Photograms

After we were introduced to our project brief, we were taught how to make Photograms.
This is always a fun activity, and It can really draw forth the imagination of the student.
However, I have already been doing photography for 2 years prior to this course, so for the first part, I did find myself staring at walls and trying to find the red filter that goes over the enlarger lens, (something my old college had on theirs and which I will be VERY lost without! They make life so much easier, saving a lot photo-paper.) When the short lesson on how to use make a photogram was complete I began by arranging my objects on some photo-paper. I admit I didn't use a test strip, but the end result was deep black and sharp white.
I exposed my paper for 7.5 seconds under an aperture that was 2 marks from the highest level on these enlargers.

I used some old broaches I had at home that were in the shapes of  a fairy, flower, leaf and beetle.. Very unoriginal I admit, and it was entirely my fault that I didn't hear that we needed transparent objects for the activity, not translucent ones. All a bit of a muddle in my head, but still I'm fairly pleased with the result.. My photograms remind me of 'cut-out art' something I've always wanted to do, but have never really experimented with.

Peter Callesen for example : http://www.petercallesen.com/
 Has some brilliant examples on him website.
It's the innocence and the scale of them that appeal to me so strongly. The white paper ones look so angelic and delicate. It screams patience and a steady hand. something I wish I had more than most artistic abilities.

My experiments:
(I was trying to make a story from them)

This first one, uses my broaches and some pins that I punctured the paper with to cast their shadows at different lengths to create a dandelion. Not very original, but it was my starting point.

(this became the beginning of the story. The spring fairy working at night to create flowers. (here she spreads the seeds) 

Here is the scene at night. using cling film to create a cloudy sky, and  paper cut-outs to build a clichéd scene of a farm house in the country with a tree on a hill and the moon shining bright. Obviously I've delved deep into my imagination for this one!

  Next I Cut out some tulips from paper, (which was difficult in the dark!)

To test if the paper was thick enough to block the light from the enlarger I made this one. 

The composition is off, but it is still a test so it'll do. 

This is the result I came out with after my test strip. I was trying to go for a 'cut-out art' effect. 

I'm please with the composition of the mirrored pattern, and like the progression from the first. 

After finishing my photograms I decided to make a reverse print of a couple of them.

The house scene now looks like it has changed the time of day, and I like how the flowers look so different in black to white. 

And at the end I threw together all my pieces of rubbish. I like the sporadic placement of the pieces of paper I threw onto the photo-paper. 

Overall from this lesson I learn't not much about photography technique, but only because I'd already done it. I did however take away with me some very interesting things to think about.

• using transparent objects can create beautiful tones on the photo paper, like wine glasses and glass trinkets and bottles.
• Focusing on one object but at different angles can give very interesting results
• Look at the composition of your piece, a good result will hold the attention of a viewer for at least five seconds. 

I found this session helpful to me mainly because:

• I learn't a bit more about my environment.
• I Liked the showing of everyone's final outcomes at the end, creative criticism is always good to help improvement.