Kris Bentham Photography

Laura Peters Wet Plate Collodion Workshop

After seeing the wet plate photography being used online and researching the work of Rodger Fenton, I've developed a love for the soft aesthetics in produces. As an introduction I attend Laura peters wet plate workshop where she took us though every step of the process. I was joined on the workshop by Kirsty Walden a portrait photography who did some amazing portraits of me thought the day.

The darkroom

The camera used, your standard plate camera with a lens form the 19th century.

The slides are adapted to take the plates

Cololodium poured on to the plate is part of the sensitising process

Kirsty rocks the collodion covered plate to brake up any rivulets that may have formed while covering the plate

Then the plate is ready to be sensitised and loaded into the plate holder, this has to be done under red light to stop the plate form fogging.

After the plate is sensitised a exposure is taken, the low sensitivity of the process requires long exposures this allows the lens cap to be used as that shutter.

The developer is measured out before the lights go out

You can watch as the Image develops

Development is then stopped

The image is then fixed

And washed

Once dry the image then needs a varnish to keep it on the plate.

The workshop was an amazing introduction to the process and Laura relaxed guide thought the process allowed us to be as experimental with the process and lead us to find out how the different materials reacted to the sensitising. I would recumbent the course for anyone no technically knowledge is needed as its a very hands on course.

Laura's wet plate work can be found at http://www.laura-peters.co.uk/p959606495

FMP Development

I have chosen to continue the path of outdoor sports as it feels like a natural progressing from my personal work created hiking and camping in the Lake district. These trips form candid documentaries that have a truth and narrative too. With this series of images Im going to look for a stage but natural look which so I can deliver a more concise, concentrated message. It will be more of a photo shoot than a photographer following an activity.

The next step is to develop the idea through research and evaluation. Areas I need to research are

Look into the style of photography and how its used with the media and social settings
Explore camera techniques that could be used to help express the narrative with in my series

This will lead me to a more coherent theme for the project that can then be developed in to shoots. once I have decided on the theme I will need to look into:

Subjects, finding athletes that are willing to take part and understand the concepts
research each sport
plan the shoots considering
• Aim of each shoot / the images I imagine
• Location
• Access
• Costs

Once I have the Images I will look into displaying them as I think the outcomes will direct this.

Final Major Project proposal Landscapes

Landscapes

There is a current trend of creating surreal dream like scenes with long shutters and pushed saturation and while these are pretty they don't show a real situation. reflecting on my experience of Ansel Adams zone system I will look at creating realistic images that reflect what I see and experience. I would look to work with colour as a means to push the ideas of the zone system but not replicate it.

Ansel adams

His concept of contrast making a interesting image the zone system are a big influence with in my work while the technique can be applied to colour it intensity is often muted as you push an images tones.

Working with landscapes will require Patience and adaptability with the changing nature of the environment. To be able to push the look I see I would need to research filters and its effects

looking for interst
looking at how light and interacts with its environment show is a way of catching the atmosphere. by braking form the go to equipment you get a unique angle and views.

Final Major Project proposal outdoor sports

Sports

I got into photography thought action sports and would like to explore that more. The 2 areas that interest me are photoessays and Editorial images. I don think the 2 areas are exclusive and will look at how I could produce a body of work that incorporates them in to a cohesive product.

Areas of influence

Pinkbike Photoessays
Pinkbike frequently uses photoessays to deliver story coving events, exhibitions and Factory tours and excursion. They give the photographers creative freedom allowing them to use varying photographic techniques to give interesting/exciting perspectives.

Pinkbike Photo of the day
A platform for sharing biking photos the Photo of the day is a means of celebrating the best images submitted and creating discussion both around the sport and the photography. The standard of images here is a good source of inspiration

Pinkbike Photo of the year

Steaming from the POD, the photo of the year is a competition consisting of the best images of the year. its a good source of creative and professional images

Whitelines snowboard magazine
The Whitelines Magazine covers have a somewhat more artful feel they have a mixture of set up shots and natural shots using contrasting blues and yellows.

Whistler Deep winter photo competition
A competition setting teams of athletes with photographers and giving them a 72 hours to produce a slideshow. There is a high quality running thought the production of those and while the subject may be similar the narrative is always different.

Redbull Illume
Redbull has associated itself with the alternative sports industry and as a way to give back created the illume brand. With both its competitions and publication this give a celebration of photography and action sports.

I have purposely chosen to cover outdoor sports as a means to mix the sport with its surrounding, possible subjects could be.

Trail building/ MTB
Hike a bike- XC
Kendal Dry slope- Ski and Snowboarding
Canoeing/kayaking
Climbing/ scrambeling
Kiteboarding/Windsurfing in Cumbria
Surfing Cumbrians searching for surf
Triathletes
skateboarding
Enduro

By finding people involved in a range of these sports I can work with them to tell their story.

Final Major Project proposal Production Skills and Craft

Production, skills and craft

Celebrating the Ideal of learning a craft, show casing what goes in to productions of everyday Items and the workshop enviroments that are as unique as the prodcuts creating.

There is an growing trend for promotional videos to be produces showing the effort and skill going into making a product. These have a strength and honest making the products seam real and while showing there value. the idea would work as a promotional photoessay style

Meyer & Ferreira Handcraft furniture

By showing their factory and work process, you can see how the workers are enjoying themselves and the process they go thought to create there product, the use of artificial lighting with in the images adds a warmth and brightness that would not be achievable without. The have created an interesting atmosphere with the use of varied angles and shots.

BTR Fabrications

A small 2 man biking company working out of a shed. theres a very tacktile quality to the environment the bikes are built in and miles away form the indstrial power houses normally imagined. yet they employ modern techniques sucha as CAD which gives a sweet contrast to the somewhat hostile workspace.

This style could ba applied to any type of production from a giant industrial program to a single person production in a spare room.

Paradise Forum

With the New library taking over from the Old library in 2013, the Old library has begun a 10 year development plan designed to alter the space into retail and office space. With the development removing the old structure I wanted document its current use while collecting people options on the current building, the Paradise plans and their experience with the Old library.

Mr Husain

"Its the identity of Birmingham, it should keep it and regenerate for use"

Penny and Bill

"I remember it being built, it was so modern"

"its been described as an incinerator"

"I've used the archived it will be a shame if they can't match the service in the new libary"

Adanna, Kenyah and Lauren

"Architecturally I like it ascetically its ugly"

"The development is not needed, other things are"

Amitabh

"It clashes with the old. The new design is a vast improvement it mirrors the old columns on the town hall "

-

"As a regular user its really sad to see it go, the structure should be saved"

Alzat

"It should be redeveloped if its not being used"

Josh

"Its dated but the arts nice"

Layda, Haashim, Zara, Peter and Dhananjoy

"My favourite restaurant closed, we don't more shop they are just going to drive us out of the city "

Russel

"Built, served its purpose and its time to go"

Stan

Critical study- Why do we manipulate images?

Why do we manipulate images?

There is a general consensus that editing is wrong, the term ‘photoshoped’ has developed into a term to discredit images stating that they are fake. but this is a somewhat naive view jumped too when are taken out of context. The reason for editing is unique to each image or create, a photojournalist may have seen a greater range of tones than the camera can catch, a Wedding photographer may want to use an artistic licence to add colour to connotation love or an advertiser wanting to create a more attractive form to increase appeal. While we may not agree with the ethics or motivation should we be blaming the techniques used to create them.

Retouching and image manipulation have been around since the start of photography, As a means to push the limits of the technology even in the 19th century this was a controversial practice as it was not truthful.

Areas of interest

Henry peach Robinson combination printing - Fading away

Combination printing was seen as a means of expressing a theme, by combining different negatives to create a single image with a greater dynamic range than the photographic process allowed. In the 19th century photography was still finding its feet, with the camera being linked to truth the traditional painters freedom was somewhat removed.

Ansel Adams and the zone system

Adams zone system defines the whole process form composition, exposure and printing. Adams believed that understanding this link was key to a successful print. A direct response to the Pictorial movement popular at the time.

Advertising

The practice of altering a model's shape and size has been controversial for sometime now, By misrepresenting the human form the industry creates desire, an notion that you can be like this if you buy our product. while we know its happening and campaigns get criticised for its uses it still happens.

Film

A digital image straight from the sensor is very ‘clean’ compared with film where the different emulsions carried characteristics altering colour tone and contrast. Photographers used this to create a style and add elements to their work. applying the same characteristics digitally creates ethical issues.

Post production vs preproduction

effects can be created pre or post production, by over exposing you can create a glow that smooths skin, or using longer lenses can make a person look thinner as the distortion is less. these create the same effects as doing them in post the only difference is they are some what controlled.

In the public hands

Digital photography has had a short but rapid growth, not allowing it to develop natural theory behind its use and effect. filters are now allowing anyone to alter there images but without understanding of visual representation dose this cheapen the idea of manipulation as a tool to improve and express.

Conclusion

Thought this study I look to develop a understanding for the motive of manipulation, and where the negativity towards the process stems from. as well as deciding how and why we can combat this tread.

Laura Peters Wet Plate Collodion Workshop