35MM CAMERA

Goal - To have students use the 35mm camera as a tool and begin to understand the diff erences between creating images rather then just recording images.

Objectives: 1) Students will be able to take readings with the 35mm camera so as to produce consistently exposed negatives. 2) Students will be able to apply the guidelines to composition when creating photographs. 3) Students will be able to process negatives correctly. 4) Students will be able to produce consistently exposed proof sheets so as to show visual applications of composition and potential images for enlargements.

Process: 1) Orientation into the 35mm camera. a) Presentation of the camera, note taking, hands on manipulation of the camera. b) Students apply the hands on experiences by taking a set of negatives. c) Students learn about the tools, chemistry and times for processing negatives. d) Students process their fi rst set of negatives. 2) Orientation into doing a contact print. a) Students use the darkroom, enlarger and chemistry to produce their fi rst set of contact prints. 3) Orientation into the subject for the students fi rst open lab. a) Use of the booklet as it relates to the lab. b) Slides that give the essence of the compositional elements needed to create interesting images. c) Emphasis is placed on the fact that the images that already exist, change with the light and weather. Students need to increase their visual capacity to see.

Evaluation: 1) Lab evaluation is attached at the end of the booklet. 2) Written work in the form of quizzes, booklet questions and homework will accompany this lab.

1

THE CAMERA

The human eye is the most sophisticated living camera. These living cameras capture images trough the nerves in the eye and send the information to the brain where the visual images becomes meaningful. A camera and an eye are much the same in that light may enter only through a controlled opening. In the eye, this opening is called the iris, and in the camera, it is called the aperture. This controlled opening on cameras is accurately measured and adjusted using f-stop numbers. The pupil of the eye and the lens of the camera gather the refl ected light and focus (refract) it into a sharp image. The retina and the fi lm, both sensitive to light, record the controlled image with precision.

BASIC CAMERA PARTS All cameras contain the same basic parts. The major diff erences from one camera to another is the location of certain parts.

BODY - The body of the camera has to be de-signed for convenience of handling, but must be large enough to hold the various camera supports and controls. Camera bodies are made of plastic, wood and metal.

LENS - This is the :”eye” of a camera. Its function is to gather (refract) light and focus it on the fi lm. VIEWFINDER - The viewfi nder allows the camera user to view and compose the scene that will be captured on fi lm. All viewfi nders are designed to permit the camera user to aim the camera towards the selected scene.

FILM ADVANCE - This is a mechanism that moves the fi lm forward so a new picture can be taken. Many of the automatic 35mm cam-eras automatically advances the fi lm.

APERTURE - The aperture is the opening that is used to control the amount of light that will strike the fi lm. This aperture has the same function as the pinhole in the pinhole camera. An adjustable aperture is often called an iris diaphragm. Specifi c aperture openings are identifi ed by f-stop numbers.

SHUTTER - The shutter is a device that con-trols the length of time that can strike the fi lm. It is used in combination with the aper-ture to expose fi lm. The shutter is similar to the eyelid of the human eye; it is either open or closed. As with aperture, simple cameras contain a fi xed shutter speed, while adjustable cameras use shutters that can be regulated for diff erent speeds. 2

EYE

CAMERA

EXPOSURE

The major variable that the pho-tographer must control is the amount of light that reaches the fi lm. Adjustable cameras contain two major controls, lens aperture and shutter speed which pho-tographers must know. An aperture is an opening which lets the image pass through. Num-bers called f-stops are used to measure the size of the aperture opening. The larger the opening, the more light passes through the lens. An iris diaphragm is used to regulate the aperture opening.

The number used to designate given apertures or f-stops are based on the diameter of the diaphragm opening and the focal length of a lens. The larger the aperture opening, f-2.8, the faster the shutter speed will be. The smaller the aperture the slower the shutter speed will be. The larger the aperture opening is the less depth of fi eld there may be. The smaller the aperture, f-22, the more infi nite depth of fi eld there will be.

Focal plane shutters are in nearly all 35mm cam-eras. These shutters include two rubberized fabric or metal curtains that are mounted as close to the fi lm as possible. Focal plane shutters are designed to operate either in a vertical or horizontal direc-tion across the fi lm. Shutter speeds are measured in fractions of a second. A 1/1000 of a second shutter speed is very fast. Shutter speeds are marked on the cam-era only with the denominator of the fraction. For example, a marking of 250 equals 1/250 of a sec-ond. Each shutter speed permits half or twice the amount of light to pass through the lens. Several combinations of f-stops and shutter speeds trans-mit the same amount of light.

Shutter speed and f-stop adjustments have a di-rect relationship. The shutter speed combinations permit the same amount of light to reach the fi lm during exposure. For example, a 1/125 & f-5.6 combination will give the same amount of light (exposure) as 1/15 & f-16 combination. Every time you move the camera the meter readings and therefore the combination ( shutter speed & f-stop) may change. Prior to every pic-ture being taken you should take a reading.

1/500 1/250 1/125 1/60 1/30 1/15

3

FILM

Photographic fi lm is the material used to capture the scene. Choosing the right fi lm for the situation is important because the choice of fi lm has a signifi cant eff ect on the outcome of the photograph. The fi lm sensitivity system is known by the initials ISO (International Standard Organization). Film speed was known as ASA (American Standard Association). Typical fi lm speed ratings are ISO 25, 64, 125, 200, 400, 1000, and higher. ISO relates to black & white fi lm as well as color fi lm. The sensitivity standard is the same with all companies that make fi lm. It is very important to adjust the cam-era fi lm speed dial to the ISO rating of the fi lm. With this information, the light meter within the camera will be able to calculate the correct f-stop and shutter speed settings, to make the correct exposure. Film speeds are easy to understand. Assuming that the ISO 25 is the base, a fi lm with an ISO of 50 is twice as sensitive to light. Film having an ISO of 125 is fi ve times more sensitive then ISO 25. Camera shutter speeds and f-stops also enter into the fi lm speed rating system. Using slow speed fi lms (25 through 64) will give you one set of readings. Using medium speed fi lms (100 through 200) will give you another set of readings. The slower the fi lm speed the more light is needed to get a good exposure at a fast shutter speed. The faster the fi lm speed the less light is needed to get a good exposure at a fast shutter speed. With the arrival of the digital camera some fi lms are no longer readily available.Most people do not know that their digital camera also has an ISO setting. The ISO setting works in a similar fashion to fi lm.

KEY TERMS

adjustable cameraaperture

f-stopcompensationiris diaphragm

lenspupilretina

SLRviewfi nder

fi lm pressure platefi lm speed dialfi lm sprokets

fl ash hot shoefocusing screen

pentaprismrewind button

focal plane shutterleaf shutter

compensationhalf-stop

ISO/ASA/DINbulk loader

fi lm contrastfi lm grainfi lm speed

composition

4

SHOOTING ASSIGNMENT

You are to read the assignment and understand the concept of what is being asked.During an open lab period, get a camera, appropriate fi lm and take pictures. You are not al-lowed in the cafeteria, bathrooms, in automobiles or academic halls You will have approxi-mately 10/15 frames per assignment. You are to do only one part of the lab each period, take pictures, process your fi lm or do contact prints. Take one or two periods to shoot your assign-ment. Without interesting images you have just snap shots. Take a full period to process your fi lm. Take a full period to do contact prints. Following the processing of your fi lm you will make contact prints the next class period. Do not shoot your second set of images until you turn in your proof sheet with the proper evalu-ation sheet. If you are not satisfi ed with the results or the grade of your shooting, you may reshoot the assignment. The better grade will prevail.

COMPOSITION

To compose a photograph is one of the most important stages in the process of creating a photograph. Photographic composition can be defi ned as, “a pleasing selection and arrange-ment of the elements within the picture.” There are no hard and fast rules that a photograph must follow to obtain acceptable composition. First and foremost understand the concept; what is being asked of you. Second, apply the guidelines to composition; simplicity, rule of thirds, lines, framing, balance. These are only guidelines and several can be found in one photograph at a time. Keeping a photograph dimple is one of the best “seeing” guidelines that any photographer can remember. Too much content in the recorded scene makes it diffi cult for the viewer to see the central theme of the photograph. Photographs can be made to tell a story. If nothing can be said, possibly the photograph should never have been made. Ask yourself, before snapping the shutter, what is my purpose in taking the image. Compose in the viewfi nder. The viewfi nder in a camera is useful for more than just aim-ing the camera in the correct direction. It can and should be used to carefully compose or ar-range the scene content prior to release of the shutter. Film is wasted when the photographer fails to take even a few extra seconds of time to study the scene in the viewfi nder.

5

NO

General intersections in which to placethe key elements in the photograph. Keep the main object out of the center of the viewfi nder

HUBCAPS & TAILLIGHTSASSIGNMENT: Photograph the surfaces of automo-biles; lines, designs, blemishes, refl ections, etc. Include in these shots, close-ups, abstract imagery, cropped sections, use of a variety of angles & positions. Fill the frame with your purpose in taking the shot. Do Not aim & shoot, just record images; no logos, stickers, etc. Emphasise sur-faces aff ected by the weather, shadows, light and where its parked. Use the camera vertically as well as horizontal.

TIPS: Choose your subjects carefully; the more intricate the better. Some colors refl ect better then others. Surfaces with textures, shadows, dents, curves, alter the image.

MUST INCLUDE IN THE SHOOTING:Refl ectionsAbstract imageryAltered surfaces; age, rust, dents, etcAs close as you can getRadical angle Texture

6

CONTACT PRINT & PROOF SHEET

glassnegative

photo paper

Steps To Take:1) Head of enlarger even with column.2) Weak/underexposed negatives use f-16 or f-11.3) Normal negatives use f-5.6 or f-8.4) Dense negatives use f-4 or f-3.5.5) Place CLEAN glass on top of both negatives & paper.6) Set timer for 30 seconds.7) Do test print to see if selected f-stop is correct.

PROCESSING NEGATIVES

Developer Short Stop Fixer Water BathDevelop contact print for 60 seconds with full adgitation. Remove and place into short stop.

Place contact print into Short Stop for 15 seconds or in & out. Remove and place into fi xer tray.

Place contact print into fi xer for one minute. Take print into class-room light, evalu-ate and if good, place back into fi x for a total of 5 minutes.

Remove from fi xer tray and place in water bath for 5 minutes. Remove and squeege. Wrap in paper towels and place in folder. Do not have proof sheet touching each otherwhen drying.7

PROCESSING NEGATIVESALL PARTS OF THE DEVELOPING TANK ARE TO BE DRY

NEGATIVES NEED TO BE TRANSFERRED TO A DEVELOPING TANK IN TOTAL DARKNESS.

NO LIGHT AT ALL MAY GET INTO THE BAG. USE A CHANGING BAG

After transfer of the fi lm into the developing tank, the chemistry must be set up. Set the chemistry, front to back. You are making a working solution.

DEVELOPER 1:2(Working Solution)

1 Layer, 4ozs. Dektopl to 8ozs. water2 Layers, 7 ozs. Dektol to 14ozs. water

SHORT STOP(water)

1 Layer, 12 ozs water2 Layers, 21 ozs water

FIXER(used fi xer)

1 Layer 12ozs2 Layers 21ozs

A) DEVELOPERAll chemistry is to be at room temperature. Set timer for 5 minutes.1) Pour into developing tank the developer (working solution), agitate for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds, agitate 5 seconds, rest 25 seconds. Agitate 5 seconds, rest 25 for the remaining 4 minutes. When fi nished developing, recycle the dektol into the used dektol container.

SHORT STOP2) Pour the short stop into the developing tank, agitate for the full 30 seconds, pour down the drain.

FIXER3) Set timer for 5 minutes Pour fi xer into the developing tank. Do not dilute, use as is. Agitate for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds. Agitate 5 seconds rest 25 seconds, do this for the remaining 4 minutes. Recycle the fi xer back into the fi xer bottle, do not pour down drain.

WATER BATH4) Submerge developing tank into water bath, remove lid, take fi lm off reel. Scribe name & period into both ends of the fi lm. Place fi lm into the photo fl o. Hang reel up, put tank together, place upside down on sink.

PHOTO FLO5) Film sits in photo fl o for 5 minutes, totally submerged Take fi lm out of photo fl o and place in the dryer. Hang from a clip with a clip at the bottom.

8

Student Period

EVALUATION OF HUBCAPS & TAILLIGHTS 100 points

Consistent negative exposureProof sheet exposure & processingUnderstood and fi lled the goals of the assignment used automobile surfacesFilled the frame with primary and secondary compositional elementsSought out imagesVisually dissected automobilesApplied guidelines to compositionRefl ectionsCreated abstract imagesShot pieces, details, patterns, linesClose upsSome images worthy of making enlargements

EVALUATION OF HUBCAPS & TAILLIGHTS 100 points

Consistent negative exposureProof sheet exposure & processingUnderstood and fi lled the goals of the assignment used automobile surfacesFilled the frame with primary and secondary compositional elementsSought out imagesVisually dissected automobilesApplied guidelines to compositionRefl ectionsCreated abstract imagesShot pieces, details, patterns, linesClose upsSome images worthy of making enlargements

Booklet Questions - 35mm camera, Hubcaps & Taillights

Student Period

1) All photography needs light. What type of light is needed to create a negative?2) You have shot at least one set of fi lm. List the fi lm speed of any of the fi lm you used?3) The old settings on the camera and box of fi lm was ASA. This is the speed of the fi lm which indicates it’s sensitivity to light. What is the new abbreviation for fi lm speed which also is found in digital menus?4) Allowing a certain amount of light, for a certain length of time, to strike the fi lm is called exposure. Besides the fi lm speed, list one other camera setting needed to make a proper exposure?5) After the fi lm is processed, you will see an overexposed negative as what color?6) When taking a reading with our 35mm fi lm cameras, your fi lm speed is set, your shutter speesd is set and you continue to change your f-stop to get a readng. If you exhaust all of the f-stops and still could not get a reading what camera part would you adjust to get a reading?7) When taking a reading you change and adjust the f-stops. Even when changing the f-stops the camera always let’s you see and focus at what f-stop?8) You were asked not to photograph below what shutter speed?9) What part of the camera (use it’s proper name) do you look through to compose your scene?10) Within the Into to Photo classes, students have already messed up taking pictures because their fi lm didn’t advance. What part of the camera will show you each time you advanced the fi lm, that the fi lm is caught and advancing?11) Proper exposure in most cameras is controlled by three settings. Which of the three settings is most important. The latter two settings rely on the fi rst setting to tell them the type of fi lm being used?12) When looking through the camera, at the meter, what does “+” mean?13) When your meter gives you a reading of “- “, what setting do you adjust to change this reading?14) The retina is to the eye, as the” “ is to the camera?15) The aperture is to the camera as the “ “ is to the eye?16) All fi lm cameras, including our eye, fi rst produce a negative. What part of our body reverses the negative image that enters our eye?17) The pupil is to the eye as the “ “ is to the camera.18) When the trigger is pressed on a SLR camera the viewfi nder turns what color?19) Give another name for aperture? (35mm only)20) After exposure but before processing you have images on the fi lm. These images are called?21) The developer does what to the image on the fi lm? (A term beside develop)22) Which of the four steps in processing fi lm, hardens the image on the fi lm?23) Which solution in processing fi lm, stops the developing action as well as cleans off excess developer?24) In order to make a working solution of developer we use a ratio of 1:2. What does the “2” represent?25) During the fi rst steps in processing, the chemistry is rotated and circulated. This prevents air pockets and makes sure that the chemistry touches the fi lm all over. What is this process called?26) Film speed slower then ISO 100 is considered in what range, category of fi lm speed?27) The tool used to distribute fi lm into your cartridges called? This tool holds 100’ of fi lm.28) In the illustration of the f-stops, which f-stop lets in the most amount of light?29) Which f-stop will give you the greatest amount of depth of fi eld?30) In this lab, (35mm, hubcaps & taillights) what single essence are you asked to photograph?

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BOOKLET QUESTIONS ANSWER SHEET