This one time, I took a crappy cellphone picture of my final photo project on the wall of the art building because I forgot to take a camera with me.
THEY’RE SO PRETTY.
God, I love my cyanotypes. Too bad I can’t take them home with me over winter break. I mean, I’m glad I’ll be submitting them with my portfolio, but I really wish I could take them home and show everyone what I’ve been doing this semester.
Instead of being due on Friday, it’s due the class after, which won’t be until Thursday next week.
That’s a relief because if it were still due Friday, I’d have to finish it tonight. Instead, I did my contact sheets and now I have a little bit more time to think about what I want to print and I’ve got the weekend, plus all day on Tuesday, plus whatever evenings work.
Basically, life is good in terms of photography.
I need to shoot 4 rolls of film today and tomorrow. Two today, two tomorrow.Three today, one tomorrow if I’m lucky. All today if I’m super lucky. And them I’m going to develop them tomorrow night and start printing if possible and or maybe printing on Tuesday and I’ll try to finish printing on Wednesday and I’ve got to mat two photos that I print, as well.
I probably won’t have time on Thursday, but maybe I’ll have time to mat my photos that evening?
It’s all due on Friday, so I’ll be working on a tight schedule. Plus, I’ve got other homework.
I need to get outside with my camera.
As an art major in college, this is incredibly good advice.
September 2011
I took all these photos for The List, but I never actually edited them. I just put all the photos on a flashdrive and got them printed at Walgreens so I could hand them in at class. I meant to edit them during my free time and I only got around to a few of them.
This was (is) my photo of a friend. This is also when Angela had pink hair, but you can’t really tell in this photo. Her hair is red now, so that’s awesome.
ANYWAYS. As far as editing goes, this probably underwent one of my my more major edits. I think I started this before long weekend? And then I just kind of sat on it for awhile, trying to decide if the edit was a good thing. Basically, there had been a lot of things on the wall behind her and I was trying to decide if it was better with or without them. In the end, the blank wall won.
This is just a crappy cellphone picture, but these are the cyanotypes I made earlier this year. Apparently my prof took them with him to a paper-making conference to use as examples. He brought another set from our class, too, so that’s really cool. And he said they were on display or something, too.
Can you say “ego boost”?
Pretty much everyone from my class has been here tonight. Currently, all ten enlargers are in use. I got my film developed and I’m staring at my negatives in boredom. I can’t make my contact sheet or my two prints until a freaking enlarger opens up.
At least I’m not the only one stuck in the hall waiting. There’s another girl waiting in the hallway with me.
It just really sucks. We get back from break yesterday and now EVERYONE is in the darkroom tonight. I kind of figured there’d be some people here, but I would have guessed a few more people would have finished before break.
Whatever. I’ll just sleep in the darkroom if I have to. I’ve already been here since 6:20-ish.
EDIT
…Now I’m the only one waiting. Why do I have to be a nice person? Seriously. If I weren’t a nice person, I would’ve jumped on that enlarger like it was a pan of cookies fresh out of the oven.
EDIT 2
I have an enlarger to use! WOOHOO!
My photo class is over at SJU, so that’s the darkroom I use. I took the bus over there at 7, got there at 7:15. I probably started developing my film around 7:30, 7:45. That took a decent amount of time. 5 minutes here, another 5 there, plus all the shit in between. I had my negatives in the dryer by 8:30. They’re in there for 40 minutes. They’ll be dry in ten.
HOWEVER. I forgot my photo paper. So instead of hanging around the art building for 40 minutes with my laptop, I had to take the 8:45 bus back to CSB. I got back at 9, but the next bus won’t be here until 9:30. And then it’ll take another 15 minutes to get back to SJU. Plus 15 or so to get to the art building and get my negatives cut up and all the chemicals set up.
So I won’t start making my contact sheet until, oh, 10pm? And then I’ll probably get stuck taking the 10:45 bus back to CSB because I doubt I’ll get my contact sheet done in time for me to catch the 10:15. Boo.
If I would have remembered my photo paper, I could have been done in time to catch the 9:45 bus.
THIS SUCKS.
Today was the first official day in the darkroom. There are only 8 enlargers, so it’s significantly smaller that my high school’s darkroom. I actually kind of miss Kennedy’s darkroom. For a high school, it was pretty damn nice.
Anyways. It was the whole basic “this is how you work an enlarger” and “this is how you develop your prints” and “this is how you make a contact sheet” type of crap. Basic stuff for me, considering I’ve been in a darkroom and taken film classes before. It was still awesome to develop prints, though. God, I’ve missed that process.
Oh, and a girl fainted. That was… That was actually very worrisome. Last I checked, she was okay. But still. Fainting in the darkroom is scary shit, yo.
Other than that, photo is treating me well. We should be getting our cyanotypes back next week, so woohoo! I really want to scan mine and post them up here because I LOVE how they turned out. Also, we’ve got two more rolls of film to work on. One will simply be taking a whole roll of photos of a goddamn chair. We’re supposed to “try to make it interesting” or some shit like that. The other roll will be of one object also, and we have to use bracketing for it. I’ll probably try to get at least one of the rolls done on Friday so I can get in the darkroom at some point next week. I’d go this weekend, but I’m gonna be gone, dammit.
Due: Monday, 9-26
Yep. That’s what I gotta do before class on Monday. And to complicate things, I have to get the images printed. At least we get to do this with a digital camera. but I still gotta go to Walgreens or Target or something on Sunday.
equivalent exposure value chart (by Meerkat Thunderpants)
Our first roll of film focuses on equivalent exposure. If done correctly, it should look like we just have a roll of film full of doubles.
Why, hello! I just felt like showing off the camera I’ll be using for my photo class. It’s my mom’s old camera—a Pentax K1000. She also gave me a few magnifying lenses to play with, plus a few old rolls of color film. We won’t be working with color in class, so I put a roll in right now and I’ve been messing around.
God, I’m excited to start working on actual projects.
I’m taking a class this semester that’s required for all sophomore art majors. I have to build a portfolio with 15 pieces that have been created while in college.
That makes me incredibly nervous. So many people walked out of class this evening freaking out about the quality of their work and what they have and what they need to create during the semester.
I’m fairly lucky because I’m currently in a studio class right now. I’m in photo and I’ll be working in the darkroom and if I create photos I’m proud of in this class, that will definitely help my portfolio.
But still. I don’t just take photos. I’m going to have to create a lot of different art this semester, just so I can narrow it all down to 15 quality pieces. I need to hit up an art store this weekend just to buy various things I think I might need. For instance, I know I’ll be needing nice drawing paper and I want watercolors for something, so I’ll need paint, brushes, AND watercolor paper. Plus, I could use some more colored pencils to add to what I have.
Ugh. I’ll be spending so much money this semester between photo and my portfolio. I can just say goodbye to all the money I earned working at Valleyfair this summer. My 800 bucks will easily disappear.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m not necessarily complaining about spending a lot on art. Art is friggin’ expensive. I knew this when I decided to become an art major. If anything, I’m just worried. Will my work be good enough? Will I be able to create enough pieces that are cohesive in the portfolio, but still manage to show off different strengths of mine? Will I be able to get everything done in the amount of time I need it done by?
I plan on taking a lot of photos this semester. I’m gonna have to. And not just for my photo class. No, I want to see if I can plan a legit photo shoot. Shit, though. I’m going to need help with it. I’m going to need help with this stuff and I’m going to need to recruit my friends to help me. I’m going to need to get the courage to actually ask people for help and put myself out there as an artist.
Anyways. I just needed to write out some of my art major worries and I figured they relate to my photography.
In other news, did I mention I’m taking a photo class? I’m really excited for it. The last time I was in a darkroom was senior year of high school and I miss it so much.
And now, I have to go brainstorm for my portfolio.
