Busy Busy Week for College

Extremely busy week for college. Loads of work done and thought I had better share a bit of it on here.
Where to start? Guess with the fashion shoot. Part of Ed's module this semester is to do fashion. I arranged with a local designer to do some work using her designs and organised a model to come to the studio. The deal between all three was copies of the images to do as they wished. Here are my four favourites from the shoot.

Next thing to be completed was the Fuji Colour Of competition. This was one of those things that, in the end I decided I had bitten of more than I could chew. Eventually got it finished in time but not overly pleased with the end result.

And last but not least, I developed and printed the film version of the images I took at Keswick. Of these I am extremely pleased with my little self.

Old image

I was going through my back catalogue looking for an image when I came across another that I had taken nearly three years ago, long before I even considered doing an HND. Now bearing in mind that we have to do product photography, I thought I would cheat and throw it into the mix too. As far as I can remember, I initially wanted to try and get reflections on a picture, but do it in camera. I had seen a few images on line of models shot in a studio with a reflection done in Photoshop but always preferring to do it as much in camera as possible I thought I would look in to how it might be possible.
The vast majority of the images I had seen where low light using black backgrounds. I decided to stick with this, the main reason being that to achieve a reflection I had to essentially make a mirror. I set up the black background and on a table placed a black A2 piece of card. On top of the card I placed a sheet of glass from a picture frame and placed the bottle etc on that. The lighting was from one of my own flash heads. To get the best reflection, I knew I had to place the light above the subject and at a roughly 45 degree angle to the front.
At the time I was not planning on doing an HND so did not save any editing details. But, if memory serves there was not much other than a crop and levels and adding the writing etc.

New cameras

With the recent disasters I have had with borrowed gear and film, I decided to buy some new film cameras.

Split Filtering

The photographic paper we have been using so far in the darkroom is “multi-grade”, which has been around since the 1940’s. Before this multi-grade, paper used to come in 5 grades, each one varying in the level of contrast. A grade 1 paper would be used to ensure detail in the hi-lights is clearly visible. However, it would then have no detail in the shadow areas. A grade 5 on the other hand would do the reverse. Shadow detail would be great but the hi-lights would be blown. A grade 3 would be great for mid tones but hi-lights and shadows would be lost. These single grades of paper had just on layer and would be sensitive to blue light.

Multi-grade is made up of 3 layers with the additional layer being sensitive to green light in varying degrees. By adjusting the amount of green light you can alter the contrast of the image, this is done of course with the use of a magenta filter in the enlarger.

We can however, gain more control of the contrast with the use of split filtering process. Rather than using the built in filter on an enlarger, graded filters can be used to control and adjust the contrast. Filters come in grades that essentially mimic the old single graded papers from 0 to 5. Split filtering is where you would use two of the filters to balance and enhance the contrast of your image.

As part of the Fuji competition I had selected Fuji Neopan CN41 film to use. This was to be printed on colour paper. However, I also took some more images on the roll and took them into the darkroom to print black and white. I have to say that I was extremely disappointed in the results.

After going through the process of test strips for timings and varying levels of magenta to add some contrast the result was a rather flat image. 

I think the reason for this is the design of the film. With an ISO of 400 it is however designed to be very forgiving and can be pushed or pulled anywhere between 100 and 800 without any serious loss of quality and retaining detail in the shadows and hi-lights. The downside to this is a lack of contrast and a flat image

This made these images a prime candidate to try out split filtering on. Our first attempt was not too successful. Steve had suggested that as my first print was at a 10 second exposure, for the split filtering it needed dividing in to two. Five seconds each for the 0 grade filter and 5 grade filter. From the image left however, this came out heavily under exposed. 

After a little experimentation we decided the best option was to do two separate test strips for the hi-lights and shadows. Testing for the different filters worked out much better. The image now has great tonal value through-out but also has contrast and a depth that results, essentially from a double exposure. The final settings were to use 0 grade filter for 15 seconds and then 30 seconds with the 5 grade filter.

Another image from the roll, originally printed image followed by a split filtered version.

Update on Fuji Competition.

I was quite worried when I saw the first results from using the Neopan CN41 film. Other than shooting the background for the Fuji competition, I also did some other landscapes on the film. However, when I printed them out on black and white paper, the results were a lot less than I hoped for. I wanted a deep feel to the image and thought the CN41 would give me that. Advertised as retaining great detail in both h-lights and shadows, I hoped this would give me the depth I wanted. What actually came out though was a flat image. Yes it had the detail in all the areas I wanted but as a result the contrast was compromised.

It was with baited breath then that I went into the colour darkroom to try and print my selected background. Never would I get a true black and white print using colour paper, it was always going to come out sepia. I was worried that the sepia would be even more flat and lacking any depth. After getting to grips with the colour casts I was relieved to find that, on colour paper at least, there was a decent amount of contrast and now looking forward to getting the colour portrait nailed down and completing the project.

Keswick Wooden Jetty

I decided to do a bit more editing on the jetty from Keswick. As my panorama stitching did not work I decided to do it as a crop instead, convert to black and white and see what the result would be like.

Keswick, Film and All Things Annoying

I think I will deal with the all things annoying first. It is official, I hate film. As we know, part of this course is to use film. Shooting with it, developing it and printing it. Not just that though. We have to compare film types and with the Fuji competition, I have decided to mix black and white with colour. All sounds great until we come to reversal film (slide film). One of the problems I have incurred so far is lack of cameras. Having to shoot colour, black and white and reversal all at the same time has proved difficult with only one film camera. To alleviate the problem I borrowed a camera from the stores. Now this was not the best quality film camera on the market (huge understatement). My thought process was to shoot the same shot with regular colour (in my own camera) and reversal film in the college one. Great in theory until when I tried to rewind the reversal film to find it jam, then snap and the back opened to expose and ruin the film. No doubt this was all my own fault in reality, but nevertheless, annoying. Solution? Borrow a different camera, buy some new film, which was not cheap I might add and re-shoot. However, the new camera has now got my film in but appears not to have loaded properly and is now stuck, I think, with the shutter open. I dare not open the back at the moment to check, otherwise I might again, ruin the film. I think the words "GRRRRRRR" come to mind.
Now on to something a bit more cheerful and happy result. I decided to take a trip to the lakes, Keswick to be exact. There were a number of reasons for this. One was the hassle listed above and the need to re-shoot some reversal film. Another was the realisation that I needed more black and white landscapes for Steve's lessons and finally just because it is a really nice spot and I had promised my wife I would take her to the Pencil Museum. Obviously the aim was to shoot film but I did take my digital and took the same images with that too. Below are a few of them.

One of the main things I wanted to do was the classic shot of a wooden jetty going into the lake. I wanted to do two images of this. One was an attempt to stitch together a panorama with five separate shots. This did not quite work out as I would have liked. Started the edit process but realised it was not going to work as it was quite windy and the waves in each image don't match up. I will try it again at some point when I can get completely still water.

The final image I wanted to get was again with the jetty but a long exposure to get a milky affect on the water. This one has worked out ok but could be better. Time was not on my side as it was getting late and in the end I could wait no longer for the sun to go down any further. It ended up with a 20 second exposure with the use of two ND filters (2 and 4) and a Grad. I am hoping that the film version comes out as well as this. 

Exhibiting

On a recent trip into Liverpool I noticed a place on Dale Street called FF 97 Gallery. Now anything with the word gallery in it automatically raises my interest, so when I got home I looked it up. Turns out it is an independent gallery that show cases local talent in the art world. Art of all kinds is shown, including photography.

http://www.falloutfactory.co.uk/

The interesting bit for me is that it is also available for hire to show case your own work. However, not only can you hire the gallery, they also have packages that include marketing and sales, promotion, flyers etc. To hire the gallery as an individual for a week just as a basic package of the gallery space it is £275. From what I can gather though, promotion and marketing etc is then up to yourself and also the set up of the exhibits too. However, for £1200 you can exhibit for 2 weeks and this is what is included.

• Exhibit organised and arranged by in-house curator
• Availability on all walls and floor space of main gallery
• Projection room available with 1 x projector included
• On site member of staff throughout opening times
• Opening times 11am to 6pm
• One late night opening available
• Full opening night/launch including complimentary drinks
• Fly poster for exhibition designed by in house FF designer
• One FF press release
• Gallery of images and promotion through FF website
• 200-400 Flyers posters printed
• e shots sent to FF database contacts
• Constant advertising through Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin
• Window and board vinyl displays
• Photographer provided for launch night
• Sales rep working on your behalf on opening night

The price of £1200 for a two week exhibition may seem a little high for some. However, more than one artist can exhibit at the same time spreading the cost. Five artists exhibiting a maximum of four pieces each and the cost is reduced to £240 each. Take into account any possible sales and a profit could actually be made. You have to speculate to accumulate after all.

Saul Leiter

First of all I have to say I was shocked and amazed. Yvette actually recommending something that I really, and I mean REALLY enjoyed. The documentary about Saul Leiter on BBC 4 recently was absolutely brilliant. I loved the guys work, so thank you Yvette for that. 

An amazing man with such a catalogue of wonderful images and memories. A life full of working to what he wanted to produce and not anyone else. Sometimes sad, as he is an old man now and at some points the film tugged at your heart strings. I would highly recommend watching this film, even if you have no interest in photography purely because it was well made and a film about an interesting man.

In the meantime I thought I would share a few of his images on here and my thoughts on them.

Snow, 1960. Saul Leiter  Available from: http//www.jacksonfineart.com/Saul-Leiter

In the documentary, Leiter stated that he was far more interested in shooting rain on a window than a famous person. This shot illustrates that perfectly as do many of his images. Not only did Leiter enjoy shooting through misted up or rain covered windows, he also used window reflections to great effect. Focusing on the condensation rather than the subject has given a very soft feel to the image. Almost the equivalent of the practice of smearing Vaseline on a lens to give a soft focusing effect. The flat lighting and snowy scene contrast sharply with the van in the back ground and almost looks like it is colour popped.  Over all a wonderful image. 

Red Umbrella, 1957. Saul Leiter. Available  from: http//:www.jacksonfineart.com/Saul-Leiter

In this image Leiter looks to have almost missed the shot. However, it works. Whether this was one of those accidental shots that’s works or done on purpose is unknown. Again he uses the neutral snowy scene to contrast sharply with the colour in the subject. Great use of leading lines too. Leiter’s special look and perspective on colour makes this shot work.

T, 1950. Saul Leiter. Available from: http//:www.jacksonfineart.com/Saul-Leiter

Another shot from Leiter that is through a fogged up window. During his interview on the documentary he said that the benefit of not being a recognised photographer was that you did not get asked stupid questions such as “why did you take this image” or “who are your influences”. Leiter’s response is the same as mine, Why? Because I liked it. There is no deep hidden meaning to his images, he just liked what he saw and wanted to record it. If there is any meaning at all to his images then it is purely his appreciation of colour and his view of it. There is no reason behind his technique of shooting through fogged windows, other than he likes the effect. As for who influences Leiter? Well, regardless of his un-willingness to answer the question, I would have to say he is clearly influenced by Cartier-Bresson and Eugene Smith in both style and subject. He clearly has his own touch to add to those influences, especially in his use of colour but nevertheless, the influences are there.

From the above selection of images you can see his use of reflections too. Even in his days of shooting fashion for Vogue and Harpers Bazaar he still kept to his own style of shooting reflections and through misted windows etc.