Help an art teacher friend with photo-taking essay?

jay moussy · Dec 15, 2019

I want to help an high-school arts teacher friend, and it came to me that I could do something like this:

- set my five or six film SLRs, loaded with B&W
- teacher introduces the basic concept of picture-taking the "old way", illustrate with famous print examples
- kids do an (indoor) photo essay, like portrait, play on lighting, or such, with above-mentioned cameras.

I would supply equipment, and fund processing (unless a local school has lab going?).

Teacher then can do the teaching part, that is, extract lessons from the exercise.

What do you think?

Improvements?

I put this post under this forum, as I did not know where else to put. Please move as needed.

pentaxuser · Dec 15, 2019

Sounds like a great idea. Depending on the age range I suspect you may have to demonstrate how a SLR works unless everything is set on the cameras so they push the button and you do the rest so to speak. If the school has the facilities for film processing then there is a great adventure in store for the kids but I think quite a lot of work for you and the teacher.

It could all take quite a bit of planning and preparation but as long as they are enthusiastic about it then anything is possible

Best of luck

pentaxuser

cowanw · Dec 15, 2019

Indoor lighting may be required to make camera shake less of a problem.

cliveh · Dec 15, 2019

As previously mentioned, indoor lighting may be difficult. You have not mentioned the age of these kids or the class size (would they need to share a camera in small teams with x shots each?) If possible, a better exercise may be to send them outside with a theme such as shadows or tone and texture, which would make them look and relate well to black & white.

Jim Jones · Dec 15, 2019

This seems like a project for which digital cameras have many advantages. Then, those students who have mastered 21st century photography can advance to film.

mgb74 · Dec 15, 2019

I think you first need to understand what lesson the teacher is trying to achieve, then organize the exercise around it. And, notwithstanding our interest in analog photography, the almost immediate feedback of digital may be an advantage. In fact, I'd go so far as to tether a dslr to a screen for immediate feedback if possible and the subject permits.

removed account4 · Dec 15, 2019

great idea but i'd give them point and shoot / disposable cameras and not do it indoors
if the idea is to have them think photographically, they probably already do that seeing most kids have a cellphone
by the age of 5 or 7 these days. if it is just to have them realize what is now instant used to take hours to get 1 image ( photograph )
then maybe have them shoot a roll of washi film in each of their cameras, and then
go in the darkroom with them and develop them with the red light on .. washi film is paper negative film ..
seeing stuff develop is what gets people hooked

Berkeley Mike · Dec 17, 2019

Unless you tell us the point of this exercise getting a good answer is unlikely.

jay moussy · Dec 18, 2019

Berkeley Mike said:
Unless you tell us the point of this exercise getting a good answer is unlikely.

Agreed. I will sit down with my teacher friend, see what useful content we can design around manipulating old photo stuff.

jim10219 · Dec 18, 2019

mgb74 said:
I think you first need to understand what lesson the teacher is trying to achieve, then organize the exercise around it. And, notwithstanding our interest in analog photography, the almost immediate feedback of digital may be an advantage. In fact, I'd go so far as to tether a dslr to a screen for immediate feedback if possible and the subject permits.

Exactly. You're putting the cart before the horse here. It sounds like you're trying to figure out a way to incorporate film into a lesson plan. You're doing the kid's a disservice that way. As with every lesson plan, you need to figure out what the kids need to learn, and then devise the teaching exercise around that. Not devise a teaching exercise, and then figure out something to teach from it second.

I understand you're excited about film. I am too. Most of us here are. And I understand that you want to pass that excitement on to future generations. That's noble. But perhaps you should consider some other avenue of achieving that goal.

138S · Dec 18, 2019

jay moussy said:
Improvements?

An additional (or preparatory) activity can be making a pinhole paper negative shot and later making the contact copy positive.

Last year I prepared that for a teacher and it was a success, students were amazed that an image could be taken with a hole in a decotarative bazar box. The project included side concepts like basic optics, chemistry, spectrum, spectral sensitivity...

You may use Caffenol paper developer http://www.caffenol.org/2010/12/15/caffenol-as-paper-developer/ to make it funny.

We used 3M Re Mount spray to hold the paper at the bottom of the metallic box, the in "the darkroom" we developed the paper negative, and then we made the contact copy (emulsion to emulsion).

We made the hole on aluminium foil with a 0.5mm needdle, for a 150mm focal, IIRC. https://www.mrpinhole.com/calcpinh.php

It is nice to do it with paper or with ortho film, so process can be done under funny safe light, with paper (ISO 6), long exposure removes traffic, etc, which also makes the students think.

Help an art teacher friend with photo-taking essay?

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