Positive/Negative Photograms

Mr. Mussari

Photography One

POSITIVE/NEGATIVE PHOTOGRAMS

You will need to turn in:

-1 test strip for your positive photogram

-1 collaged photogram of your positive and negative photograms

-Grade Sheet

-Reflection Questions

Theme: Using the information you have learned about the elements and principles of design, choose a theme and utilize these concepts to create your photograms.

You will use objects to create an interesting composition on light-sensitive photo paper. Remembering the elements and principles of design we discussed, you will use objects and a “motif” to create an image. Think about how light affects the paper- try to bring in a variety of objects that are transparent, translucent and opaque. Don’t forget to make a test strip for your photogram and always make sure to save your test strips! They are part of your grade!

You will:

·  Bring in your own objects for a homework grade.

·  Make an image with a variety of tones, a full range from black to white with about 8 shades of grays in between.

·  Make two quality prints with good contrast, good focus, no scratches, no dust, no chemical stains and correct exposure.

·  Present you artwork well! This is called craftsmanship. All prints should be neatly trimmed, cut apart, arranged and assembled. NEVER CUT STRAIGHT LINES WITH SCISSORS. ALWAYS USE A PAPER CUTTER!

Some items to consider:

Nuts and bolts, marbles, cheerios, pull tabs from soda cans, different papers, jewelry, nail polish, objects with varying transparency, springs, tacks, cloth, lace, window screening, aluminum foil, anything with a woven pattern, transparent texture, varying opacity, or that light will go through or around in an interesting manner. Also, consider cutting interesting shapes out of different colored paper. Light will travel through white or light colored papers and will be blocked by dark papers.

DON’T BRING: small, expensive jewelry…it’s easily lost in the darkroom—

OR anything you would normally have with you (pens, iPods, phone- ESPECIALLY NOT A PHONE!)

PHOTOGRAM BACKGROUND

Definition: A photogram is a printed photographic image made directly on print/photo paper without the use of a camera or film negative.

Process: Opaque, translucent and transparent objects are placed on the photo paper on an enlarger base. The paper is exposed to light from the enlarger. Light will pass through the transparent and translucent objects to create various gray tones. Light will not pass through opaque objects, so a white area will be left on the paper. All areas that are not blocked by an object will turn deep black from unrestricted exposure to the light!

HISTORY OF THE PHOTOGRAM

Long before the invention of a practical method for making photographs with a camera, people were experimenting with what are today known as photograms. Thomas Wedgwood, an English potter from the famous Wedgwood pottery family, discovered in 1802 that, “White paper, or white leather moistened with a solution of nitrate of silver, undergoes no change when kept in a dark place; but on being exposed to the daylight, it speedily changes color and after passing through different shades of gray and brown, becomes at length nearly black. When a shadow of any figure is thrown upon the prepared surface, the part concealed by it remains white and the other parts speedily become dark…”. His first pictures were called “profiles”, but he soon discovered that the white silhouettes began to darken until they disappeared and the paper became uniformly dark. Wedgwood is credited with discovering the interaction of light with light sensitive chemicals. This, combined with Camera Obscura, were to be put together at a later time to make photographs as we know them.

In the 1920’s, about 80 years after the first camera photographs were made, photograms became popular with painter-photographers Laslo Moholy-Nagy and Man Ray, who sought to explore the “pure” actions of light and space.

You too will be introduced to photography with the basic task of making an image with light.

Examples of Photograms by Man Ray