First Roll of Film

Sunny 16

Sunny 16 rule:  Set the shutter-speed to 1 over the film speed (ASA) or closest to it without going over, and set the aperture (f-stop) to f16. 

example: I’m using Kodak tri-x film, the ASA is 400, my settings will be f16 aperture, and my shutter speed will be as close to 400 as possible, on my camera it would be 350…older cameras probably around 250. 

This is used when you don’t have a light meter to measure the amount of light, or yours has broken or isn’t working for some reason.

Project:  Use the sunny 16 rule settings…shoot all images outside…shoot an entire roll… go ahead and focus looking through the lens but then take the camera away from your face and take the shot from a different level (hip, overhead, ground)…record what you are taking pictures of below…

This is designed to break any photographic habits you may already have.  It is supposed to make you feel a little uncomfortable that you don’t know exactly what you are taking a picture of. 

Film Brand and Speed:

Frame# Subject and lighting Frame# Subject and lighting
1   19  
2   20  
3   21  
4   22  
5   23  
6   24  
7   25  
8   26  
9   27  
10   28  
11   29  
12   30  
13   31  
14   32  
15   33  
16   34  
17   35  
18   36  

Second Roll of Film

12 Hours

This part is designed to help you understand how light changes while giving you practice using your light meter and changing your aperture and shutter speed settings.

Project:  Use your light meter to measure the amount of available light in the scene.  Change your aperture or shutter speed settings until the light meter indicates that you have enough light to expose the film “correctly”.  Focus your image and take the picture. 

Take 2 images (or 3 if you have 36 exposures) every hour. Record your settings below…

Film Brand and Speed:


Frame SS F-stop Subject, lighting, time of day Frame SS F-stop Subject,  lighting, time of day
1       19      
2       20      
3       21      
4       22      
5       23      
6       24      
7       25      
8       26      
9       27      
10       28      
11       29      
12       30      
13       31      
14       32      
15       33      
16       34      
17       35      
18       36      


Both Projects can be done with 24 exposures or 36 exposures…36 just means you will have more images to choose from. 

Both projects should be random stuff and not precious moments.  DO NOT use this assignment for anything important!  There is a good chance of messing this film up in the development process.

This is your only assignment that you can take images of anything you want including all those boyfriend/girlfriend, kids, dogs, sunsets, cars, footprints in the sand, parades, parties, nightclubs, birds in the sky, bands, anything hemp related (you know what I mean), crying babies, collections of stuff, sports, etc…  If you have a desire to shoot any of these things, or any other trite, dead, cliché subject matter, now is the time to do it, after this, it will be difficult or not acceptable to use.


 
 

© 2007 Ryan Even, all rights reserved.