Ohlone: printing review

Ohlone photographers!

Here's a re-post of the video on printing.  Get ready for lots of lab time Thursday afternoon, followed by critique and lecture during class at 6:30.

Color photography and race

This video is an interesting starting point for a discussion about race and photography.

Comments from the channel page:

"For decades, the color film available to consumers was built for white people. The chemicals coating the film simply weren't adequate to capture a diversity of darker skin tones. And the photo labs established in the 1940s and 50s even used an image of a white woman, called a Shirley card, to calibrate the colors for printing. 

Concordia University professor Lorna Roth has researched the evolution of skin tone imaging. She explained in a 2009 paper how the older technology distorted the appearance of black subjects:

"Problems for the African-American community, for example, have included reproduction of facial images without details, lighting challenges, and ashen-looking facial skin colours contrasted strikingly with the whites of eyes and teeth."

How this would affect non-white people seemingly didn't occur to those who designed and operated the photo systems. In an essay for Buzzfeed, writer and photographer Syreeta McFadden described growing up with film that couldn't record her actual appearance:

"The inconsistencies were so glaring that for a while, I thought it was impossible to get a decent picture of me that captured my likeness. I began to retreat from situations involving group photos. And sure, many of us are fickle about what makes a good portrait. But it seemed the technology was stacked against me. I only knew, though I didn’t understand why, that the lighter you were, the more likely it was that the camera — the film — got your likeness right."

Many of the technological biases have since been corrected (though, not all of them, as explained in the video above). Still, we often see controversies about the misrepresentation of non-white subjects in magazines and advertisements. What are we to make of the fact that these images routinely lighten the skin of women of color?

Tools are only as good as the people who use them. The learned preference for lighter skin is ubiquitous in many parts of the world, and it starts early. That's an infinitely tougher problem than improving the color range of photo technology."

CCA Fall Preview Day: Fine Arts & Writing

Are you thinking of transferring to art school one day?

CCA is hosting Preview Day events on Oct. 10 and Oct. 24. This is an excellent opportunity for students to visit our campus, meet faculty from the different departments and attend demos and workshops to better experience the academic programs at CCA. 

Visit the event website to learn more and get directions (note that there are two days, split by discipline).

https://www.cca.edu/calendar/2015/undergraduate-makeseedo-fine-arts-writing-2015

CCSF: Updates and reminders

Reminder: There is no class on Friday because the college is closed.  There is no lab either.

Update:  I've changed my office hours to take place on Saturdays 11:30-12:30.  I think that will work a bit better.  You can also see me in the Issue Room most Mondays 9:00-12:30 (but not this Monday), Tuesdays 10-2 and Fridays 12-4 (but not this Friday).

Before class Saturday: you can come in early, but no later than 11:00 to get help with making contact sheets.  Please do this if you can, especially if you are new to darkroom printing.  If you come in later, I will not be able to help you.

Next class:  We will further discuss the scheimpflug techniques and do more printing demonstration.  I'd like to maximize our class time, so please be prepared by watching my print videos (posted last week).  Be sure to bring:

1. Film processed and in negative sleeves.  I will be checking these off for assignment credit during class.  I will not collect them because you will need them for printing the assignment.
2. Darkroom supplies for printing (paper, developer tongs, towel, etc).  I will have one tray set up for sharing during class).

Reminder: part of your grade is based on demonstrated preparedness and participation.  How are you demonstrating that during class?  Are you prepared, watching, participating and attentive to all the activities?  If so, good.

As promised, here's the recording from the last lecture, should you want to review.

CCSF: darkroom printing this weeK!

Hi CCSF photographers!


This week we will explore a couple more camera controls and learn how to print black and white photographs in the darkroom.

Please be sure to bring your darkroom supplies:

tongs
photo paper
negatives
cardboard
towel
print developer

To get you ready, feel free to watch my two printing videos.  The equipment is a little different from CCSF, but it will help you get oriented.  I'll show you the whole process again on Saturday.
Please watch them in order, as the second video doesn't cover the chemicals in detail.

CCSF & Ohlone: Chris McCaw lecture from Photoalliance

There is an awesome lecture tomorrow night, and I highly recommend it.  Chris McCaw is one of my favorite local photographers and I simply love his work.  He is also an entertaining speaker, and another photographer, Rachel Phillips will also present work.

You can get college credit for attending the lecture series at CCSF too!  Simply enroll in PHOT 52 Photographers and Their Images   

My Ohlone students are encouraged to see this lecture for extra credit, and for fun too.  This lecture is hosted by Photoalliance.  Please join the Photoalliance email list for lots of great lectures and opportunities.

Details for the lecture:

SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 AT 7:30 PM 

San Francisco Art Institute Lecture Hall
800 Chestnut Street  (at Jones Street) 

Tickets available at the door 7:00 pm or online                                    Suggested Donation: $10.00 Suggested Donation: $10.00 general admission, $5.00 students with ID

http://www.photoalliance.org/master-full-lecture-september

CCSF: Film processing videos

Hello class,

I don't have my own film processing video yet, but I found this Youtube channel that seems pretty good.  He discusses all the main considerations of film processing.

You might notice he doesn't wear gloves.  I do want you to wear gloves.  Well fitted gloves can also help you handle the film better (it gives a little grip).

Especially watch #4, #5, #7.  Those cover the main steps and issues.

CCSF: Assignment update

Hello CCSF Photographers.

This post is to tell you that I am updating the assignment #1 timeline.  I am extending the deadline because I think that it may take you longer to finish up your negatives.

For this week: Please expose your film using the controls discussed in class.  Please have these ready to process no later than the due date (next Saturday).

Next Saturday: We will still do the printing demonstration during class, followed by some supervised work time.  Bring your photographic paper and darkroom supplies.  Bring your negatives if you finished them.   I will also have some spare negatives to borrow and practice with.

My mural printing adventures

I just posted some new videos showing my work in the darkroom.  I'm using traditional printing methods to make a whopping 30 x 40 inch print on fiber paper.

Yes, they're a little boring, but they show the tedious challenges in the darkroom.  Enjoy!

Ohlone: Our class will progress! Also: How to succeed in any class (my classic repost)

Our class will keep going!

I was very nervous this week that we'd get cancelled due to the class size, but we got approved to keep going!  It's very exciting.  I'll still welcome any late adds if someone wants to join us Tuesday.  

Now, what thoughts can I leave you with?

Below is my classic repost about my learning philosophy.  Have a read to learn how to be a good learner.  

How do students succeed?

They have good learning skills & behaviors.

What does that mean?

It means developing habits that help you learn more efficiently.

It also means you have change your behaviors.

If that sounds intimidating, don’t worry. I am going to help you this semester!

Here’s my beginner’s guide to success in any class:

• Show up to every class and be on time.
• Always take notes on every lecture and activity.
• Come prepared.
• Get your supplies right away. 
• Schedule time to study and do assignments.
• Finish reading assignments on schedule and take notes.
• Make an effort to find answers before you ask for help.  
• Turn in your assignments on time.
• Do not use your cell phone during class.
• Keep an open mind.  
• Make friends in class. 
• Believe you can learn.

Sounds pretty easy, right?

When students do these simple things, they usually find learning is a lot easier.
But, if you want to do things the hard way…

Here’s my guide to failure in any class with sarcastic commentary:

(that means I don't want you to these things)

• Miss class. (Assume you can figure it out later.)

• Be late. (Assume you will not miss something important or disrupt the class when you come in.)

• Don’t take notes. (Just believe you can remember every single word you hear. When it comes time for a test or homework assignment, simply ask the instructor to repeat everything that has been covered up to that date.)

• Don’t come prepared. (Assume you can somehow do the activity without necessary supplies.)

• Procrastinate on getting supplies. (Assume that you can get by without them - see above.)

• Don’t create a schedule. (Simply wait to feel inspired to do your homework and hope that’ll happen before the due date, test, or whatever.)

• Don’t ever try to solve problems or look things up on your own. (Tell yourself that problem-solving skills are not important and won’t help you after you graduate.)

• Cheat. (Convince yourself you can still learn when you cheat.  Also, that it’s not a big deal and won’t change the way people think about you, and won't affect your future.)

• Assume art takes inspiration. (Don’t bother to get started unless you feel inspired.)

• Don’t turn in assignments on time. (Convince yourself it won't affect your final grade.)

• Use your cell phone during class. (Convince yourself it isn’t rude, and that everyone else around you is not irritated and distracted by it. Convince yourself that you can still concentrate on class when you are texting.)

• Don’t make friends in class. (Believe a friend could not help you with a problem or share their notes. Believe that social skills are not an important part of your college experience.)

• Believe you can't learn.  (I can't even be sarcastic about this because it's so detrimental to your learning that I hope students never do this.)

Make a choice!

It sounds pretty ridiculous to choose not to succeed.
But, sadly, every year students choose these poor learning behaviors. 

So here’s where you make a choice
Choose to develop good learning skills and behaviors!
I'll be here to support that choice all semester.