Force The Reconnect

Ideas for exhibition presentation:

For the exhibition I hope to showcase my ‘Collidingscapes’ (cameras made from folding darkroom paper into cuboids) and other pinhole panoramic images of staged subjects in objective visual purity. Model soldiers in the landscape made to look like romantic era paintings relating to my square mile; the last French invasion 1797. All generated by mainly homemade cameras and developed using self prepared Caffenol C and other elaborate reverse processing.

1. 'Collidingscapes'

A number of 'Collidingscapes' at actual size 16 x 20 inch

This is quite straight forward, I can accomplish this on my own. I will continue developing the technique and process until I have a collection worthy of exhibition.

I have tested the 5 inch collidingscapes with the following processes:

B/W darkroom paper developed with caffenol as negative

B/W darkroom paper reverse developed with caffenol as positive (these could be further developed by using hand colouring photo ink)

B/W Direct positive darkroom paper developed with caffenol (these could be further developed by using hand colouring photo ink)

Mixed media paper coated with photo emulsion developed with caffenol as negative

Mixed media paper coated with photo emulsion developed with caffenol as positive (these could be further developed by using hand colouring photo ink)

Colour darkroom paper reverse developed as positive with caffenol in the first stage and RA4 second stage

From these investigations I will select the best for the exhibition.

2. Walk in 360 Gallery

This is a much more complex exhibition strategy, requiring collaboration for a 360 walk in gallery. The landscapes with figures either doing nothing or some obscure 'maintenance' (life size) possibly printed on semi translucent support that is LED back lit to enhance an outdoor experience, perhaps with ambient sound recording from the location. Sort of Monet 'Waterlilies' periphery experience, forcing the reconnect.

For this I will need to use my 360 landscape camera with motorizer, 35 mm film at f 8 or f 16 using ND filters. Another option for pano landscapes to be taken through an 80 mm water filled lens with pinhole f 168 aperture (I also have the option to use f 32 f 22 and f 16 with this particular camera) also on 35 mm film with 104 x 35 mm format. Final option is with a Vermeer camera f 300 on 120 mm film with 17 x 6 format.

I have already been developing black and white film with caffenol and getting pretty good results with 100 asa film speed. I am going to develop some colour film I have shot shortly with C41 chemicals as it would compliment the concept, especially if I can replicate the 'Romantic era' palette I have managed to achieve with colour darkroom paper.

Probably not practical but wildest dreams: life size walk in 360 back projection screen that multiple exposures can be shown (like a slide show) fading/ dissolving between and set on a loop program with sound. Romantic Napoleonic compositions, fading in and out nicely, then nasty glitches and the reality engineers are revealed furiously trying to repair the illusion, glitches again back to the tranquil Napoleonic compositions.

Work out dimensions

Photographic considerations for enlarging to scale

Costs

Printing logistics

Lighting

Flexible led back lit screen(s)

Or diffuser material and led strips

Enclosure (curtain on circular rail?)

Playback and speakers

Flexible back projection screens, projector, editing suite etc.

https://www.simplyplastics.com/catalog/products-by-use/plastic-lighting-materials/led-light-diffusing-opal-acrylic-sheet/c-24/c-110/p-676

https://www.ultraleds.co.uk/led-strip-lights.html

https://www.addlux.com/solutions/led-light-sheet/

https://www.invisionuk.com

What I have learnt from the company In Vision, is that 360 flexible screens are only presently available as a back projection platform and that television screens or screens that can project an image autonomously are still in their infancy - LG have developed flexible television screens but at this stage I think they are beyond budget.

https://www.whathifi.com/news/lg-rollable-oled-tv-finally-goes-on-sale-at-an-eye-watering-price

It appears that I am getting a bit ahead of the available developed technology!

So what I will do is go back to either printing on an opaque support and lighting this appropriately or printing on a translucent or semi translucent support and back lighting. If there is the possibility of a fully translucent surface I am drawn to the idea of layering this over a painted background.

Correspondence

Mail to John Beynon

john.beynon@colegsirgar.ac.uk

Hello John, I hope you are well and keeping safe. Cath suggested I mail you to ask how large I could physically print photos off. I am using 35 mm film in 360 panoramas and as they are landscapes with figures in I was thinking of them being close to life size as possible. I am also using both 35 mm and 120 mm film in a 17 x 6 format. I know that with a 'virtual gallery' they can be as big as I can imagine, but Cath would like me to cost and plan as if this were for real. So if you could please get back to me with the sizes and how much I would be looking at price-wise I would be very grateful.

No worries Deano...I'll work something out....we'be looking at 1100mm high x whatever length it needs....

some sums needed!!

cheers

John

Cheers John that sounds awesome!!!

Please could you also let me know what the options are for supports to print on? For example could the image be printed on translucent or semi translucent material so it could be back lit or I could layer it over a painted background ? Or can it only be printed opaque as a photo?

Regarding the enlargement size as I am shooting mainly pinhole photos do you know how they take to being blown up? Will I be looking at a blurry grainy mess? Is there a viewing distance to consider? I will be shooting with slow film 50 or 100 asa to help with quality. I forgot to mention that another pano format I will be using is 104 x 35mm.

Thank you.

Right Deano

I'll have a look at some printing options we can print on translucent surfaces, or transparent ones.....pinhole sould be ok at whatever size, it is what it is!

Thanks John, that is so great, it gives me a few more options. I would like to get hold of some samples of the supports if possible so I can do some tests?

How could we arrange this?

I am not coming in as a rule(shielding) and I live near Fishguard, post would be ideal but I understand if you are busy, I could make an appointment to meet you to pick up?

Cheers,

Mark

If you put an image on google drive and share it with me I can do some samples for you and post them out.

Cheers

John

You are a rock star John!

My address is...

Mail to Karl Sedgwick

karl.sedgwick@colegsirgar.ac.uk

Hello Karl, I hope you are well and keeping safe. Cath suggested I mail you to ask if it would be possible to have a walk in 360 life size gallery in the virtual show? I am using 35mm film in 360 panoramas and as they are landscapes with figures in I was thinking of them being close to life size as possible. I am also using both 35mm and 120 film in a 17 x 9 format that could be diptych/ triptych etc.. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Hi Mark,

Are you able to share with me some test 360's that you may have created already? I can have a look and see what your intentions are. Then we'll get a plan together.

Cheers

karl

Brilliant Karl, thanks for getting back to me!

I have attached a couple of test super wide panos, I can make them longer as I have a motorizer that fits to the camera now, so essentially it can just keep spinning as long as I want!

I have 2 ideas one would be just a single picture as a sort of Monet 'Waterlilies' periphery experience, but another idea would be to have a slide show on a loop.

Imagine a close to life size walk in 360 back projection screen that multiple exposures can be shown (like a slide show) fading/ dissolving between and set on a loop program with sound. Romantic Napoleonic compositions, fading in and out nicely, then nasty glitches and the reality engineers are revealed furiously trying to repair the illusion, glitches again back to the tranquil Napoleonic compositions.

It appears that I am getting a bit ahead of the available developed physical technology to do this for real but in a virtual gallery maybe we could make it work?

What I have learnt from the company In Vision, is that 360 flexible screens are only presently available as a back projection platform and that television screens or screens that can project an image autonomously are still in their infancy - LG have developed flexible television screens but at this stage I think they are beyond budget.

https://www.whathifi.com/news/lg-rollable-oled-tv-finally-goes-on-sale-at-an-eye-watering-price

I really look forward to your take on this,

(I will send the photos in batches)

Cheers Mark

Mail to In Vision

https://www.invisionuk.com

Goodmorning,

I am preparing a presentation for the 2021 fine art graduate exhibition at Carmathern School of Art. I came across your website while researcing flexible projection or back projection screens and I was redirected from the SI website to yours in the U.K.

I am planning a 360 walk in gallery, landscape with figures, hopefully life size. I had originally considered to possibly print a single image on a semi translucent support that is led back lit to enhance an outdoor experience, perhaps with ambient sound recording from the location. Sort of Monet 'Waterlilies' periphery experience.

But in my wildest dreams, a life size walk in 360 back projection screen that multiple exposures can be shown (like a slide show) fading/ dissolving between and set on a loop program with sound, would be awesome.

So could you please let me have some options, sizes available, costs to hire or purchase and turnaround times. I have to be ready to exhibit in six weeks. If this deadline is not possible, please still go ahead and quote me as due to covid restrictions we may have a second exhibition in September.

Thank you for your kind attention,

Best regards,

Mark

www.deanobase.com

07816 640684

Mail to Dan Staveley

daniel.staveley@colegsirgar.ac.uk

Hello Dan, I hope you are well and keeping safe. I have been shooting 360 landscapes on 35 mm at f 8 or f16 on one camera and other pano landscapes through an 80 mm water filled lens with pinhole f 168 (I also have the option to use f32 f 22 and f 16 with this particular camera) on 35 mm with 104 x 35 mm format and also on another camera f300 on 120mm 17 x 6 format. I have been developing black and white film with caffenol and getting pretty good results with 100 asa film and I am going to develop some colour film I have shot shortly.

I am thinking about my exhibition presentation one of the ideas is a 360 walk in gallery, landscape with figures, hopefully life size. I have contacted John to cost a single print as large as I can physically go. I know we only have a virtual gallery now but Cath thought it would be important to mock up as if it were for real. I thought about a semi translucent support that is led back lit to enhance an outdoor experience, perhaps with ambient sound recording from the location. Sort of Monet 'Waterlilies' periphery experience.

I have also mailed Karl to ask if a virtual 360 gallery will be possible.

But in my wildest dreams, a life size walk in 360 back projection screen that multiple exposures can be shown (like a slide show) fading/ dissolving between and set on a loop program with sound, would be awesome. Then I could feature my romantic era style Napoleonic compositions, fading in and out nicely, then a nasty glitch and the reality engineers are revealed furiously trying to repair the illusion, glitches again back to the tranquil Napoleonic compositions.

I have found a company the supplies flexible led back projection screens and mailed them to find out costings as another virtual option.

So I understand that what I need to consider to project at this scale would be:

• Film's ability to record fine detail or resolution, which in turn consists of:

  • resolving power (function of particle density in the emulsion)

  • granularity (function of particle clumping in the emulsion)

  • sharpness (perceived edge distinction)

The resolution depends on:

• camera quality (lens mount and film plane alignment, etc)

• lens quality (resolution and amount of aberrations)

• film type (different films of same speed have different resolution)

• film speed (granularity increases with speed)

• exposure (overexposure leads to more granularity)

• film processing (handling, developer, conditions, etc)

• film age and archival conditions

Finally, the viewing distance plays very important role in how big you can print and or view but I have no idea about this and how tight the 360 radius will be at this stage.

Am I just looking at a blurry grainy mess ?

An advice, tips and tricks you could help me with would be gratefully received, it may all be a bit ambitious and the clock is ticking, but i am very keen to give it a go.

Thanks Mark