Project 1

Perfect Prints: darkroom

It is important for photographers to have refined printing skills—to understand that the camera and the enlarger are both tools that control and capture light to create an image. Experiment using various techniques (cropping, filters, dodging and burning) to create clear and clean prints with range of value, necessary contrast, and strong composition.

Contact Sheet:

1) cut film into 5 frame strips (no less than 3)

2) insert into negative sleeve in numerical order - even if frames did not turn out still include them

3) make a print - follow contact sheet directions

click for directions

click for video

Basic Print:

Basic print instructions

Basic print video

Basic print: Going from film to photo presentation

Perfect Print:

Custom printing overview

Dodge/Burn video

Jerry Uelsmann (dodge/burn) visual poetry video

Project 1: perfect prints: instructional powerpoint presentation; review the process of using the enlarger and various techniques (cropping, filters, dodging and burning); discuss the importance of good printmaking—clear and clean prints, range of value, necessary contrast, strong composition.

Project 1 requirements: contact sheet, 2 perfect prints, mapping of each (basic print), and artist statement for each.

Going from film to print : test strips and making a perfect print:

1) analyze your contact sheet to find the best negatives

* exposure-- best range of value?

* composition-- visual interest/ dynamic?

* personal voice-- subject matter? point of view?

2) set up your negative

*think about composition (size negative to fill frame, adjust position, zoom in/zoom out, horizontal to vertical?)

*focus (make sure film grain is in focus-- this is the most in focus it can be; if print is blurry, might have been out of focus in the camera)

3) test strip-- find best exposure time

*compare to your contact sheet to find best time; are you trying to match it? a little lighter? a little darker?