New Assignment and Camera Instruction booklet

These have now been uploaded to learn.westherts.ac.uk
The address for the manual is:
http://learn.westherts.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=8511&subdir=/Other_Docs
We will talk and show the process this week but the Adobe Acrobat file may be useful if you need further description.

1st Year ND Photography Review Thursday 18th October 2007

9.15 Laura Bond

.30 James Power

.45 Mary-Kate Williamson

10.00 Sarah Bland

.15 Sophie Louise White

.30 Dominic Goodman

.45 Laura Townend

11.00 Danny Gardiner

.30 Carina Hassell

.45 Alex Sawtell

12.00 Christopher Ingram

1.00 Tara Watts

.15 Lucy Johnstone

.30 Joanna Kenny

.45 Adam Meehan

2.00 Emma Kew

.15 Robin Lambert

.30 Layla Marshall

.45 George Pearson

3.00 Danielle Mason

.15 Lauren McDonald

.30 Melanie Meader

.45 Madeline Pouard

4.0 Eleanor Scanlon

.15 Hayley Williams

Watch out for this series BBC4 October:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/photography/genius/#startcontent

Paperwork for the 1st Assignment

It is essential that you submit the 'diary' pages (targets set at beginning of class etc.), summary evaluation sheet (as well as an evaluation of each process) and a feedback sheet with your name on.
You will receive a 'referral' grade if these are not in your submission.

Time for some images.

I thought all this text needed some visual punctuation and so a few days ago I asked Neil Burgess UK rep. for those Queen pictures by Annie Liebovitz if I could use them on the blog for educational reasons (www.nbpictures.com). His reply was no without payment but suggested the link:

http://www.britainusa.com/sections/articles_show_nt1.asp?d=0&i=41099&L1=0&L2=0&L3=1&a=46309&pv=1

Some of the images are new to me.
Albert Watson photographed Prince Andrew and Fergie's wedding by the way.
Obviously you've made it when you are asked to photograph royalty.

I see the boss of BBC1 has left his job today because of the documentary editing. Great publicity (& more publication/income) for Annie.

Who reads this blog??

For this blog to work your student group have to read it. The option is poor communication and long lead times for activities.
Whenever I can I'd like to relate directly with 'the photography business'. It often works on surprisingly short lead times.
Ideally you should read this late on the day before the college day to see if there are any important communiqués.
Under comments can you enter your name to confirm who is reading the blog? Thanks.
See you Monday, Alistair

Photo exhibition in the Harlequin Centre

For one week only the members of Watford Camera Club, the biggest in Hertfordshire, are exhibiting in the gallery space. Don't miss it!

Photography Competition - Tetley Tea

There are many photo competitions that students can enter but we have never given them much attention. Partly because they don't often fit into the assignment schedule and partly because we like to believe you have enough to work on.
You can enter either by making sure your assignment work is suitable or by shooting for them in your own time.

The current Tetley brief has possibilities and would be worth entering for several reasons, among them (In no particular order):
a) The brief is fairly open
b)Deadline 14 December
c)I believe we have Tetley Tea/Mug samples
d)You can upload images straight to the competition
e)If you win the college gets a D200 outfit

I've put a link in the 'Have a look at!!!!!!!!!!!!' section.

I've also uploaded a copy of their brief to learn.westherts.ac.uk under ND1 briefs.

Latecomers!!!!

As you know there is a lateness policy which will be implemented if necessary.
People coming in late miss information and disrupt the class generally so I would like them to give something back as a benefit to photographic learning for the group as a whole.
If anyone arrives after the start of a lesson they will be asked to introduce an interesting and new photographic fact to the group before they take there place.
I suggest that everyone undertakes some research so they are prepared to meet this challenge if required.

Marks on negs?

Now that most people have the hang of processing at West Herts the biggest problem seems to be drying marks.
There's enough theory around to keep the nerds busy and I'm not sure which is the best (cheapest!) way to stop them.

When I did a lot of processing I used a Kaiser film wiper and never had a problem.
http://www.thedarkroom.co.uk/products_class.php?productID=787
but you have to keep it clean etc.

Some people dry the back with a tiny pece of chamois leather kept in a film pot.

Its caused by impurities in hard water mainly but I am very nervous of:
1) Wetting agent thats been in an open container for ages. As the water evaporates it leaves salts from the solution.
2)Old film wipers (could scratch the film)