Photogram Workshop 1 Notes

Goff James, Hand, Photogram, 2017

Welcome, once again, followers and visitors to my blog and another update in my photography diary. This week I have been experimenting with photograms and trying to understand the processes involved. here are some further notes to assist with the process. Bluntly put just trying to remember!

Goff James, Hand, Photograph, 2017

Goff James, Hand, Photograph, 2017

Goff James, Hand, Photograph, 2017

The darkroom was lit with a safelight red dome that does not fog paper so it allows you to see what you’re doing in a room that would otherwise be totally dark.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Printing paper 
Printing paper is coated with a light sensitive emulsion and is used to expose the items on to make the photogram.

Temperature

It is important that the chemicals are at the correct temperature. The temperature of the developer is the most important part but, unlike film, one can watch as the image appears and adjust the developing time accordingly. Watching the image appear I found quite fascinating.

Unlike film, one can watch as the image appears and time the development accordingly.

 

Goff James, Hand, Photograph, 2017

Time

One needs to use the correct timings time when the paper is in the developer, stop bath and fixer, although accurate timing is less important than it is with film processing.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Developer

The developer reacts with the exposed areas of silver in the paper’s emulsion turning these parts black to form an image.

Areas that receive more light become blacker when developed. Areas that receive no light stay clear. It is the developer that produces a result.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Stop Bath

The stop bath contains the acid solution that quickly counteracts the developer to prevent over development of the paper.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Fixer 

The fixer dissolves any unused silver halides that were not developed and stops the paper from being light sensitive.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Diluting Chemicals

The chemicals that one uses for development need to be diluted before use. The dilution rate is 1:10 parts water. The chemicals are harmful and need to be handled with great care.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

The Development Trays
Three shallow trays not much larger than the prints being made were used to avoid using too much solutions to cover the print.

The trays hold:

the developer,

stop bath and

fix for processing.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Running Water 

Running water is required to ensure all traces of fixer are removed before the print is dried.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Electric Dryer

After completing the development process the prints need to be dried. They travelled through the dryer which allows air to travel over both surfaces to ensure rapid drying.

Goff James, Hand, 2017

Goff James, Hand, 2017

 

Reference List

Andrew Johnson Merthyr College

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/making-a-photogram—traditional-darkroom-ideas-4688

 

All images used here are the copyright of:

© goffjamesart/poetry

Thank you for sharing your time with me.

Have a great day.

Photogram Workshop 1 Process

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Welcome followers and visitors to my blog and another update in my diary. This week I have been experimenting with photograms and trying to understand the processes involved.

Darkroom

The darkroom was divided into two different areas with enough space for
exposure processing and
developing processes.

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Diagram Source Unstated


Exposure

To create the prints an enlarger was used. This provides an ideal concentrated light source for the exposure of the photogram and is also fitted with a red filter lens and attached timer.

Extend the enlarger until the light covers the paper’s area on the enlarger base.

Set the aperture to fully open.

I then placed a piece of photographic paper onto the enlarger base with the red filter in place under the lens.

This allowed me to switch the enlarger on.

I created a composition of my selected objects by arranging them on the surface of the paper.

I then exposed the the whole sheet of paper, with the red filter removed, for 5 seconds.

I still have not as yet mastered aligning the photo paper precisely within the defined marker points.

I then took my undeveloped photogram into the developing room and place it in the chemical trays to process.

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Timings

Developer – 2 minutes
Stop Bath – 1 minute
Fixative – 2 to 3 minutes
Wash – 10 minutes

Developing

Stage 1: Developer
Place paper in the development tray.
Gently tap edges with tongs to ensure paper is fully submerged.
Rock the edge of the tray to agitate the paper – to ensure there are no bubbles.
Process for 2 minutes.

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Goff james, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Stage 2: Stop Bath

Carefully remove the paper from the developer using tongs.
Allow to drip for 7 seconds.
Place the paper in the stop bath tray.
Gently tap edges with tongs to ensure paper is fully submerged.
Rock the edge of the tray to agitate the paper – to ensure there are no bubbles.
Process for1 minute.

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Goff james, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Step 3: Fixer

Carefully remove the paper from the stop bath using tongs.
Allow it to drip for 7 seconds.
Place the paper in the fixer tray.
Gently tap the edges with tongs to ensure paper is fully submerged.
Rock the edge of the tray to agitate the paper – to ensure there are no bubbles.
Process for 2 to 3 minutes.

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Step 4: Water Rinse

Carefully remove the paper from the fixer using tongs.
Allow it to drip for 7 seconds.
Place the paper in the water bath.
Gently tap edges with tongs to ensure paper is fully submerged.
Allow running water to rinse the print for 10 minutes.
Dry print.

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Goff ames, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Andrew Johnson Merthyr College

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/making-a-photogram—traditional-darkroom-ideas-4688

All photogram images used here are the copyright of:

© goffjamesart/poetry

Thank you for sharing your time with me.

Have a great day.

https://www.slideshare.net

 

 

 

 

Photogram Workshop 1

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Welcome followers and visitors to my blog and another update in my diary. This week I have been experimenting with photograms and finding out what they are.

A photogram is a type of contact print, made without the use of a camera or negative,

A photogram is created by placing objects on light sensitive material and then exposing it to light.

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

The resulting image is a negative shadow varying intone density which is dependent upon the transparency of the objects used.

Areas of the paper that have received no light appear white; those exposed through transparent or semi-transparent objects appear grey.

 

Goff James, Untitled, Photogram, 2017

A photogram takes the principles of photography right back to its roots using light to paint pictures.

The principle is simple – one exposes a sheet of light sensitive photographic paper, to light and block its path with selected objects to create silhouette shapes where the light is blocked.

 

All images used here are the copyright of:

© goffjamesart/poetry

Thank you for sharing your time with me.

Have a great day.

Photogram Presentation

Welcome followers and visitors to my blog and another update in my diary. This week I have been researching photograms – the who, the when, the what, the why and the where.

Epitaph

Image and Message (3)

Goff James, Self Portrait 1, 2017 (FL 18.00mm, Exp. 1/5 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3200)

Welcome, yet again, followers and visitors to my blog and the latest update in my diary. On this occasion working in my own studio developing more ideas with regard to developing narratives through the medium of still life and the use of symbolism.

Goff James, Self Portrait 2, 2017, (FL 18.00mm, Exp.1/5sec, f/8, ISO 3200)

This time I have selected alternative objects to experiment with in the studio. Again I  selected the Manual Mode on the camera as it gives me greater flexibility working with different lighting and the development of narratives.

Goff James, Self Portrait 3, 2017, (FL 18.00mm, Exp.1/5sec, f/8, ISO 3200)

In this series of still life images I have included six objects in an attempt to create a narrative related to a particular individual. In a sense it is biographical.

Apart from the lighting the only other variable is the candle. I wanted to to see if by changing the significance of whether the candle was lit or unlit changed the impact upon the interpretation of the image upon the viewer.

Goff James, Self Portrait 4, 2017, (FL 32.00mm, Exp. 1/5 sec, f/4.5, ISO 3200)

Low Key lighting was once again adopted. I find this kind of ambient lighting adds subtlety and a sense of heightened drama to the final outcome.

This was a much more difficult task to achieve in my studio not having a wealth of willing helpers easily at hand to assist in the set up process or a gantry with lights, light modifiers, soft-boxes, snoots, barn doors and backdrops. Shows I have been listening. Improvisation and thinking on the hoof was the name of the game as the shoot progressed.

These four images are the first products of that photo shoot.

All images used here are the copyright of:

© goffjamesart/poetry

Have a great day.

Morning Post

Goff James, Morning Post, 2017