The Portrait Project Part 1

For about 2 months now I've been working on using my dad's camera to teach me about shooting portraits in black and white using film. Tonight I picked up the last roll of scanned film and these are the pictures. I learned a lot in the process. It started with the picture above. I was asked to do a photo shoot for a customer's Linked account. We took about 100 pictures. With digital that's okay, but film is bloody expensive, so I really wanted to learn how to shoot portraits without shooting so much. I made an announcement on Facebook and got three victims er...I mean volunteers.

Dave was the first volunteer.

This is probably my favorite from the initial shoot.

With David I tried to take a lot of different poses. I was trying to figure out how to pose a subject.
Next was Toni:

This is my favorite from the shoot.

This is Toni intimidating Dave.

Toni wanted to add a prop, which I forgot added more shadows to be weary of.

This is the one time that shadows made me happy. It looks like she has a necklace from her earrings.

Next was Steven. I shot pictures of him with the much prodding from Toni.

When I got this film developed I quickly saw the importance of lighting and using it for me benefit and not against me. Tomorrow I will show other shots and talk a little more about what I learned.

under the bridge

Solano County, CA

I'm considering doing a compare and contrast project for my project this semester. I'm thinking of doing a look at the underside of bridges and how they relate to the year they were created. Today I went out and scouted locations.

the last photo for the semester - taken

Antioch, CA

I have all 12 photos taken for my final project. Tomorrow I'll develop the roll and just make prints for the next few weeks.

A stoney wall Antioch

Pleasant Hill, CA

Ever so slowly I'm developing more and more prints for class. 2 developed so far, 10 more to go (plus another roll to develop)

It's a Print

Pleasant Hill, CA

After spending the last three class periods developing film, tonight I finally got to return to the darkroom and...wait for it....make a print. I am so happy. This is the first print of 12 for my final project.

Additionally tonight, my professor invited me to take the next level class next semester. Now I just have to convince my father to let me continue to borrow the camera.

the older fence replaced by the younger one

Antioch, CA

Another fence for the photo class project.

Life is a ball - if you are a dog

Brentwood, CA

My photo project is going well. Today I went to a dog park to photograph their fences.

film in the hurricane

Pleasant Hill, CA

I developed 4 rolls of film tonight. Here they are in their final wash before going to the dryer. I shot nearly 150 shots on Saturday and got 6 decent negatives out of it.

Holy Cross cemetary

Antioch, CA

Amy and I went and shot pictures today for my fence project.

but werewolfs don't bother me

Antioch, CA

...well at least not as much as vampires do.

blurred on purpose

Antioch, CA

This is my third of four pictures for the assignment.

the two of James I'll use

Pleasant Hill, CA

I need four shots for the homework assignment. These two my professor said would work for half of the assignment. However for other half of the assignment he suggested I go shoot a new roll.

Shades of James

Pleasant Hill, CA

I developed the prints tonight of James. Each one of these shots is just a little different.

a rope jumping model

Walnut Creek, CA

I had to take some pictures for class that involved someone in motion. My first thought was of
was using James who used to be on a jump roping team.

developing

Pleasant Hill, CA

I developed my first roll of film this evening. I'm that much closer to being a real photographer.

very important button

Pleasant Hill, CA

New Medium

Antioch, CA

I'm shooting in film for the next few months for a class. I'm borrowing this baby from my dad.