pieces:

 

 

 

Darkroom Experiments: First shoot

Some negatives from first shoot:

Darkroom experiments:

I used a test strip to determine how many seconds I should expose the image for, I started off at 5 seconds and found the image needed more exposure.

I exposed the image for 20 seconds, 10 seconds and again 5 seconds. I found that 10 seconds was the best exposure time for the image. Now that I have found the correct exposure time, I decided to start experimenting with the image and how I can manipulate it to look more interesting. I had decided to combined two images together, one on top of another to form a double exposure. It wasn’t an obvious juxtaposition of the two images to form a double exposure however, it still added a bit of depth to the image.

I tried to think how else I could manipulate this image, and I thought about juxtaposing more images together, but two different images of the models put next together. Below is the two negative images next to each other.

When I went into the darkroom, I used a test strip to see whether the exposure was still on 10 seconds or whether it needed longer, I found that 10 seconds was enough.

I then went onto experimenting, starting off by just exposing the image as its original self.

I liked this image and found it interesting however, I wanted to create something more interesting and experimental. So I chose to move the image down the paper so it moves.

I really liked this piece and I think it was my favourite, I like how abstract the mage became and how much more interesting it was. It wasn’t just an two images I had juxtaposed together to form a new image but something more. It created a bit of depth to the image.

I then went onto moving the image faster in towards one angle  of the image to see the effect of this.

I found this image particularly interesting as it looks like the image is falling; it starts of small however and enlarges, exposing the true image. I find when looking at this image a few times, you notice different details in the image, which I liked about this photo.

I then thought about just exposing the image as normal like my first go.

When I had exposed it and developed it, I found an interesting mark on the image to the right, which looks as if the film has burnt down. I found this particular image very interesting as I wanted to incorporate photographic processes and add marks to give it more substance and add something to the image I produce.

I wanted to use a different image and add put something on top of the image so when I project it, it has a bit of texture. I decided to get some materials from the studio like string or thread.

The first thing I did is cover the image with a layer of cross-hatched thread.

I didn’t like the outcome of this image as I found it too harsh for what I want to portray in my project. I think that the white tones were very harsh and didn’t go with what I wanted, I would have preferred the thread to be softer and a lower contrast tone.

After this experiment, I decided to use the thread in a different way. I rubbed the thread so little strands would fall off onto the negative image. I then went into the darkroom and exposed the image.

10 second exposure

I found that the outcome of this experiment was successful and I really liked the effect the strands of thread had. The thread was quite soft and added a delicate touch to the image and found it added texture too. I decided to expose the image for a bit longer to darken it.

15 second exposure

I found that the longer exposure had a greater effect and the details appeared more. I think that this image looked better than the first attempt and I feel that this photo would be good in my final piece.

I went onto exposing another image. I decided to double expose two images; a portrait and flowers. I used test strips to determine the right exposure. I exposed the image for 5, 10 and 15 seconds.

I found that even 15 seconds was very under exposed. I went on to exposing another test strip for 30 seconds.

I found that this was still under exposed so I exposed the image on 5×7 paper for 60 seconds.

This exposure was just right and I found that this image looked really effective. I like the exposure of the image on the paper. I decided to expose the image onto 10×8 paper to see whether it would look better on 10×8 than 5×7.

I thought that this image was better than the one on the 5×7 paper. I think that the full exposure of this image rather than a part of the image looks more effective, and you are able to see parts of the film which displays the artistic process.

Now that I have decided upon the right layout of the image, I decided to double expose another two image together. I exposed the image onto 5×7 paper instead of using test strips to see the outcome and exposed the image for 60 seconds.

I liked the image and found that the double exposure effect was successful, however it was just a little under exposed so I decided to expose the image for 30 seconds longer.

90 second exposure

This exposure was a lot better and I found that it revealed the details a lot more. I like this image a lot and find that the rough edges and exposure of the film perforations give the image substance. I wanted to show the flaws and process of the image, and I didn’t want the image to be perfectly positioned on the paper as it would take away from the imperfections of the photo.

I decided to position the image slightly off the paper for the next one and expose it onto 5×7 paper.

I found this image really effective as it cuts off her face giving the impressions that she’s insecure about her looks which is what most women feel. It’s a natural thing that women have and most women do have insecurities. I thought it was a subtle was to portray this notion and thought the imagery was successful and really effective.

I wanted to double expose more images so I went onto using the first image I double exposed and use an image of a tree. I exposed the image for 60 seconds like the others.

I found this outcome unsuccessful. The portrait didn’t come through however, the tree came through a lot. I found it too harsh and didn’t fit with my project.

I went on to expose another image. I exposed it for 10 seconds on 10×8 paper.

I think that this image looks very interesting, I like that it is quite out of focus and the satin she had over her face when I photographed her created a nice effect. It’s quite mysterious and you can’t really see her facial expressions which is what I like about the image; it makes you look more into the photo and notice little bits of detail.  I decided to see whether it would look better darker.

I found that the darker image didn’t look as good as the first image and that it was a bit too dark. I chose to use the first image as the second one was too over exposed and didn’t fit in with the other images.

I decided to expose the image, however this time I would hold the paper up to the lens exposing the image up close to the paper and then slowly moving the paper away.

I really liked the effect that this experiment caused, I found the abstract imagery very fascinating. The photo is blank and faded which I particularly like, and I find that the simplistic image is very powerful piece and I do think the experimentation was successful. The only issue with this image is that the portrait isn’t shown in the photo so wouldn’t work with my project however, it’s a good image and it’s a very successful experiment.

 I used another image; this time adding sellotape to the middle of the image to see the effect this would cause.

10 second exposure

This image was under exposed so I tried doubling the exposure time to 20 seconds.

This exposure time was just right. The sellotape didn’t have a huge effect on the image  but it did adjust the tone of the image making it lighter than the left and right side. I liked this image and think this effect was good and I’m glad there wasn’t a bigger difference as I feel that the image wouldn’t have looked as good.

I decided to change the sellotape to film perforations. I wanted to see whether the holes did anything to the appearance of the image.

30 second exposure

I exposed the image for 10 seconds longer as the film negatives is much thicker than sellotape. I liked the effect the film perforations had on the image as it gave it different tones and showed the faint perforations of the film. I like that they added texture and had a range of tones which added dimension. However I felt that although it looked effective, the image was a bit too over exposed.

I went on to exposing the image again however holding the paper up to the lens and then slowly placing it back down and leaving it to expose the image fully. I wanted to see the effect of this and whether it would work.

 This experiment left shadow marks from where the paper was held up to the lens and the image was shown fully beneath the shadow. I found the effect worked however it’s too over exposed and harsh. I don’t think the image works well or goes well with my project as the lines are too harsh and the overall image is too dark.

Mt tutor showed me some ways in which I could experiment with my film but in a more unconventional way. I got a single frame from a piece of film and cut it up into little pieces to collaged them and sellotape together. I then put it in the neg carrier and exposed it in the darkroom. I exposed the image onto a test strip for 15, 10 and 5 seconds.

 

I found that 5 seconds was the best exposure as 10 and 15 seconds were too over exposed.

I went onto exposing the image for 5 seconds onto 5×7 paper.

The images came out well however, they’re not suitable for my project. The shapes are too harsh and sharp which is the opposite of what I’m portraying in my project. The image doesn’t feature any portraiture which doesn’t fit in and the contrast has very dark tones. I like the effect however it just doesn’t go with my concept as the imagery isn’t soft but rather too focused and clear.

Overall, I found this darkroom session was very productive. I was able to experiment in a lot of different ways to create abstract imagery. I enjoyed using materials and transforming the film into different forms as this allowed the image to be portrayed differently. Although some of the processes didn’t work, it allowed me to be creative and display the images in a more interesting way which did work and created a very effective photograph. I really enjoyed finding small flaws and marks on the images when developed as originals as they made the photographs more real and added solidity. I found the overall experimentation of this darkroom session was very successful and productive, giving me a variety of pieces for the exhibition.

Contact Sheet of potential final pieces: