Apr 18

EPIC Failure

I’ve been out of classes for almost 2 weeks due to personal illness and children illness, so today I came in early ready to go! Full of drive, and now… a mere hour later I feel the crushing defeat of EPIC photography failure.

I had intended to develop a roll of film that I had already placed on a reel, but ran out of time to actually develop. But with all the time out, I had 2 and a half rolls. Pure genius struck me as I walked in and was determined to get everything completed and hand in my portfolio early today for extra credit. I spied an odd little piece of equipment that I knew I could use as an improvised star filter. So quickly grabbing my camera and the filter I ran outside, located the sun and snapped off the last 16 shots on my roll.

I then excitedly got into the darkroom and placed all THREE rolls onto rolls and then in a tripple canister… disaster soon struck. As I had asked the lab aid if there were any triple cans, I thought for sure that she would make mention of needing additional developer, stop, etc. Alas, partway into developing the rolls I became terrified and my anxiety kicked in. That’s right folks, you guessed it! I’ve ruined 1.5 rolls of perfectly good film, almost all shots were for my protfolio. I cannot go back up to NYC and re-shoot those images. They are forever lost to me and as a result my grade is sure to suffer.

I have experienced crushingly EPIC photographic failure…

Apr 3

Frustration

I’m feeling very frustrated with trying to accomplish what feels like so much for the end of class. I’ve thankfully managed to finally get into my SkyDrive so that I could post the already completed end of the semester non-visual communication. I had already previously uploaded the White Balance Lab that is due tomorrow. The frustration comes with trying to pick my ‘favorite’ composition and frame it when I feel as if I’ve barely gotten started! Yes, I’ve developed about 5 rolls of film not counting the almost failure of the AGFAPan roll. Yet I don’t truly feel a connection to any photo that I’ve had success enlarging. I have a ‘settle for’ print, but I’m really hoping against hope that I can get an enlargement made today that I approve of, that I feel a deeper connection to… once that speaks on it’s own, tells it’s own story.

Mar 22

Double Exposure/Strobe Lab

Unfortunately my film order did not arrive in time to actually shoot these photos. I’m really hoping to make it up during one of the makeup labs. I found it rather interesting that by using a strobe and eliminating all other light sources that you can create a double exposure. This is excellent since my camera automatically fully rewinds the film, and so I am not able to create a double exposure by simply reloading my film.

Mar 22

Sepia Toning Lab & Star Filter Lab

Today in class we talked about Sepia toning. I found it interesting that you actually use bleach, not household though, to take off the already developed image and then go through all of the sepia steps to re-fix the image in a sepia tone. I did notice after the fact, that we are supposed to make two of these for our portfolio, and so I’m going to have to make another tomorrow since I’m not willing to use one of the images that I’ve already made for the mid-term.

I also asked about the modified Star Filter extra credit lab, and was surprised to learn that I can make these images with a simple piece of screen from one of my already broken window screens. I’m looking forward to a sunny day to take these photos.

Mar 20

Update on AFGAPan Roll

So, my hopes of finding some long lost pictures of my wedding were dashed today, when only two images developed from my aging roll of AGFAPan 400. I followed all the directions and I was happy with the images that I did get, those of my grandfather, Larry.

Grandpa Edited

Grandpa Edited2

Mar 15

Trepidation for AgfaPan Roll

Utilizing information provided by my professor I will be developing a found roll of AgfaPan B&W film today. I’ve no real information as to what the roll contains. It could be just about anything… pictures of Minnesota or pictures of my wedding! Oh! The curiosity is killing me and the nervousness is eating away! I’m hoping for the best and praying that I don’t cut into the best masterpiece of all time!

Mar 7

FINALLY some pictures for my photo essay!

Today I was finally able to get some photos in for my photo essay on veteran’s. My middle child was late to school as she had missed the bus and my car keys were no where to be found. Turns out this had to be divine intervention!

I passed one of the many local cemeteries and there stood one three men standing watch whilst one of their brothers or sisters in arms was laid to rest. I passed the cemetery a few times, trying to remember where I had seen the entrance and trying to think of what I would say to them. I knew right away that a funeral is a family and friends event, that I would immediately be seen as nothing but an intruder were I to walk up camera in hand and start snapping away.

Instead I decided to park and wait for the family to drive away, I after all wasn’t interested in photos of their loved ones casket, but of the veteran’s standing watch over their comrade. Once everyone left, I grabbed my camera, put on my jacket and walked right up to them. I introduced myself as Kate and informed them that I was doing a photo essay on veteran’s. Their faces lit up and I knew I was a shoe in already! I asked if they would mind if I took some pictures of them and they just asked that I wait for the rest of the guard members that were still in the little mausoleum. All chilled to the bone, all with covers and little while gloves they stood patiently and allowed me to photograph them as a group.

I asked for their contact information, and relayed that I would be more than willing to send them some of the prints. Now I’m pretty excited to get rolling on this photo essay, hopefully with more and different models to come!

Until then!