AboutDavid Barry Expertise I have a lot of experience in most traditional forms of photography, so I`m quite knowledgeable about things like camera types and formats, techniques, exposure, film types, colour, filters, lighting, standard colour and black and white developing and printing.
I do not make recommendations about brands or models, and I am not a camera technician so I may not be able to tell you what is wrong with your equipment if it`s not working .
I also know a little about digital photography and imaging with scanners and digital cameras, so ask me and I will answer if I can.
Experience Experience in the area
I have been seriously involved in photography for over 25 years, including about 4 years as a professional, as well as 2 years providing administrative service to government photographers, requiring interpreting photographers' requirements and trade technicalities for those unfamiliar with such.
I have successfully trained several beginners in photography, helping them to become competent in basic techniques.
Organizations belong to:
None at present, but have been in about 4 camera clubs, having won or had placings in 2 club competitions.
Publications:
A lot of my photos have been in educational / training manuals, books and some photography magazines, as well as 2-3 dozen images been on the Web so far.
Education/Credentials:
Completed 4-year diploma in professional photography technique at Sydney's Technical College
Awards and Honors:
3 placings and / or merits in camera club competitions.
Expert: David Barry Date: 2/2/2008 Subject: Teaching 35mm B&W photography
Question Greetings David,
I am a high school art teacher in Cincinnati, OH. Next year I will be teaching a beginning photography course and I was hoping you would be kind enough to share your thoughts on what film speed and type of photo paper you would recommend. Our prints will not be larger than 8x11 and we will be using Beseler Dichro 67S enlargers.
Any other advice for teaching 35mm photography would also be welcolmed. THANKS - Steve
Answer Bravo for keeping the film and developing fraternity alive .
Suggest either 100 or 400 film speed.
Would I be correct in assuming you will discussing both photography in outdoors / daytime and indoors / nightime ?
You could use the 100 speed for the daytime / outdoors exercises, to demonstrate its superior sharpness, finer grain, and the 400 speed in the indoors / night exercises to show its advantage in handling the dimmer light situations.
While 400 speed film these days has the ability to be enlarged to 8x11 without too much loss of sharpness, using the 100 speed will show that it's better in the context of relative enlargement capability.
As for paper, probably the most practical in your situation would be resin-coated (for processing speed), multi-contrast papers - for demonstrating the differences of contrast on different grades (by the way do your Beselers have contrast filters for this purpose ?)
In my experience from coaching beginners, I tend to start with basics,
* such as what film is, how it works, the concept of speed (I like
using analogies to sunburn - how sensitive skin burns more quickly
like 400 ISO, while less sensitive skin needs more exposure - like
slower film - to burn. Also the different characteristics of
different films and speeds - grain, sharpness, contrast, exposure
latitude, how colour is reproduced
* camera parts - lens (together with effects of different focal
length), aperture, focus ring, view finder, shutter,
* principles of exposure : what the lens aperture does, i.e. controls
the intensity of light reaching the film, what the f numbers mean ;
what the shutter does i.e., controls the exposure time, what the
shutter speeds mean ; and their relationship. Another analogy I use
is how exposure is like cooking. The oven heat controls the
intensity (compared to the aperture) ; the oven timer controls the
timing (like the shutter).
* depth-of-field - in conjunction with the focusing topic - and how
it is governed by the aperture . . .
* movement of the subject - in conjunction with the shutter speed -
and how the shutter speed determines the sharpness / blur of moving
subjects
* on the topic of developing and printing : what the purpose of
developing is, i.e. to reveal the exposed image on film / paper;
as well as the stop bath, fixer and washing. How changes to
developing affect the contrast. Also maybe discuss different types
of developer and their pros/cons
I could go on for hours with other tips, but my internet connection is limited. However the above might be a starter.
