Reed Carlson - Photography Classes

Traditional Black & White Photography I
The camera, negative and proof making

Using your own film cameras, and the Icicle Studios photo lab, and library we will creatively explore the What and How of basic black and white photography:
The Camera:  How a camera “sees” with the lens, how we measure the light, and the length and intensity of the exposure. We explore different types of cameras, lenses, & meters.
The Film:   Roll film will be used, in both 35 mm and medium format.  Negative characteristics, chemistry, and lab techniques will be introduced. 
Proof making in a traditional darkroom; we will make contact prints from the negatives, and learn storage systems for negatives.     

Students need to bring:
Your camera, lenses, and black and white film.

Supplied by the instructor ($10 materials fee):  
Lab chemistry, paper for proofs, and negative file sleeves

Traditional Black & White Photography II
Lighting, Light control, and darkroom printing

Using your own film cameras and the Icicle Studios photo lab, we will learn to make finished silver images, starting first your eye seeing images, and your mind imagining the creative result of your intent.
You will learn control of natural light through metering techniques and exposure of your camera’s film.  We will explore the concepts of zone metering.  We will approach image design with the classic abstraction of black and white.
In the laboratory, we will learn techniques of fine printmaking to display our images.  We will prints images with a condenser enlarger, and explore chemical and paper combinations.   Finally we will learn preservation techniques for negatives and prints.

Students need to bring:
Your camera, lenses, meters, and black and white film.  You may purchase additional paper for specific printing projects.

Supplied by the instructor ($10 materials fee):
Lab chemistry, paper for demonstration printing, and negative file sleeves.

Pinhole Photography
The Camera Obscura reinvented
Learning from the history we will view the world from a tiny hole in a camera of our own design.  We will explore the viewing the world from a box, with creation of lenses from tin foil, shutters from duct tape, and film holders from the press cameras of the 1930s’
The first day we will actually make the cameras.  In the second session, we will expose   4 x 5 sheet film or paper negatives, and process and contact print black and white images. 

Students need to bring:
A box—a shoebox or a round oatmeal container works fine. 

Supplied by the instructor ($10 materials fee):
Film, processing chemistry and proof paper for your images.