Assignment #2 Photograms

Man Ray made his "rayographs" without a camera by placing objects-such as the thumbtacks, coil of wire, and other circular forms used here-directly on a sheet of photosensitized paper and exposing it to light. Man Ray had photographed everyday objects before, but these unique, visionary images immediately put the photographer on par with the avant-garde painters of the day. Hovering between the abstract and the representational, the rayographs revealed a new way of seeing that delighted the Dadaist poets who championed his work, and that pointed the way to the dreamlike visions of the Surrealist writers and painters who followed. 

Today, we generally call these types of images, "photograms".

In this assignment you will bring three objects to class, a transparent, a translucent and an opaque one, all sized to fit on a piece of 8x10 paper.

Assignment #1

Black & White photography is different from color photography from both an obvious visual approach but also from a more conceptual understanding. With the exception of a few who are color blind, we all see and understand the world in color. To make black & white images requires that you make the translation in your head as your shooting.

For this assignment shoot one roll of 36 exposure HP-5 or similar film with the goal of making images where it matters that the image is mono toned and not in color. As part of this assignment, you will be testing your camera, film and development using the Zone system. To this end, set camera ISO at 400, take a photo of your gray card, then make a second exposure 4 stops less. Set your camera to ISO 200, repeat, set your camera to ISO 100 repeat.

Bring the exposed film to class for in class processing January 20.

First Day of Class!