Film and digital

Slow progress over the last couple of weeks. Have managed to get out with the camera a little over the last couple of weekends, and the ideas for the Major project are starting to form into something more solid with a definite 'look' to the images. I want to pursue the idea of shooting at twilight, using a mix of ambient and artificial light (streetlights, flash, car headlights etc.)

Have started to use the digital camera as a way of shooting test shots in these difficult conditions, a bit like the old 'polariod' method of doing things. It gives the added bonus of providing a 'backup shot' incase there are any disasters with the film shots (which happens more frequently than I would like, especially with the large format camera). What has struck me the most is the difference in the 'look' between the shots done on digital and those on film, the two having a quite different feel and atmosphere. I've also experimented with making the shots more subtle and less 'popped', while trying to avoid them looking dull or lifeless.

Of the two images below, the top one was shot on film, and the bottom one on digital. Both have had some processing done in Photoshop, but retain the key differences in the 'look' of each shot straight from the scanner or RAW file. On balance I prefer the film version, it has an 'edge' to it which I feel is lost on the digital version, which is more 'polished' looking, and somehow looks a little artificial, almost CGI-like. Some may not like the colour cast from the lamp in the film shot, but I feel it adds to the atmosphere (it looks a bit greener for some reason on the original, less yellow than below - maybe the blog software playing a part there).

I've also been getting to grips better with scanning the images, with the discovery the for some reason, certain negs look better scanned as a positive, then inverted and colour balanced later. Im not sure of the science behind this, but I know it works with some negatives.

Still frustrated by my lack of progress on Assignment 2, I seem to be stuck on the Colour Accent brief in finding enough oppertuunities to make images using the principle, there just doesn't seem to be that much around which I can use. I shall endeavour to continue the search.

Took delivery of the book 'The Language of Landscape' by Anne Whiston Spirn, so this will hopefully give me a deeper insight into my subject matter and provide some food for philosophical thought. I shall post my thoughts on the book when I have read through it; it's quite a substantial book, so there is plenty to go at.

Re-shoots and further developing ideas

Further to my concerns about some of the shots for Assignment 2 'ticking the boxes' rather than reflecting the intention of the shot, though with the aims of the brief fulfilled, I have been re-shooting some of the shots and doing some other ones which I think are moving more towards the theme for the Major Project.

Spent a lot of time thinking about this idea of 'the periphery' and how it can be interpreted. I realised that one theme that was coming out was that of intruding into the background or things looking over barriers or divisions: things such as control towers or radar equipment protruding from behind hedges or woods near the airport; moterway signs forming a backdrop for playing fields; tower-blocks behind common green areas etc.

Just waiting for the films to come back from processing to see what the results are like. Included a fair number of long exposures in low light, so may be a bit hit or miss. This is a n area I am hoping to improve my skills at. Had some success shooting that way using didgital, but it is trickier with film due to reciprosity failure nad no immediate feedback of the results.