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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Alex Buono + Canon 5D MarkII

Alex Buono Interview Using a Canon 5D MarkII for SNL title sequence
Alex Buono Reels- SNL Title Sequence
Nortizu- New Printing Technologies
Christopher Scheneberger- a case of levitation

Steve Domjancic- Time lapse student work.

Per Bernal Photography: not so innovative, needs innovation to address body image issues.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Shooting with Infrared Film

WARNING several things to consider when shooting infrared:
  1. Keep infrared film cold.
  2. Load infrared film in complete darkness.
  3. Use a filter when shooting infrared film. (Red25 or an IR)
  4. Better to photograph in early or late day light, not mid-day, never at night.
  5. Choose landscapes, live things for your subject.
  6. Consider the sky- dramatic clouds look amazing.
  7. People look creepy- pale, eyes are black and veins are pronounced. 
In infrared photography, the film or image sensor used is sensitive to infrared light. The part of the spectrum used is referred to as near-infrared to distinguish it from far-infrared, which is the domain of thermal imaging. Wavelengths used for photography range from about 700 nanometre to about 900 nm. Film is usually sensitive to visible light too, so an infrared-passing filter is used; this lets infrared (IR) light pass through to the camera, but blocks all or most of the visible light spectrum (the filter thus looks black or deep red). ("Infrared filter" may refer either to such a filter or to one that blocks infrared but passes other wavelengths.)
When IR filters are used together with infrared-sensitive film or sensors, very interesting "in-camera effects" can be obtained; false-color or black-and-white images with a dreamlike or sometimes lurid effect mainly caused by foliage (such as tree leaves and grass) strongly reflecting in the same way visible light is reflected from snow. There is a small contribution from chlorophyll fluorescence, but this is marginal and is not the real cause of the brightness seen in infrared photographs
This is a BW Infrared project, but you are welcome to try digital infrared, but it seems that you need specialized/adapted camera equipment.
Here is an Infrared Photography site to check out: http://www.infraredphoto.eu/Site/GentleIntro1.html

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

11 White Still Life

Create a white on white still life like the demonstration. Be creative, thoughtful, and well constructed. You can shoot this in digital or B/W (if you want bonus marks, shoot in B/W). It is primarily a white tonal project, but design is as important as exposure. Check the High Key Tutorial. Be creative with your set up and be technically astute with your exposures.
High Lighting Tutorial
White Still Life Criteria

Photo 12s- Final Portfolio

Presentation of an Exemplary Portfolio
(20 marks)
  • Introduction/artists statement (5 marks): Paragraph 1 introduces self and explains interest in photography, Paragraph 2 describes nature of your work (make references to specific pieces), Paragraph 3 Your future how might you further your imterests in photography.
  • Well organized (5 marks)- good flow from image to image- strong beginning and end.
  • Professional presentation (5 marks)- no technical flaws.
  • Overall portfolio (5 marks)
12 Exemplary Original Photographs- each image masters the following:
(2.5 marks each image, total 30 marks)
  • Clear concept/message
  • Composition & design
  • Technical Proficiency
  • Creative treatment of subject matter
  • Professional quality
Web Page Portfolio (http://www.wix.com/)
Design a simple online portfolio with 12 + of your best images.
Select only your very best images: composition, technical, creativitiy.
Consider the flow, order, and make sure the page design does not distract from your images.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

HDR Landscapes

High-dynamic-range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is technique that allow a greater range of luminance between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than current standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods. This wide dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight. The two main sources of HDR imagery are computer renderings and merging of multiple photographs, the latter of which in turn are individually referred to as low-dynamic-range (LDR) or standard-dynamic-range (SDR) photographs.
The HDR assignment:
  1. Find some examples of cool HDR images for your journal.
  2. Using the exposure compensation mode on your digital camera and take several sets (3 or more) of images of one topic with different exposures (keep your camera steady).
  3. Take several different landscapes with multiple exposures in different locations.
  4. Download, print/upload a contact sheet.
  5. Merge 3+ images into one HDR photo.
  6. Use Adobe Photoshop to merge together. Then try Photomatix.
  7. Upload 3 or more of your HDR image to your blog or print and paste into your journal.
Due May 25th

  

Monday, May 14, 2012

Cyanotpe, VanDyke+Lumin Processes

Cyanotype
Cyanotype
Cyanotype is a photographic printing process that gives a cyan-blue print. The process was popular in engineering circles well into the 20th century. The simple and low-cost process enabled them to produce large-scale copies of their work, referred to as blueprints.
A positive image can be produced by exposing it to a source of ultraviolet light (such as sunlight) with a negative. The UV light reduces the iron(III) to iron(II). This is followed by a complex reaction of the iron(II) complex with ferricyanide. The result is an insoluble, blue dye (ferric ferrocyanide) known as Prussian blue.
Upon exposure to ultraviolet light (such as that in sunlight), the iron in the unexposed areas will reduce, turning the paper a steel-grey-blue color. The extent of color change is dependent on the amount of UV light, but acceptable results are usually obtained after 10-20 minute exposures on a dark, gloomy day. The highlight values should appear overexposed as the water wash will reduce the final print values. Prints can be made with large format negatives and lithography film, or everyday objects can be used to make photograms.
After exposure, developing of the picture involves the yellow unreacted iron solution being rinsed off with running water. Although the blue color darkens upon drying, the effect can be accelerated by soaking the print in a 6% (v/v) solution of 3% (household) hydrogen peroxide. The water-soluble iron(III) salts are washed away, while the non-water-soluble Prussian blue remains in the paper. This is what gives the picture its typical blue color.
VanDyke
Van Dyke Brown is an early photographic printing process. The process was so named due to the similarity of the print color to that of a brown oil paint named for Flemish painter Van Dyck.
VanDyke Print
Printing with Van Dyke Brown requires the use of a large format negative in the size of the desired print, a suitable substrate for coating and subsequent printing, and a UV light source, either sunlight or suitable bulbs. The substrate can be almost anything that the solution will adhere to. Watercolor paper is a good first choice, but trickier substrates such as metal, glass or tile can be first 'sized' with gelatin or arrowroot to facilitate coating. The substrate is coated with solution under tungsten light, air dried, and coated a second time if desired for a stronger image.
The negative is placed on the thoroughly dried coated substrate, and is then weighted with a piece of glass. Frequent printers often use a printing frame to ease the checking of printing progress without disturbing the registration, or alignment, of the negative on the paper. These printing frames also ease the printing of a second coat over the same image.

Lumin
Lumin Print by Angel Pei
“Lumen” is understood as the projection of light radiating from one ominous source, i.e. sunlight, or UV light. This is particularly pertinent to this method of printing as it utilizes available light (daylight) as opposed to controlled light (enlarger exposure light, or the rapid on/off light when creating photograms) in order to print an image.

Lumen Printing is also an alternative to printing contact prints or photograms, again requiring minimum time, equipment and money. This is a black and white photographic process, although with that in mind, you will be surprised by the results (and colour) of your creations. That is the beauty of photography.

Alternative Processes Site

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Nature Verses- CHRISTO+JEAN-CLAUDE

Internationally acclaimed artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude spent more than 40 years creating highly celebrated works of art around the world. Together this unique, dynamic married couple changed the concept of “public art” by creating temporary works that are truly transitory by design.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude have never accepted, nor will Christo accept in the future, any subsidies, royalties, grants, or sponsorships of any kind for their temporary public works of art. Similarly, the artists do not make any endorsements of businesses, products, political movements, other artists, or anything else. All of the artists’ income is derived from the sale of original works of art by Christo to private collectors, galleries and museums. Christo and Jeanne-Claude have always maintained a position of total artistic freedom, with no constraints or financial considerations imposed upon their works of art by any outside party.
Over the River Project Site- August of 2015
Over The River is a two-week temporary work of art by the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The project’s plans call for 5.9 miles of silvery, luminous fabric panels to be suspended high above the Arkansas River along a 42-mile stretch of the river between Salida and Cañon City in south-central Colorado. Fabric panels will be suspended at eight distinct areas of the river that were selected by the artists for their aesthetic merits and technical viability.
Overview of Christo's & Jean-Claude's work
Find examples of Christo and Jean Claude's work to add to your journal.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Nature Verses- MANUFACTURING

"I think the environmental movement has failed in that it’s used the stick too much; it’s used the apocalyptic tone too much; it hasn’t sold the positive aspects of being environmentally concerned and trying to pull us out.” Edward Burtynsky

Edward Burtynsky- Vancouver Sun Article
The Photographer's Gallery- Burtynsky:Oil
Manufactured Landscapes Trailer
Manufactured Landscapes Full
TED talks: Edward Burtynsky on Manufactured Landscapes
TED talks: Edward Burtynsky- oil
Edward Burtynsky Site
Story of Stuff
Story of Electronics
Story of Bottled Water

Nature Verses III- Research Assignment

Choose 2 forms of research for your Nature Verses project. Select 2 sources to inspire and educate your project.

Take notes while you watch/read, and collect information for your project planning. Site the title and author of your research, describe what the document is about and what perspective the author takes on the issue, then note how it has influenced your project.
Due May 18th.
Film/Documentaries-
Dirt
No Impact Man
The Earthling (WARNING-real life horror film super scary!)
The Cove
Scared Sacred
Fierce Light
One Ocean (2 episodes)
FOOD Inc.
Our Daily Bread (warning- real life horror film)
Forks Over Knives
Force of Nature- Dr. David Suzuki
HOME by Yann Arthus Bertrand
Baraka
Koyaanisqatsi
Manufactured Landscapes
Inconvenient Truth- Al Gore
The Unforeseen
Sharkwater
Who Killed the Electric Car
Processed People

TED talks/short videos
Edward Burtynski- Photographer of industrial spaces
Phil Borges- Photographer
Wade Davis- National Geographic Explorer on Endangered Cultures
Mark Bittman- Cookbook Author-What is wrong with what we eat?
Jeremy Jackson- How we wrecked the ocean
Captain Charles Moore- Plastic in the ocean
Mike deGruy- Filming Octopus
Sylvia Earle- Protect Our Oceans
Dianna Cohen- Plastic Pollution Coalition
Chris Jordan- Photographer of Excess
Shai Agassi- Electric cars
John Robbins Part 1&2  Why I went vegetarian & What's wrong with eating animals
The Story of Stuff- Problems in Consuming
Story of Bottled Water
Story of Cosmetics
Story of Electronics
Articles/Publications
No Impact Man -Blog
Mother Earth News
The Guardian Environment
Vancouver Sun- Sharks
Globe and Mail- Biodiversity Conference
Globe and Mail- Price of Nature
NY Times- Environment Section
National Geographic
OnEarth
Emagazine
The Walrus- The Last Great Water Fight
Books
Silent Spring- Rachel Carson
Our Common Future
Manufactured Consent- Noam Chompsky
Diet for a New America- John Robbins
Walden, or Life in the Woods- Henry David Thoreau
Ishmael- Daniel Quinn
Animal, Vegetable, Mineral- Barbara Kingsolver
The World Without Us- 

Nature Verses- PLASTIC



Plastic State of Mind
TED talks: Cpt Charles Moore
Story of Water Bottles

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Nature Verses- ANDY GOLDSWORTHY


Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy is an extraordinary, innovative British artist whose collaborations with nature produce uniquely personal and intense artworks. Using a seemingly endless range of natural materials—snow, ice, leaves, bark, rock, clay, stones, feathers petals, twigs—he creates outdoor sculpture that manifests, however fleeting, a sympathetic contact with the natural world. Before they disappear, or as they disappear, Goldsworthy, records his work in suburb color photographs.

Andy Goldsworthy River & Tides1
Andy Goldsworthy River & Tides2
Rivers & Tides 3
Rivers & Tides4

Find examples of Andy Goldsworthy's work to add to your journal.

Nature Verses- Project Outline

Nature Verses is an exhibition showcasing the work of LFAS Photography students. The exhibition will consist of mini installations that respond to the environment. The great outdoors will be the venue (LFAS Court Yard).

The project questions and challenges the relationship between humans and nature. It’s the Canadian conundrum; the fine balance of peoples’ continuous struggles with the beauty, and the power of the environment. Students will respond to the works of Andy Goldsworthy, and Christo & Jean-Claude, and various other installation artists. The exhibition will be on-going for two weeks; nature may prevail and destroy the works; this harsh reality becomes part of the experience. Once the exhibition ends, there will be no evidence of its existence.
Materials & Construction Consider the following materials: fabric, photographs, paper, wood, rope, string, plastics, and metals. Bring all materials to create the installation and remove them when the exhibition is over. Students will not be permitted to alter or destroy anything on the school grounds.
Project Outline
Students are required to create a detailed plan in which they outline a proposal for an art installation in the school grounds. The installation will be in response to the environment and the chosen display area. When planning, consider renowned environmental installation artists: Andy Goldsworthy and Christo & Jean-Claude. Parents and friends are encouraged to participate.
Evaluation
The students will be marked on creativity, originality, successful implementation of their plan. The students’ artwork will express a clear message relating to the theme “Nature Verses”. The installation is respectful of the surrounding environment. The complete clean up of their installation area. Students will only receive a final grade when all evidence of the installation has been removed.