Historical processes

Wet Plate Collodion.

The collodion process is an early photographic process, invented by Frederic Scott Archer. It was introduced in the 1850s and by the end of that decade it had almost entirely replaced the first practical photographic process, the daguerreotype. During the 1880s the collodion process, in turn, was largely replaced by gelatin dry plates—glass plates with a photographic emulsion of silver halides suspended in gelatin. The dry gelatin emulsion was not only more convenient but could be made much more sensitive, greatly reducing exposure times.

Collodion processes were capable of recording microscopically fine detail, so their use for some special purposes continued long after the advent of the gelatin dry plate. The wet plate collodion process was still in use in the printing industry in the 1960s for line and tone work (mostly printed material involving black type against a white background) as for large work it was much cheaper than gelatin film. One collodion process, the tintype, was still in limited use for casual portraiture by some itinerant and amusement park photographers as late as the 1930s, by which time tintypes were already regarded as quaintly old-fashioned.

Like a lot of the old processes this form of photography is making a revival with many photographers and artists experimenting and producing images by using this historic process.

Thanks to:
edrossphotography.com
www.wentennavarro.com

© Sean Wareing. 2013

Paper types.

In this session we explored different paper types with the same image printed on them, below is a list of the paper we explored with other examples.

• Photo Rag, Bright White 310g
• Canvas 400g
• Photo Rag, book and album 220g
• Photo Rag, Ultra smooth 305g
• Bamboo 290g
• Baryta FB 350g
• Rice Paper.
• Giclee.
• Ilford fine art

On initial inspection all the prints seemed to be of a good quality until they were compared side by side.
The Photo Rag paper tended to suit the image more in this case a flowing stream, the tonal range was especially better on this kind of paper. The whites in the foaming of the flowing water didn't look too blown out as some of the others although I'm sure I would have chosen differently if the image subject was different such as a portrait or architectural image.
I've come to the understanding that not all images suit all paper types, and could be a costly experiment finding the right paper for the right image.

© Sean Wareing

Photographic media

Limited Edition Prints.

I have included in Unit 23 a display on a set of limited edition prints I`ll be selling at my upcoming exhibition
I'm unable to disclose pricing for the benefit of this unit although the print profit would be minimal, taking into consideration traveling all the way to wales and back and that they are Limited editions I would hope to make a decent mark up. The Images were all taken around South West Snowdonia. The images have been processed with a painting style filter in Paintshop Pro X5

Sean Wareing 2013©

Colour negatives.

A photographic negative is referred to as a piece of plastic film which has the image on. The negativity is caused when the image is taken where the light sensitive film is bleached or darkened where the light hits it the most. The final image is then projected by an enlarger onto photographic paper where the light process is reversed giving a positive image on the final print.

I`m in the process of using colour negative film with my 35 mm SLR and I'm hoping to include the results soon.

Thanks to:

www.rollaweek.com

Sean Wareing 2013 ©

Colour transparencies.

Colour transparency film comes in the form of a slide on which the image is developed, the film size can vary from 35 mm up to 8 x 10" sheet film. The image can then be loaded into a projector where it can be viewed by a large audience. The most common being 35 mm slide which is mounted in a card frame 2 x 2". Colour transparency film is also used in the movie industry so that it can be projected onto a large screen.
They produce a good quality Image with a high tonal range for each colour hence why its popular for professional photographers and movie makers alike.

NB.I have examples of the use of transparency film in my sketchbook.

Thanks to:

www.e6processing.co.uk 

Sean Wareing 2013 

Abstract Images.

Zooming.

By adjusting the focal length of your lens while the shutter is open gives some cool effects, if as in this case your shooting during the day when lighting levels are high you may want to close the aperture to compensate.

Shot at f 32.0, 1/4 sec. @ iso 200.

My thoughts.

I love the simplicity of these shots you never know what your results will be in this case a tree becomes an abstract piece of art worthy of any students bedsit wall.

© Sean Wareing 2013.

The Phelps Photo shoot!

A home studio shoot.

The story.

Back in late October 2012, I was contacted by a friend of mine, Chris, who`m had decided to start a health and fitness regime which would hopefully end up with him losing a substantial amount of body fat and gaining muscle as well. He had already set a date and targets for himself and asked weather i was interested in photographing him and providing finished printed images. I jumped at the chance as i needed some experience in this type of photography and we agreed on a date of 30th March 2013.

Planning.

I decided to research on some locations for the shoot including location shots but decided not to because of potential weather problems and Chris getting a little cold in the process. I rang around some studios in Manchester getting prices for studio hire. Eventually I decided to do the shoot at home, realising college had most of the equipment I would need. Experience in the college studios would give me confidence on lighting setups and the safe and correct use of the equipment. The only thing I didn't have was a suitable back drop.

Preparation.

On Thursday 28th March I signed out a flash head, stand, reflector and a soft box from the college. Still having no backdrop I decided to go to Leon`s Fabrics in Chorlton near Manchester to buy some fabric as a
back drop. Because I had already decided i was going to shoot High and Low key images I new that I would need black and white fabrics, the only problem was that most fabrics come in 2 meter widths, with my living room only measuring in at 3.5 meters anyway I'll have a job of squeezing every thing in if the stage was any wider. The only other thing I needed was spare batteries for my flashgun which I would be using to light up the white backdrop whilst shooting High key.

Studio setup.

This in a nutshell was the setup I used for the shoot although the width was narrower at home, the flash on the left was a camera flash with a diffuser set on full power mounted on a camera tripod pointing at a 45 degree angle to the backdrop. The strobe on the right had a large soft box as a modifier to soften and spread the light covering the model this will be set a couple of stops less than the flash covering the back drop. In this shoot I'll be using my Canon 500d with a Tamron 28-74mm f2.8 zoom lens In addition i have a Canon 450d with a Canon 50mm f1.8 prime lens. This Set up was for my first session at high key.

The Shoot.

The time had finally come, i'd had several chats with Chris during the 6 months prior to the shoot to make sure he was happy with his progress and that he still wanted to go ahead, in one of those conversations he'd asked if I would take some shots of his wife and daughter to which I had no problem with until it came to the group shots! They arrived on time and we chatted for 20 minutes or so just to get everyone relaxed, as well as me. Firstly we did some test shots to evaluate the lighting levels, coverage and direction.

My first images were of Chris wearing an open shirt in a catalogue style pose.

Shot at f6.3 , 1/200 sec,@  iso200

I was quite pleased with this shot, I like the way the light from the left hand flash spills over onto his shirt. The light from the soft box is quite subtle but yet brings out tone and detail.

Shot at f 8.0, 1/200 sec @ iso400

Although I've upped the iso to 400 I've closed the aperture by just over a stop the light is a little harsher but still retaining detail and tone in the image, this was also shot in mono by using a modified setting on my camera whereas it increases contrast and tonality. The vignetting in thew corners are an accident and are a product of the light on the left having a reduced spread of light. The top of the backdrop is also creeping in to the top of the shot so I will crop at a later date.

Low Key.

The following two shots were taken in low key by removing the left hand flash and changing the backdrop to black giving a Film Noir feel.

Shot at f 8.0, 1/200 sec. @ iso 200.

Shot at f 8.0, 1/200 sec, @ iso 200

These images work well and give a more extended black tonal range. the model is more defined against the backdrop, I was happy that there was little or no light spillage on the backdrop.

These next few images are some other shots taken on the day.

Squeezing all three into the shot wasn't easy hence the Portrait orientation.

My thoughts.

Considering it was my very first home studio shoot I was and the Phelps's were very pleased with my results, so pleased they've ordered 40 prints of various sizes up to A3 I gained a lot through working this shoot and will offer my services in this field if ever required I have only one issue though..I need a bigger lounge.

Thanks to-

The Manchester college ( Fielden Campus ) for the loan of their lighting equipment.

Chris, Sam and Jordan Phelps for allowing me to photograph them.

© Sean Wareing 2013

Health and safety.

COSHH

The control of harmful substances (COSHH) is a health and safety guideline for the protection of employees in the workplace where hazardous substances are present. As an employer you are responsible for the well being of yourself and employees, being aware of your surroundings and the various chemicals that are used and there effect on health is important. Understanding the effects of chemicals to humans can help you in the procedures you take in the event of an accident.

Harmful substances.

There are many substances that can be harmful to human health such as fumes, dust, chemicals such as cleaning fluids, solvents, paint and oils.

How may workers be harmed or exposed?

• The breathing in of fumes, gases or dust.
• Skin exposed to irritants and acidic substances.
• Swallowing.
• Contact with the eyes.
• Puncture of the skin.
• 
  

Exposure by breathing in.

Certain substances if breathed in can attack the nose, throat and lungs and can enter other parts of the body via the blood stream.

Exposure by skin contact.

Some substances damage the skin or pass through it entering the body damaging internal organs and bone.

Exposure by swallowing.

The transfer of chemicals from the hands to the mouth caused by not washing your hands after handling chemicals.

Exposure to the eyes.

Some substances produce vapours, gases or dust particles can damage the eyes, caustic fluid splashes can damage the eyes permanently.

Exposure by skin puncture.

The risk of skin puncture from sharp knives, and needles which can cause infections or blood poisoning.

European warning symbols.

New International warning signs.

Hazard check list.

• Does any product you use have a danger label?
• Does your process produce gas, dust or vapour?
• Is the substance harmful to breath in?
• Can the substance harm your skin?
• Could harm come about in the way you use or produce something?
• What are you going to do about it?

           - Use something else.

           - Use it in another safer way.

           - Control it to stop harm being caused.

Summary.

Health and safety is a very important consideration when working, especially if your working in different environments as a lot of photographers do, keeping safe and keeping your colleagues safe is paramount to a safe and successful business.

Thanks to -

http://www.hse.gov.uk/

© Sean Wareing 2013

            

Abstract Photography.

John Rylands Abstract.

One of my favorite abstract images taken at the John Rylands library in Manchester, I love how the light pours in through the glass roof and the shadows showing off the angles of a modern extension to an old building.

© Sean Wareing 2013

Risk Assessment.

What is risk assessment?

A risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. Workers and others have a right to be protected from harm caused by a failure to take reasonable control measures.

Five steps to risk assessment-

1. Identify the hazards.
2. Decide who may be harmed and how.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precaution.
4. Record your findings and implement them.
5. Review your assessment and update if necessary. 

An example scenario- Working in a salon.

1. Identifying hazards.

Chemicals, hair dyes, hazardous solutions, tripping over cables, slipping on hair, water, spilt shampoo etc. Hot water, sharp scissors and razors.

2. Deciding who may be harmed and how.

Customers and staff being scalded from hot water, customers not given protective eye wear and gowns when using bleach, peroxide, dyes etc. Ingestion and contamination of chemicals by the public. providing adequate ventilation from inhaling chemical fumes. chance of electrocution from faulty electrical appliances.

3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precaution.

Provide protective gloves and eye wear etc. Good house keeping, keep hazardous chemicals locked away, provide adequate ventilation and lighting, PAT test electrical equipment annually and provide adequate training for staff.

4. Record your findings and implement them.

Keep a log of any potential hazards, if any hazards are found rectify the problem straight away or notify your employer as soon as possible and keep a log of faults or accidents.

5. Review your assessment and update if necessary.

Have regular checks of electrical equipment, remove any faulty equipment, have regular emergency lighting checks, keep chemicals tidy and with clearly visible labels. 

Risk assessments are important and we all do it subconsciously every day when at home or at work but people do get complacent and try to cut corners sometimes with fatal consequences

keeping a log and being aware will avoid costing you money or a life.

© Sean Wareing 2013

Documentary photography

The Manchester Marathon.

The Manchester Marathon was an ideal opportunity to submit as a documentary task, after all I wasn't doing anything better to do on a Sunday afternoon. Fortunately the marathon route passed through my hometown of Flixton. It also gave me an opportunity to capture a couple of images of a friend of mine Richard De Pol who was running for Macmillan cancer support raising over £700 in sponsorships.
Armed with my trusty Canon 500d with a Tamron 28-74mm zoom I headed off with family in tow the 200 yard walk to the rendevous point where Richard would receive vital lubrication from his wife.

It was by no means the brightest of days but ample light for shooting at reasonably fast shutter speeds. Making use of my 74 mm zoom and wide aperture.

I set my focusing mode to AI SERVO to keep the focus locked on the runners which were coming towards me.

I thought it was important to show spectators as well which is an important part of a sports event, in this case 

its my wife, Mrs De-pol, her children and my three, a crowd in its self.

I tried a few shots from a different view point and depth of field, I`m not sure some of these images are ok as I've chopped peoples feet off, but I suppose its inevitable.

I tried to get as close as I could to the action without getting mowed down.

Richard makes it to the 18 mile point and receives his vital lubrication!

 Patiently waiting in traffic and wondering what all the fuss is about.

I spent about 40 minutes on this shoot and did no post processing, i think documentary image should come straight from camera to show things in their truest light. I enjoyed the shoot as i felt under no pressure to get the shot quickly as there was ample opportunity to get the right shot.

© Sean Wareing 2013

Photographic media

St. Michael's country fair and exhibition.

This is an ongoing project I`m working on culminating in an exhibition and sale at the church's annual fete.
I'm exhibiting a range of images from my collection but I've also been asked to provide images for the church's new website. I've been granted special access to the church and its grounds.
In addition i have been asked to display my images within the church for one week prior to the fair then hold a sale on the day.
I have visited the chuch on several occasions taking images from different view points and lighting conditions. I've also been given access to all areas within the church including the medi-evil bell tower and its roof for some unique shots.   I have treated a lot of my images in Photoshop, Lightroom or Paintshop Pro, with various filters and effects to give them a unique look. Here are a few I've done so far.



This first one suits the vintage effect and would suit being in a frame.

Shot at f8.0, exposure 1/160 sec with a vintage effect in Paintshop pro.x4

This image has been given a subtle painted effect, this also would look nice in a frame or canvas.

Shot at f4.5, exposure 1/200 sec. Painted effect in Paintshop pro.x4

Taken with a Sigma 10/20 wide angle lens, I realised after taking this image that in mid summer the church would be no longer visible hidden behind the trees. The only disappointing thing about this image is the lack of detail in the sky but it suits mono.

Shot at f8.0, exposure 1/160 sec. Black and white filter in Lightroom.

Looking up at the clock tower dramatised by adding a HDR filter.

Shot at f8.0, exposure, 1/500 sec, treated with HDR, Paintsop pro.x4.

These next two images were taken at home i'm going to include these in my exhibition, they are lighter than the image displayed here.

Shot at f2.8 exposure 1/160 sec with fill-in flash.

Shot at f2.8 exposure 1/160 sec with fill-in flash

© Sean Wareing 2013.

Manchester Music Scene, The Deaf Institute.

The Manchester Deaf Institute.

Not so long ago, the Grade II-listed Deaf and Dumb Institute was an abandoned shell, loved only by pigeons and history buffs. All that changed when the folk behind the Trof chain of bars got their hands on the place. They swiftly turned neo-Gothic decay into decadent wonder thanks to a winning combination of food, booze and live music, and an interior that ticks all those cute/cool/quirky boxes.

In the blink of a fashionable eye, the Deaf Institute went from crumbling building-on-the-block to one of Manchester’s best-loved live music venues. Now a three-storey musical palace, the venue’s dome-shaped music hall, complete with smoking terrace, tiered seating and glittering mirror ball, has hosted scores of critically acclaimed international acts and is a focal point for the city’s local musicians and promoters. A wonderful aesthetic and ethos runs throughout, which draws young professionals and knowing students alike for good food, drink and well attended club nights. Open day and night, it also serves up decent pub food, and is reasonably welcoming to those of you with kids (note that its entrance has steep steps; buggies and wheelchairs may need extra help).

Jack Savoretti and his support act shot on my iphone during a gig at the deaf club.

The Deaf Institute is begining to be up there with the more well known venues such as Road house, Night and Day and The Ruby lounge as a choice of venue for up and coming bands.

© Sean Wareing 2013

Manchester music scene

This short sound and image clip was taken using my iphone as a means of recording images and sounds relating to the Manchester music scene. The location was The Ducie Bridge located behind Victoria train station. A friend old work collegue invited us to watch their band, Kill Pretty, play a gig along with two other bands.

It was quite easy to document, leaving my DSLR at home meant that I didn`t have to lug a camera around all night giving me more flexibility and freedom. Although the images are not the best quality they still put across a message. Adding sound to the images also added an extra finish to the project. I have to say this wasn't a video media exercise, I thought this was the best way to convey this part of my project.

Music Photography

Well! What a blast we had doing this brief, being let loose in the studio to create an album cover was a great experience and learning curve.
We started off by searching the internet for album cover that fit in with the time we had and the involvement of as much of the class we could.

Research.

We researched various photographers of musicians including our final choice of ABBA we all took part in the the making of this piece and I did the final edit with Photoshop.

My thoughts-
I was quite happy with the result but I feel I should have spent a little more time on the individual portraits, and on the original album the colour gradient within the ABBA logo was a more defined and tighter gradient. Other than that I thought we did well, Cheers ABBA!

© Sean Wareing Photography,  © Crescent Imaging 2013

Documentary Photography

I this task we were asked to produce a series of images documenting a person without revealing their identity, I used a fellow student for these external shots, I included images that typify Vicky such as her converse footwear, cigarette in hand and her wavy hair. Thanks Vicky!

 © Sean Wareing 2013

Music Photography - Interpret A Piece Of Music Through A Photograph

My interpretation of an 80's album cover, Deacon blue were a progressive rock band with a string of hits. The image on the album cover is of my hometown of Urmston in Manchester. The image was originally colour which I then converted to black and white then I added an 80's preset in Corel Paintshop Pro X4.

              © Sean Wareing                

Camera types

There are many different types of camera encompassing a range of image formats such as 35mm, 120mm and 6x7cm. The first type I looked at is the 35mm SLR camera, probably the most widely used up until the digital age took over.

Below is an example of a 35mm SLR (single Lens Reflex) camera

In this case the Canon FTb is a typical example of a 35mm SLR. When composing an image the light passes through the lens it then hits the mirror which is blocking light from hitting the film, the light then travels upwards through a Penta Prism which turns the image the right way up seen in the diagram below.

Once the image has been composed and focussed, you then press the shutter button which lifts the mirror exposing the film behind and also shutting of the light entering through the eye piece. After the timed exposure the mirror drops covering the film once again.

35mm Dslr (digital SLR)

The DSLR works in much the same way except instead of a light sensitive film being used to record the image there is a light sensor which converts light into a digital signal which is processed and recorded onto a memory device.

TLR (Twin Lens Reflex) camera

The twin reflex camera in this case comes under the category of a Medium format camera and uses 120mm film giving an image size of 6x7cm.

The reason for the two lenses is that the top one is for viewing the subject only and the bottom lens takes the image. The image is viewed from the top of the camera via a pop-up cover. Still a very popular camera today its used in many aspects of photography.

Large format cameras

Large format cameras like the one above have been around for a long time and produce the largest and clearest images available. The old style above uses a plate method for recording an image usually 5x4 inch.or 10x8 cm. The light sensitive plate is inserted in the rear of the camera and the shutter is integral with the lens at the front of the camera which is controlled manually.

This is the modern day equivalent of the large format camera, costing many thousands of pounds these boast unrivaled image size and quality. Images taken with this type of camera can run to 30+ mega pixels.

Range Finders.

A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus. Most varieties of rangefinder show two images of the same subject, one of which moves when a calibrated wheel is turned; when the two images coincide and fuse into one, the distance can be read off the wheel. Older, non-coupled rangefinder cameras display the focusing distance and require the photographer to transfer the value to the lens focus ring; cameras without built-in rangefinders could have an external rangefinder fitted into the accessory shoe. Earlier cameras of this type had separate viewfinder and rangefinder windows; later the rangefinder was incorporated into the viewfinder. More modern designs have rangefinders coupled to the focusing mechanism, so that the lens is focused correctly when the rangefinder images fuse; compare with the focusing screen in non-autofocus SLRs.

Polaroid

This popular camera was used by lots of people all over the world and used self developing film, as soon as the medium was exposed to light a chemical reaction occurred producing the final image. Popularity fell due to the introduction of digital imaging and home printing and was announced in 2009 that production would cease. Since then revived popularity has encouraged manufactured of the film and is still available.

Compact Cameras

Last but no means least! we have the Compact camera, by far the most popular of all the camera types. These cameras are functional easy to use and produce excellent results. Also known as a point and shoot camera they take images with the minimum of fuss. Using either or both optical and lcd viewfinders the image is recorded just like a digital SLR by an image sensor which is then processed an sent to a memory device for storage.

Bibliography

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/intro2mf.htm

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/FujifilmX100
http://betterphotography.in/tag/compact-camera/