Experimental Straight Film & DSLR Photography - sharp edges and shapes.
Maik Lipp is a minimalist photographer from Germany and is currently based in Frankfurt. He runs his own photography and design studio, URSDCK, where he focuses on; architecture, minimalism, landscapes and cityscapes. Capturing different geometric shapes and textures within modern architect.
“The simplicity and the calm embodied by the buildings is what I love. And this is what I want to convey in my photographs.”
Lewis Baltz was born in Newport Beach, California and is an American visual photographer. He studied at the San Francisco Art Institute, and received an MFA from the Claremont Graduate School in 1971. He has taught photography at various institutions, including the California Institute of the Arts, the University of California, Yale, the École Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris, and the Art Academy of Helsinki. Focusing on black and white photography, Baltz captures the features of building containing different shades and shapes.
Maik Lipp's work focuses on minimalism; capturing simple architectural elements and designs. The placement of the structure within his piece changes the view and feel of a piece. Lipp's photographs which include the sky he uses a specific rule to create a more interesting and engaging piece - rule of thirds. Having 2/3 sky and 1/3 building or the opposite way round. He also splits his canvas to have half and half.
The colours of his pieces are primarily black and white with the added colour of blue which is present within the window reflection and sky. The colour blue is seen as a minimal and calming colour which he utilises well in his pieces. The sky has some sort of soft gradient instead of being one block of colour.
His pieces are more aimed towards modern day buildings which have a more minimalist look compared to detailed architectural buildings.
Lewis Baltz's work focuses on capturing structural elements within walls - the placement of doors, windows, air ventilators etc. His work is captured in black and white, reminiscent to film photography. The use of straight edges and shapes to create an almost minimal yet vintage feel.
His photographs also capture various textures present within walls, doors and flooring. Baltz takes a variety of photographs behind back entrances, as they tend to have flat doors/walls with elements which you don't want to be visible to the public.
He takes a straight shot view, making his pieces appear flat/2D. With his style, I will replicate his process using film and experiment with DSLR.
DARK ROOM PROCESS :
Taking the film roll out of the camera and got the roll processed at Advanced Photos at St Ann's Arcade.
I cut the negative strip into sections, each having 4 images.
Using the machine, I inserted one of the negative strips and revealed the image I will develop.
Scaling the size to fit within the frame, I also adjusted the focus to make it as clear. (Using the magnifying tool so that you're able to see the small grains).
TEST STRIP
Turn on the red light, and took out a test strip - placing it on an area which has a variety of contrast.
Exposing the image for 2 second.
Using a sheet of card/paper to cover sections of the strip, slowly descending to the left.
Taking the film strip, I put it within the first bath to develop onto the sheet of paper (around 1 minute or until the image is fully visible)
Using the tongs, lifting the sheet and drip excess liquid before transferring it to the stop bath - second bath (leave for 15 seconds)
Lift sheet and drip excess liquid - moving it to the last bath to remove any chemicals (around 1 minute).
Transfer to water bath and wait a couple of minutes before squeezing the water out and drying.
Turn on white light.
With the developed test strip, and count how many seconds to get the desired look - with this film strip I went with 6-8 seconds.
RESPONSE PIECE
Turn on the red light, and took out a normal sheet of developing paper - placing it to fit within the frame.
Exposing the image for 6-8 second.
(until visible) Take sheet and put within the first bath - develop
(15 seconds) Transfer to the second bath - stop bath
(1 minutes) Transfer to third bath - clear chemicals
(2-3 minutes) Transfer to water bath - squeeze water and place to dry.
FILM RESPONSE :
UNSUCCESSFUL FILM :
BRIDGE EDITING :
Lewis Baltz
Edited the photograph in Black and White (B&W)
Adjusting the brightness and deepening the contrast.
Increasing the exposure slightly.
Maik Lipp
Cropping the image to a 1x1 (square) canvas
Angling the piece to where only the building is present - avoid other structures
Spot healing tool - removed the antenna/metal rod.
Lowered the exposure and contrast
Increasing the saturation of the image to enhance the blue sky
Color Mixer - adjusted the tones of each colour.
Increasing the blue tones and lowering the yellows and oranges from the building.
DLSR RESPONSE :
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 400 4.5 1/60
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 800 4.5 1/50
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 4.5 1/320
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 4.5 1/500
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 4.5 1/500
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 200 4.5 1/160
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 4.5 1/500
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 200 4.5 1/160
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 4.5 1/400
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 200 4.5 1/160
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 4.5 1/160
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 4.5 1/160
UNSUCCESSFUL DSLR IMAGES :
These edited photographs are not as good compared to my other responses.
I found that taking a normal photograph of a building and then cropping it to a square and zooming it in on certain sections make the whole piece quite blurry with less detail/sharp edges. Because I am also editing the colours slightly there is a slight bleed of colours in some of these pieces along side not being focused enough (quite blurry). I I want to capture a clear view of buildings with no reflections or obstructions, the last piece there is a large reflection of the old building beside it. I love the photograph which has two buildings present which have been aimed at the sky.
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 200 4.5 1/1600
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 200 4.5 1/160
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 3.5 1/250
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 200 4.5 1/160
Canon 600D, 17-35mm lens, ISO 100 4.5 1/160