Happy Discoveries

Notes, findings, pictures, videos, and quotes on film and photo

[halleydavies-blog]

Photography and Kids

Photography for Kids Highlights from a CBC article “Photography can help develop a child’s voice, vision and identity as it pertains to their family, friends and community,” says Nazareth. It can also strengthen connections between visual and other forms of expression. In Nazareth’s photo workshops, kids take lots of pictures and do lots of journaling. “Students ultimately make connections between core concepts of photography and writing such as framing, timing, focus and perspective,” she says. [...] When kids are older and start experimenting with more of the technical side, like composition, focus and lighting, they can improve problem-solving skills. Quotes from: http://www.cbc.ca/parents/learning/view/photography-for-kids-what-kids-learn-when-theyre-behind-the-camera

[brianaichlmayr]

[halleydavies-blog]

I like that there is an actual set up for water and coffee transportation -- helps keep it off the cart because people WILL want their water/coffee. Beware though: camera carts are not craft or garbage carts!

[halleydavies-blog]

Exploring Typography

Typography comes into play all the time -- so I'm doing a little research on it. This first post will be basic, but I hope it can serve as a memory tool and a reference. Readability: "refers to how the type is set [...] is related to how you arrange the type." (P 73) Legibility: "refers to the actual design of the typeface [...] is related to characteristics inherent to its design". (P 73) What Makes a Good Typeface? 1. Consistent design 2. Legibility 3. Spacing 4. Kerning 5. Even colour and Texture When mixing types effectively, "there are three things to remember: contrast, contrast, contrast" (p 90). Eg. Serif vs sans Light vs heavy Wide vs narrow Formatting your type: basic definitions/suggestions 1. Type size: 9-12 pts are generally easy read -- up to a max of 14pts. Note the x-height as that affects legibility. 2. Line Length: "the larger the (font) point size, the longer the line length. (P 104) 3. Line spacing / leading: "refers to the vertical space between lines of type" (P 104). Generally, most auto leading is about 120% of the point size. Basic guideline is using a minimum of 2pts leading (such as 12pt font type, 14pt leading) but not going past 5pts in difference. (P 105). These are some of the foundational points from "Type Rules!: The Designer's Guide to Professional Typography". There are many more points, and examples. Check it out :) Cheers, HD

[halleydavies-blog]

By supplying an overabundance of information, photography confuses and problematizes its message; it creates what author Roland Barthes calls a "reality effect", a semblance of realism bound to detail

Black Bodies, White Science: Louis Agassiz's Slave Daguerreotypes Author(s): Brian Wallis (p.48)

[halifornia]

If you don’t do stupid things while you’re young, you’ll have nothing to smile about when you’re old.

[halleydavies-blog]

4x5 film. (Taken with Instagram)

[halleydavies-blog]

But the very literalness of photographs produces an uncontrollable manipulation of meanings in even the most banal images

Black Bodies, White Science: Louis Agassiz's Slave Daguerreotypes Author(s): Brian Wallis (p.48)

[halleydavies-blog]

Film locks you into it’s own characteristics, which has it’s own pleasures.”

[halleydavies-blog]

In nineteenth-century parlance, two technical words gained a certain currency to describe how "reality" was construed: the word daguerreotype was distinguished from the word stereotype. Stereotypes were originally molds for creating multiple copies of printing type; the word, therefore, came to connote generalized replication. The daguerreo- type, on the other hand, was characterized by miniaturization, infinitesimal preci- sion, and detail.

Black Bodies, White Science: Louis Agassiz's Slave Daguerreotypes Author(s): Brian Wallis

[halleydavies-blog]

Write a Script in 21 Days

Dear Readers, Something that might interest you: How to Write a Movie in 21 Days. It seems to cover the basics for one popular approach to teaching screenwriting, and lays it out nicely. Save the Cat! seems to be popular, although I have not yet had the chance to read more than a sample of it so far. It looks like a good helpful read to me though :) For an online source that describes and gives lots of examples, check this one out! I hope these may prove to be useful resources! HD

[halleydavies-blog]

Stop Watch

dear readers, A stopwatch is handy for many things. for film shoots it comes in handy when you want to record how many seconds have passed during a take in order to calculate how many feet of film are used. HOWEVER: This little note is about a small detail that may slip your mind when you first bring your stopwatch to set (unless you have previously been a keen stopwatch owner). Things to check: 1. CLOCK - since it is important to recall not only when each day is wrapped, but time keeping in general. 2. ALARM -- I have heard many a story about how setting more than one alarm to wake up for the next day is beneficial. Especially if the first alarm does not wake you up! 3. BEEPS -- are annoying. Beeps occur when you "start/stop" any timing, or on the hourly beep. It is a good idea to find out these functions beforehand! Hope this little note helps :) HD PS If you own a SPORTLINE this will come in handy: "The instructions to turn off the hourly chime/beep were not clear to me at all. Here are proper instructions: First a common understanding: Split/Reset Select button = C Mode button = A Start/Stop Set button = B Pressing B and C simultaneously turns the alarm on and off. The little sound waves on the right will appear and disappear. Press and hold C – the alarm time will appear. You will probably notice a bar on the display under each day of the week. While still holding C, press A. All the bars should disappear. That should stop the watch from beeping on the hour. Good luck".

[shootnathanboone]

 Peek-a-Boo! My foolish lighting set-up for my guitar shot. 

[ianbrooks]

Architecture of Density

Seven million people are sardine-canned into a mere 1,108 square kilometers of Hong Kong, comprised of 6,588 high rise buildings (several hundred more than in New York City). Hong Kong’s metoric development and population explosion produced these head-spinningly claustrophobic living conditions, photographed here by Michael Wolf. In each picture it’s hard to imagine that anything else exists besides these massive walls, it seems as if the architecture itself has somehow overtaken the world it springs from.

Artist: website (via: china smack / kotaku)

[halleydavies-blog]

[lavendarcoated-blog-blog]

[halleydavies-blog]

From Digital to Film

Good Day! The other day, I was on a film (16mm) shoot. I super enjoyed loading and downloading the mag, as it is not something I usually get to do. The camera was an Arriflex S 16mm Film Camera. Here are some general Tips and things to recall: 1. Dust Off the inside of the mag. A brush, blower or Dust Off are some common tools. 2. Always keep a solid hand on the can that holds the film -- be it in or out of the changing bag. Don't want it to spill open and loose the footage! 3. Use one long piece of camera tape when securing the edges of the camera or the film can. Little strips are annoying and inefficient. 4. Camera Report: note the duration of each take in it's appropriate square. Always round up your footage count, and add up while you shoot. The adding up helps when you account for the footage, and also keeps you aware of how much film is left. When doing a "series", add up the takes together in one big count. 5. Know what film you're using so you know how to count the footage! Eg. 35mm@24fps 15s=20' 30s=40' 60s=70' 16mm@24fps 15s=10' 30s=20' 60s=40' And some fun links for those looking for more! Film Perfs and other Basics 2-Perf and 3-Perf comparisons Happy Discoveries! HD

[blue-voids]

[halleydavies-blog]

Inspiration. Photo by Christophe Dessaigne.