Camera Obscura (Photography)(week two)

   We completed two tasks in our second two-hour session with Howard, firstly, we were introduced to CAMERA OBSCURAS (latin for Dark Room), and later allowed to look through them individually in order to collect snapshots of that which we saw, which was similar to that produced by modern cameras, only upside down (which was strange but cool at the same time)!

  This is a CAMERA OBSCURA:

  The obscura projects a real ife image onto a flat surface through a small hole, lense or aperture, however it inverts this image upside down. It can be argued that they will work most effectively in a dark room, suggested by the name it was given following its first usage in 1544 by mathematician Gemma Frius who wanted a better look at the solar eclipse. On the other hand, I disagree! As long as you can create darkness which would surround the area in which the image was to be projected, you can see it just as clearly.

At the beginning of this session we first went into a room, darkened because all light sources including the windows were covered in foil and used solely a lense to look out of a small gap remaining on the window to see a projected image of the road behind the college. We then went back into our room and with camera obscuras similar to that in the diagram we covered the projected image as well as ourselves individually with a black curtain so we were able to seem the image and take a picture of what we saw, just as clearly as we had in the previous room may I add!

  After having had the oppotunity to used the CAMERA OBSCURAS, we were supplied with professional photography cameras, and following a short induction on how to set them up, we were instructed, in small groups to venture around the college as well as nearby to collect images inspired by the "Modern World" (although I'm sure there was a couple more but we were alternating between cameras, and bear in mind it was my first attempts):

In fact, I intend to create another shot next week additionally to see whether it works and when I do I will too post it on here! :)

Here are those additional pictures, however they are not taken in the same area. I hope you like them:

Quantum Leap (week two) - Words for Images

  Similarly to the structure of our first session we were given a hand-out to each pair with a list of various words; however, not solely positive words this time round. We were then instructed, when we had been shown examples from other groups, to use Photoshop once more to layer various images that related to this word (or more than one), afterhaving found there meanings on the internet if necessary. As long as you could justify a link between each image you decided to include within your work, you could use a picture of just about everything! We then had to find a font that somewhat relates to the topic chosen, as well as incorporate the word(s) onto the page eventually.

  Haha :D Despite the fact that I had computer problems throughout the two hour session, maling it almost impossible to complete this task there and then, I was able to create this image the following morning in the college library:

 

I chose the word "Demonic" for the following reasons: 1) I felt it would be unique and stand out against my friends work because I believed that no one else in the class would pick it as their first choice due, alternatively to those others thatwere available like "war", "cyber" or "love" and 2) I immediately had an original idea of being able to create such an image because I remembered that I had completed a similar arrangement with similar images during a GCSE project, 2 years ago. I like: the effect created by image transparency which enables me to add depth to an image, the contrast created by juxtoposing these specific colours and finally, how I was able to highlight detail like the vein running through the skulls forehead through the use of the blur / sharpening tool, which also makes it more eye-catching I think!

 

Composition (week two)

  In our first session with Zoe, we were first provided with an assortment of images, predominantly filled with unused spaces; for example: sky, water, screens, walls etc. . We were then instructed, through Photoshop, to arrange / crop these images as well as those we found on the internet in order to create, preferably CD covers / sleeves, book covers and other images displayed through the

Women Composition: Overall, I feel that this design is very pleasing to the eye due to the significant contrast of light and dark, sweeping from right to left; furthermore I like the effect I was able to make through using the blur / sponge tool to smudge the background however leaving the women and the umbrella as it creates more depth to the image. On the other hand, in order to improve I could have used white to enhance the chinese symbol on the left (meaning "love") to help: it stand out against the dark backdrop and balance the use of bright colour on each side of the picture.

"The Divers" CD cover: In this image I first attempted to take advantage of the "rule of thirds" by firstly, cropping the orignal image to ensure that the diver became the main emphasis in the top right third (as those the beam of light created at the surface of the water which sort of frames him / her).

media, which usually take advantage of the "power of thirds" which was also explained at the beginning of the session (as well as balance of colour to, in most cases, make a design more asthetically pleasing to the viewer).

 The "power of thirds" refers to an image, that when divided horizontally and / or vertically into thirds, displays by use of imagery, a particular emphasis on one of these thirds (whether this be the third in the very center of the picture, or perhaps more commonly in those offset).

Translator (week one)

  In my first session we were told to create and elaborate upon a message inspired by the term entitled "gentletude" (the idea that kindness is an option for a better life) including: the alphabet as well as positive words, particularly those related to: "Kindness" and "Atttitudes".

  Following the completion of the lesson, although i had already completed a first attempt, I, consequentially decided to re-create an image that was similar however more complex. Firstly, I wanted to create a greater contrast between the text and the silhouette of nature related objects (e.g. flowers and insects) which I layered on top; therefore, by using a combination of paint and Microsoft Office Power Point I lowered the running gap between the text and made one background black, while the other alternatively remained white before tracing and cutting the images out. Secondly, I scowered magazines looking for pink/red/white/orange background patterns that I later cut into squares and rectangles before arranging them on the page.

  Images of the those attempts will be added to the blog asap.... :)

  This was my first attempt:

  I was fairly happy with how it looked, nevertheless, there was too much negative space, I felt that the lettering on the right side was too far apart; due to this and the fact that I was unable to find, among the sheets we were provided with, no white lettering with a black background, I was unable to create the symmetric silhouette effect that I originally hoped for.

  On the other hand, I feel that by using alternative computer software including PowerPoint, I was able to fix these things that I was dissatisfied with beforehand...

  My second attempt:

Man Ray :)

   Man Ray was an American artist, born as Emmanuel Radnitzky in August 1890. He spanned: sculpture, film, poetry, prints, commercial and fine art, and later became a sought-after fashion photographer (inter-war years) but first and foremost remained an abstract painter. As his life progressed he began to work in styles influenced by: Cubism, Futurism, Dada and Surrealism which, in turn, persuaded him that an idea that motivated a work of art was more important than that work of art itself.
   “Rayographs” was a term initially used to refer to his negative photograms which I attempted to reproduce in my first photography lesson (also described on my blog).

photograms (week one) (photography)

This is the negative photogram that I managed to produce during my first lesson of photography. It includes three partially transparent objects of my choice (eg a biro pen, key and a twenty pound note).

I feel that the object on the left (the biro pen) came out particularly clearly and I also like the layout and the silhouette effect that is created when two objects (the key and the note) overlap in the photogram however I feel that the object furthest right (the twenty pound note) could have come out clearer if mine hadn't stuck to various other negative photograms after having being placed into the developer chemicals and again in the fixer chemicals, unfortunately. Nevertheless, I am fairly happy with this first attempt!

Photo grams (week one) (Photography)

   The lesson began with a short induction including: examples of modernist/ surrealist painters/photographers and their negative photo grams, which were similar to what we would be producing throughout the lesson, as well as an explanation as to how this would be achieved. After having entered the dark room, the teacher demonstrated to us the equipment which we would be using and the order in which we would do so before the lights were turned off.

   Before we were able to access black and white photographic paper, provided by the college,we had to set up the equipment as demonstrated previously:

1. Lower or heighten the enlarger to ensure that the lens was at head height.
2. Set the aperture of the enlarger to 8 (this setting enables you to control how much light can be received), make sure all coloured light levels are at 0 as the photographic paper absorbs various shades of light, except red (consequentially, red light can be used to enlighten the dark room slightly, just enough so you can see what your doing) and focus the enlarger so that the outline of the light projected down onto the baseboard, that would later hold the photographic paper was sharp.
3. Reset the enlarger timer to four seconds (this setting determines how much time the photographic paper will be exposed to light).

  When we had tested that all apparatus was at the settings necessary to correctly produce a negative photo gram, we were then given photographic paper which we had to place on top of the baseboard (emulsion (shiny) side upwards) and arrange partially transparent objects (e.g. Keys, headphones, lighters, pens etc.) upon before switching the enlarger on for four seconds. We then removed the objects and took our pieces of photographic paper to the “work station” before placing them first in developer chemicals, then in a stop bath containing water and finally the fixer chemical (for various periods of time) before washing and drying the print.