Photo Books - Binding

There are numerous ways of self binding when creating your own photo book. Some examples are;

Chinese

Chinese book binding (Stitched binding) is a process that involves sewing pages together to create the book. Using a sewing needle and thread to stitch.

Japanese

Japanese book binding is similar to Chinese binding, but the stitching is slightly more complex.

Perfect Bound 

Once the book is ready to be bound, clip it together securely to ensure the pages stay flush. Dampen the side (spine) to be glued slightly with water then smear a thin layer of glue to the side. Using a stiff bristled brush evenly smear the glue. Keep squeezing the side together as the paper will try to expand. Keep squeezing and smoothing for about 5 minutes then apply the second coat of glue. When the second coat has been applied, after 5 minutes, take off the clips, wrap the book in wax paper, lie heavy objects on the book (bricks or heavy books) and allow it to dry for half an hour to an hour. Once the spine is dry you can apply the cover.

Glue the inside of the cover (where the spine will be placed) fix the spine to the cover and place under weight for about 8 hours to ensure the glue has completely dried.

I feel I would find Chinese and Japanese book binding quite frustrating to sew together, although I plan to try perfect binding some of my images together to create a book over the summer. I feel sewing looks too messy, I much prefer the neatness of perfect binding and think it suits my photographic style.

Cyanotypes

This week I produced a cyanotype in the studio.

To do this, I started with an equal mix of quantities of ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide (both dissolved in distilled water). Once the developer was ready, I brushed an equal and thin amount onto the paper (if this is applied to thick then the whole print will wash off when you come to rinse it).

Placing the paper in a dryer for 5 minutes. Once it was dry to the touch I began the creative process. In my image (above) I placed buttercups in a row. Once the image was ready to develop, it was placed in a safe plastic box and place a sheet of glass over the paper. Ultra violet tubes were placed over the image (at a distance) for about 5 minutes.

Next, when the timer stopped, I immediately removed the light (to stop any over exposure) and rinsed the paper in cold water. Then, rinsing the image through a watered down peroxide for a few seconds (this enhances the blue on the image). Finally, I rinsed the image with water for 5 minutes then placed in a dryer to dry.

Lenses

The Standard Lens

These lenses are also known as a 'kit' lens as they are supplied along with the camera body by the manufacturer. They usually have a focal length of 55mm.

The Wide Angle Lens

These lenses are shorter in focal length than a standard lens. This allows you to get more area in the frame as standard lens from the same distance. These lenses are used in landscape photography. The perspective distortion can be increased when using this lens. 

The Telephoto Lens

The focal length of a telephoto lens is much longer than the standard or wide angle size. It is used to capture images from a distance. These lenses are suited to wildlife and nature photography which can fill the frame with a distant subject.

Below from left to right; Telephoto lens, wide angle lens and standard lens.

Table showing focal length of lenses

Angle of View

The angle of view is how much of an area can fit in the frame. It is measured in degrees, the shorter the focal length, the greater the coverage.

ISO

The ISO (International Standards Organisation) is the light sensitivity from a digital sensor. If the aperture and shutter speed can not be altered due to the risk of camera shake in low light conditions, the ISO can be raised 400 or 800 to compensate. On a bright day, a slower ISO such as 100 would be suitable. When raising the ISO in lower conditions this may effect the quality of the image and produce a 'grainy' appearance.

Medium and Large Format

Large format refers to any imaging format that is 4x5 inches, or anything larger. Medium format is usually either 6x6 or 6x9cm in size. A Hasselblad camera uses medium format where as cameras such as an Ebony are as classed as large format. Large and medium format film can be printed to a large size without losing any detail in the image.

Below - Ebony (Large format camera) and a Hasselblad (Medium Format camera).

Ebony

Hasselblad

Film Speed

A numerical value is assigned to all film types which denotes its sensitivity to light. High numbers mean very sensitive film that are often called 'fast' because it allows a fast shutter speed for a correct exposure. Where as low numbers mean less light sensitive film, often called 'slow' which requires a slower shutter speed for a correct exposure.

Level 2 Introduction to Digital Imaging

Mini Brief:

To produce a series of 5 images that work sequentially, and show a creative use of camera controls, digital techniques or a mixture of both.

Health and Safety

Basic health and safety rules to consider when photographing outdoors.

Road safety - Ensuring we consider our surroundings when taking photographs.

Equipment - Safeguard equipment and personal items, ensuring nothing is left unattended to reduce   the risk of it being stolen.

Weather - Dress appropriately to suit the weather condition, wearing the correct shoes and sun screen/hats for very warm days. If it is a hot day, drink plenty and take regular breaks from the heat. 

Plants and wildlife - When photographing plants or other wildlife, ensure that you do not touch anything that could pose a threat. If you touch any wild plants/flowers, ensure you wash your hands thoroughly after. 

Influences

Chris Friel is a British photographer who is known for his abstract landscape images. Originally a painter, Friel moved into photography in 2006. His images are captured with intentional camera movement, this gives his photographs a 'painted' effect. As Friel was a painter for many years, it seems only natural that he would use this style of photographing. In a previous interview, Friel was asked who his favorite photographers are. His top three; Alexey Titarenko, Keith Carter and Mark Yankus.

Chris Friel 

I have used Friel as my influence for this piece of work because I am fascinated with the concept that with some creative flair and technique, a photograph can be transformed into something that looks exactly like a painting. I like the soft, smooth colours Friel captures in his work. Friel also photographs people using the same movement technique. One photograph in particular is of a boy wearing a tutu and a skull mask (below). I feel this is a really interesting image, but it is not something i find very attractive. 

Chris Friel

Friel usually shoots with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Most of his shots are taken with a two or three second shutter speed. 

Wild Flowers

I have used a large bed of wild flowers to capture the following sequence of images.

The individual colours of the flowers are not connected with the over all sequence, as part of the creativeness of this sequence is to show the colourful variety of Autumn wildflowers.

My aim is to show increasing movement through each image, so the sequence begins as a photograph and ends with an abstract effect. I plan to achieve this through natural cause, shutter speed and camera shake.

In each image I have altered the contrast, colour balance, brightness and saturation in Photoshop, so the images appear vibrant and colourful. I have used exactly the same tools at the same level in each of the images, apart from image 5. Image 5 has been altered using the same tools in Photoshop, but at different levels than in images 1-4.

  

Image 1 (Left) 

Camera setting; 1/500, f5.6, ISO 640.    

A still image with no blur.

Image 2 (Right)

Camera setting; 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 640. 

The image has been captured with the same camera setting as image 1, however, this image was captured with a very gentle breeze to give a very small amount of movement to the image. 

Image 3 (Left)

Camera setting; 1/6, f/36, ISO 320.

Movement can be seen clearly in this image. Causes are most likely to be movement from myself combined with the breeze as the shutter speed is much slower than in image 2.

Image 4 (Right)

Camera Settings; 1/3, f/36, ISO 200.

As with image 3, causes for the blur will be from the environment and my own body movement. The blur is amplified more in image 4 because the shutter speed is much slower.

 

Image 5 (Left)

Camera settings; f/36 2 Seconds, ISO 100.

A shutter speed of 2 seconds has been used in this image. Because the image is so blurred, it gives the impression of an abstract image.


            




  Conclusion/Evaluation

My previous work using trees in abstract imagery. 

For my first submission I am pleased with the results. However, I think I could have got better results if I photographed subjects slightly more defined (i.e trees), using less colour to show stronger contrast, therefore producing a reduced amount of distraction in the image. I am aware of this because I have worked with shutter speed and camera shake to create abstract work previously and was pleasantly surprised with the results. Along with Friel as an influence, the work I have done has also influenced me to photograph other subjects in nature, as I was curious to see what other images I could produce. 

  

References: www.andrewgibson.com
                      121clicks.com
                      en.wikipedia.org

Level 2 Photography - Mow Cop Castle

Mow Cop Castle

A photo essay reflecting on the Women of the 1700’s

As part of my ongoing personal development, I planned to start photographing more adults. I had a model in mind, a person I have known for about five years but hadn't actually spoken to her in about two years. I decided to shoot on location as I wanted to test my skills against the elements, rather than shooting in a controlled environment (studio).

Wanting to produce a series of images with a specific meaning attached to them. I already had stone walls in my head from a previous shoot, so after some consideration I decided to carry out the shoot within the ruins of Mow Cop Castle, which was built as a summer house in 1754. It was built by Randle Wilbraham, although some sources speculate if  it was built by the Romans. There is no evidence to support this theory.

Mow Cop Castle 

I have an interest in history and enjoy visiting ruins. I feel they have so many stories to tell. Its like a secret that you're only allowed to know parts of. You can read the facts about these places, but the thoughts and feelings of the people that lived there all those years ago remain a mystery.

My intention for the shoot is to show the transformation of the woman from when this particular castle was built to the present day. I also plan to write a short essay that run alongside the photographs. I wanted to capture images that show two very different personalities within one woman (the model). I plan to do some research into the castle's history, but the main purpose is to combine an essay in my own words along with my photographs to produce an emotion that the viewer will react to. I would like my work to have an impact on the viewer which triggers thoughts about how women must have felt in those times,  to possibly even place themselves there, and to think about how they would cope living in those ages. This essay is not linked to feminism, it is merely an experiment to test my skill of storytelling through images.

To illustrate these emotions, I directed the model and used different clothing for the personality that was being portrayed. I captured the images from different angles, made use of the light and was aware of what was in the background of the shot.

On the day I look my digital SLR along with a Hasselblad and tripod. It was an extremely windy day, and we were quite high, so was extremely hard work carrying all the equipment up to the top of the hill where the castle was situated.  I found it quite challenging trying to get shots on both camera’s so eventually decided to concentrate on my SLR and used one roll of film to see how the photographs varied. On reflection, I found that I did not make proper use of the limited time we had, so did not get as many images for the second personality as I would of liked. In the future I will make sure I have a time management plan to hand to remind myself of the time we have available.

Below are some examples of the images that were produced.

Digital & Film (Hasselblad) Images were edited in Photoshop.

Level 2 Photography

1.1) Selections from a variety of media:


Historical
Tin Type captured on a large format whole plate camera. 

Digital              
Image captured on a Cannon 600D  

Film
Image captured on a Hasselblad using medium format film.

Paper Images
My images on display as part of the Noise Festival, Art Flow.

1.2) Manipulation of materials and techniques

A section taken from blog; Cyanotypes & Van Dyke Brown Prints. In this blog I explain the process of transforming a digital image into a negative so it can be used in creating a Cyanotype or Van Dyke Brown in Photoshop.

A section taken from blog; Camera-less Photography. In this blog I am showing how to edit scanned images of still life in Photoshop.

A section taken from blog; Texture Layers. In this blog I talk about how to alter an image by blending together a texture layer in Photoshop.














1.3) Experiment in a range of applications

An abstract image I created using a 5 second shutter speed and F36.

An image captured on my iPhone of my daughter, experimenting with different angles.

A 'floating' image I produced using Photoshop.










2.1) Studio

The following images have been produced in the studio using a variety of lighting styles and reflective materials.

Produced in the studio using a Honeycomb grid on a flash head.

High Key

Film Noir/Low Key

Reflective

Textures

The History of Art - Class Notes

Neoclassicism: 1750-1820  

Hieronymus Bosch

• The church dominated.
• People in power used art as a scaremongering tactic so to keep themselves in power.
• People had low literacy skills, were uneducated and were not aware of science.
• Images usually had heaven and hell scenes.
• It was said that if you purchased these paintings, you were guaranteed a place in heaven - something that only the rich were able to do.

Romanticism: 1800-1850

Cheney Harriet

• Paintings were exaggerated, not real. Poems and literature were written in line with these paintings. - William Blake.
• World became more educated.
• Less belief/fear of the church.

Realism: 1850-1880

Jean-Francois Millet - The Gleaners 1857

• Subjects appear as they do in every day life (truthfully).
• Often reflected the changes bought by the industrial and commercial revolutions.
• More generally realist art revealed a truth, that may have emphasised the 'ugly'.

Impressionism: 1860-1920

Claude Monet - Twilight Venice'

• Emphasis on light and colour.
• A different way of seeing.
• Open composition
• Portrayed the overall visual effects instead of detail.

Modernism: 1860/Present 

Photo by - Darren Bradley

• Modernism was formed by people who believed the original forms of art, literature, architecture etc were becoming extinct in the new economic and social world. 
• Modernism rejects the ideology of realism.
• Modernism utilises bold geometric shapes. 

Art Nouveau: 1890-1910

Theophile Steinlen 1896

• New art
• Focused on decorative art (furniture etc)
• Bauhaus 1919-1953 Influential school that combined crafts and fine art.

Post Modernism: 1960/Present

HR Giger

• Rejects Modernism.
• Influenced Architecture.
• Interested in the person as apposed to the object.