Smartphone Close-up Photography

There are several ways to add macro capacity to your smartphone. Often, the native application is limited in it's ability to adjust exposure or get in close to an object. For the photo of the knife blades, I used an app called Camera+. It's macro feature allows you to get quite close to the image.  I used a headlamp as my light source. The image was edited using the "Ansel" filter.

The image below was created using the lens of a disposable camera. The lens fit comfortably between my OtterBox and Iphone 5c. (the lens can be taped on as well.) I placed the camera on a tripod and used the timer feature in Camera+ to limit camera shake. The composition is made up of some key rings, paperclips and a metal pencil sharpener.

This image was taken hand held. I rested the bottom of the camera on the table and used the headlamp (Any light source will work) to illuminate the dollar. I used the zoom to get even closer.

Your assignment is to create 5 different closeup images with your Smartphone.

Here is a photo of the rig I've built (3) to help you take your smartphone close-ups. Your phone sits on the top piece of Plexiglas and you position your camera lens over the disposable camera lens. The object you want to photograph sits on the bottom layer of Plexiglas.

The thickness of the plexiglass will cause some vignetting.

Use the zoom on your smartphone camera app to crop out the rough edges. Here is the same image "zoomed in". I used a backpacking headlamp to light the objects from below.

I switched to a red light for this image....

Make sure you bring items in to photograph!! I know you won't forget your phone. :)

There are a whole world of small objects just waiting for you to explore.

I used an app (free) called Snapseed to give this image it's rough look.

This is of the circuit board that was inside the disposable camera I "borrowed" the lens from.

In this image I placed the lens between my Otterbox and my camera. I used Snapseed to saturate the colors in the image.

I found that I eliminated the vignetting when I took my Otterbox off my Iphone. I placed a cheap ($1.00) LED light under the paper clips. I placed two sheets of blue tissue paper over the light to get the color in the background. (and diffuse the light). 

Experiment!! Have fun. 

I shot hundreds of images using these techniques.

Close-up Photography

George, Mike Simone 2013

Today's digital cameras almost all have macro lens features. Capturing close-up images in film requires a special "Macro Lens" or the addition of "Extension Tubes" to a primary lens. The extention tubes on our camera link the lens to the light meter. We will use f16 as our aperture in order to increase depth of field. This will result in our using a slow shutter speed. To reduce camera movement it will be attached to a copy stand.

Assignment: Using the copy stand and lights, take five close-up photos of a small object.  (4 people to a roll of film)

Develop the roll with your group.
Make a perfect enlargement and Dry Mount it!

Photoshop Filter Project

Assignment

1. Duplicate your colorized pinhole image 25-30 times on a 8.5x11" Photoshop document.
2. Manipulate each small image with a different "Filter" effect. 
3. Center on the page.
4. Save as a jpeg file and post to your blog.
5. Add the caption: Photoshop Filter Project.

Photoshop Filter Project

Colorize your Pinhole Photo

Assignment

Scan either your Pinhole Self Portrait or Pinhole Close-up. Using the same technique we used on our digital restoration, add color to your image. Post it to your blog. 

Here is one of my pinhole images. Another art teacher had a bag of old toy baby parts which I used as my subject. Creepy!

Colorized Pinhole Photo

Recreating a Famous Painting

Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earing

I'm always looking for new ideas for a photograph. Last year when searching the web for ideas, I came upon Two Bored Coworkers Recreate Famous Paintings Using Their Office Supplies. Wow, I'll have to try this in my Photography class! Like usual, I test the project first. I solicited the help of my favorite model to try my hand at recreating Vermeer's famous image.

Like the Bored Coworkers, I limited myself to my Iphone 5C and stuff that was around the house. T is wearing my revolutionary war farmer's smock. The blue scarf is a pillow case and the scarf came from her closet. The earring was a donation for her "Earrings for Encouragement" project. She hopes to give earrings to the many woman who finish their breast cancer treatments at Vassar Hospital.

I used a large china cabinet for for the background. The original was a green color, but has mellowed to look like a dark black. Lighting was a table lamp and a flexible desk lamp.

Some Art History

The Girl with the Pearl Earring is often classified as a Tronie. (Tronie is dutch for face.) A "Tronie" is a common portrait that shows an unusual facial expression. Typically, the head or bust if featured and the subject is wearing unusual or exotic clothing.

Process

• For this project we will work in teams of 2. You pick your partner.
• Your team will pick a painting out of a hat. If you want, you may trade images with another team.
• Using common everyday objects and clothing, try and recreate the famous painting.
• Think about the background...you could draw it.
• Lighting - notice the shadows in my image. I tried to closely match the original.
• Use the Focus and Exposure Lock on your camera.
• Take a lot of photos!

• Choose the best one and post it next to the original on your blog. There are a ton of Apps that will create a collage of images. I used Pic Stich to put my images together, but you can just post them to your blog.
• Your post should include information about the artist and painting. (not just names and dates) Include information about your models, location and props.

Good Luck,

Mr. B

Some Student Examples

Young Sick Bacchus, Caravaggio

Crouching Woman, Picasso

The Green Dancer, Dega

Digital Photo Restoration

How it's done!

The early photographs taken during the American  Civil War were often made on glass plates. This image of General Sheridan was borrowed from the American Memory Collection for my students to practice with. Photoshop has a host of tools that allow the photographer to rejuvenate old or damaged images.

The Healing Brush Tool is extremely useful for correcting small imperfections like wrinkles or acne.

The Clone Stamp Tool allows for the creation of "patches" where whole sections of the photograph are missing.

Un-restored Image of General Sheridan

Restored Image

Sepia

Sepia

You may remember the horrible smell that chemical sepia toning created in our room. Photoshop allows you to accomplish the same task in a few seconds.

How to do it:

1. Duplicate your restored image and name it Sepia.
2. Image/Adjustments/Hue/Saturation
3. Click on the "Colorize" button and use the following settings. That's it!

Sheridan in Color

Colorizing

Before the invention of color photography, the only way to get a color photograph was by hand tinting. This artistic process had the photographer paint with transparent oil color paint over the photograph. The resulting images had a soft but pleasing look. (Nothing like today's vibrant color.)

Colorizing with Photoshop is easy in concept. You use the paintbrush tool (with a low opacity) to cover areas in color. The application of color in  a realistic manner requires some skill and patience. Large areas can be selected and filled globally using Edit/Fill.

Vignette

Vignetting is the reduction of an images brightness or saturation at it's edge.  Sometimes vignetting is the result of poor optics (toy cameras). Often it is used to draw attention to the main subject. (As in a portrait).

How to do it: 

Selection Tools

1. Make an elliptical selection with the Elliptical Marquee Tool. 
2. Inverse the selection.
3. Select/Modify/Feather. 15 (or more) pixels.
4. Fill the selection with white.

Vignette

Developing Your First Roll of Film

Preparing Chemicals - The Chemistry should be at about 68 degrees.

I pour the chemistry into pitchers and place them in front of each labeled bottle. This ensures you don't accidentally use the wrong solution.

Film Developer - Mix  ILFOSOL 3concentrate at 1 to 9.  You will need at least 30 oz. of developer, or 3 oz. of concentrate to 27oz. of water.  Mix with paddle.  This is a one shot developer and is disposed of after use.

Stop Bath – Premixed by teacher.  Check the color.  Yellow is Ok.  A violet color means the stop bath is exhausted.

Film Fixer – Premixed by teacher.  Place one drop of Fix-a-sure into the fixer.  If a white cloud develops and remains the fixer is exhausted.

Photo-flo – Mix 40 oz. of water with one cap full of Photo-flo.


Go over the Processing Steps before beginning!

1. Developer
2. Stop Bath/Wash
3. Fixer
4. Wash
5. Photo-flo
6. Drying

Developing

Fill the tank with developer, then start the timer. Bang the tank against the edge of the sink a few times to dislodge any air bubbles (this is especially important if you're using a large tank). Agitate the tank for 10 seconds every minute by rocking the tank back and forth, or if you're using a plastic tank, by spinning the "stir stick".

Develop for 8:00 minutes.

When the development time is finished, pour the developer into the large tank for separate disposal.

Stop Bath

Pour stop bath into the tank. Agitate constantly for about 10 seconds.Let sit for 25 more seconds.  Return the stop bath to the bottle.

Fixer

Pour Fixer into the tank, and set the timer for 5 minutes. Agitate the tank 10 seconds every minute. Whe the fix time is finished, return the fixer to the bottle.

Wash

Remove the lid of the tank, and place the reel into the film washer. Wash for 5 minutes. Make sure the water is reaching the top and then empting. (Sometimes it sticks and you must knock the side of the washer.

Photo-flo

Place reel in the photo-flo. Agitate for 20 seconds.

Drying Film

Hang the film to dry.  Clips are under the sink.  Use a weighted clip at the bottom of the roll.  Normally, a roll of film will take about three hours to air dry completely. 

Important: always handle wet film by its edges only! Fingerprints and dust on the film during drying are very difficult if not impossible to remove later.

Remember, Dust is the Enemy!

Loading your 35mm Manual Camera

View the you tube video

Learn Photography: How to Load 35mm Film

View the Youtube Video:

How to load 35mm Film into Development Tank