photography Archives - Page 5 of 11 - Nigel Goldsmith photography & film

Documentary photography project on medical students at Bristol University

Documentary photography project at Bristol University

I recently had to photograph medical students at different stages in their training at university and at teaching academies in Bath, Bristol, Swindon, Gloucester and Taunton. Through the five year course the students work in several different hospitals in the region experiencing a wide range of real and simulated medical situations. Some of the images in the documentary photography section of this website show students during a simulated medical emergency.

The images have been used by Bristol University in both print and screen form to illustrate the content of the course to prospective students.

Documentary photography project at Bristol University

Medical School

Medical students relax between classes

Taking bloods

There are more images from this series in the documentary section of the photography gallery.

Museum photography using mobile studio

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Carmarthen Museum to take a series of photographs of a new collection of contemporary local ceramics.

There wasn’t a dedicated studio space at the museum so I used my own portable studio which includes a full Elinchrom studio flash system and light modifiers. I also provided neutral grey paper backdrops and blackout material for the windows. The 36 megapixel camera that was used to capture the images revealed a huge amount of fine detail such as the artists finger marks or brush strokes. This level of detail is often of great interest to future researchers or academics.

Colour accuracy is particularly important for images used in the heritage sector. Once the camera and lights were fully set up a reference shot is taken of a GretagMacbeth ColorChecker. This is then used in the Raw conversion to ensure the colour is as accurate as possible throughout the workflow.

Taking test shot of GretagMacbeth Colorchecker to standardise colour before shoot

Colour checking – Carmarthen Museum

Metadata such as artists name, date of manufacture, title of piece or series and information about the media type was embedded into the images as they were imported onto the computer. Images were captured in Raw and the client was provided with 16bit Adobe RGB Tiff files for their archive along with sRGB JPEG files for an online presentation they were preparing.

The objects were all handled by a museum specialist.

Carmarthen Museum – temporary studio

The collection of contemporary local ceramics is now on permanent display in the main hall of the museum.

Contemporary jug and bowl from the collection at the Carmarthen Museum

Detail of jug and bowl showing capture detail of Nikon D800

I worked for over 8 years for JISC Digital Media (formerly TASI) at Bristol University where I provided specialist photographic advice, support and on site consultancy to cultural heritage organisations across the UK. I now offer these services as a consultant. If you would like help in planning or undertaking a digitisation project do get in touch.

‘Saucy Jack’

The Marshfield Mummers continue an ancient tradition every year at 11am on Boxing Day. A short, three minute play is performed a number of times along the length of the High Street in Marshfield near Bath. The play has changed little over the centuries, it is only performed on Boxing Day with a single rehearsal earlier in the morning.

The image below is of ‘Saucy Jack’ who carries his family on his back. Other characters include King William, Tenpenny Nit, Beelzebub and Dr Fennix.

There are more images in this earlier post

'Saucy Jack' a character from the Marshfield Mummers Christmas play

‘Saucy Jack’ with his family on his back

How a photo film was used to showcase a unique property near Bristol

While still images are well suited to providing would-be-housebuyers with a visual guide to what a potential property has to offer, most estate agents are limited to using a handful of images to describe a house.
A well produced photo film provides a richer experience for the viewer. A typical 3 minute photo film can use between 60 and 100 images and have a professional quality voiceover and background music track. A by-product of the photo film is a set of high quality still images which can be used for both standard print or screen use

The current owners of The Chapel near Bristol wanted a photo-film to showase their property. The film combines stills, video and music (piano) and voiceover recordings, all captured in the property.

Audio quality is as important as image quality so we use professional studio microphones and can set up a temporary recording booth to maximise the clarity of the recording. Alternatively we can use a professional voiceover artist to read an agreed script.

Once edited, the client is provided with a web-ready high definition photo-film in a common video format and a full set of images which can be used on screen or print.

Traditional black and white darkroom workshops and consultancy service – onsite

Many photographers feel that while their digital cameras produce amazing quality images when used correctly but believe the craft of the media has been taken from them and embedded in software applications. The darkroom is still a place where the true craft of photography can be found. Darkroom equipment which was once priced beyond the means of the typical enthusiast photographer can be picked up in online auctions for a tiny fraction of its original value. Sadly, courses on the subject are slowly disappearing as colleges convert their darkrooms into digital editing suites.

The day was jam packed and we both learnt a lot about various parts of traditional darkroom photography, the developing process, pin hole cameras, photograms and luminograms. Emma Hart, Sandy Secondary School, Bedfordshire

DeVere 504 large format enlarger

Traditional black and white photographic prints still have some significant advantages over their digital equivalents the most obvious being its archival quality. A properly processed and washed black and white print on fibre based photographic paper should still be around in a hundred years time. The digital equivalent would need regular conversion by the photographer and their progeny to be available for future generations.

Darkroom options

My permanent darkroom is just outside of Bath, it houses two enlargers, a Devere 504 covering a range of film formats including; 35mm, 6cm x 6cm, 6cm x 7cm, and 5″x4″ and an LPL C7700 enlarger for 35mm up to 6cmx7cm.

I also have a mobile darkroom to provide onsite training which can accommodate the smaller enlarger.

Due to the compact size of the portable darkroom it is normally suited to teaching smaller groups.

Nova Darkroom Tent, outside (left) inside (right)

Darkroom consultancy service

If you are planning to set up a darkroom or revive a darkroom which hasn’t been used for a while, I can provide onsite support to test equipment and materials, provide the guidance and training to get you up and running. If you do not have a darkroom, I can bring along a small portable darkroom, all I need is a nearby sink and electricity.

Nigel sparked not only confidence in us, in what we were going to teach the students but also newfound enthusiasm for the process. Whilst with us Nigel also spent time checking out, advising, and helping organise and clean our current darkroom that hasn’t seen much love. He advised us on best practice and items to purchase to make what we had already easier to use and more effective, he even brought along his own kit as examples and to demonstrate techniques to us. Emma Hart, Sandy Secondary School, Bedfordshire

Typical workshop content might include;

an introduction to darkroom equipment,
film processing demonstration,
camera-less photography, photograms, cyanotypes, luminograms,
contact printing, enlargement, use of multigrade paper,
advanced darkroom technique, dodging and burning and split grade printing
experimental darkroom techniques.

Preparing a darkroom

Guidance on teaching darkroom techniques on GCSE, A level and BTEC course at schools and colleges

Having taught film and darkroom photography for some time, I recognise the common pitfalls encountered by new users and have developed a range of strategies to simplify learning. If you are introducing traditional analogue photography and darkroom techniques into your curriculum, I can help you to structure your sessions to support learning. Sessions also include a range of experimental darkroom techniques

Film photography

In addition to darkroom workshops, I can also provide training on using black and white film, choosing a camera, loading film, unloading film, processing options and film processing.

Film (analogue) photography

Pinhole photography and camera-less photography workshop

Learn how to create photographic images without the need for a camera. In this practical workshop, attendees will learn how to create photographic images without the need for a camera. They will also learn about the camera obscura before making their own pinhole cameras and using them to take a range of different pictures. This workshop can also include preparation and simple contact printing using the cyanotype process. At the end of the session, they will be able to take their cameras home to take extreme pinhole exposures over several months in length.

6 month pinhole Cheney Court near Bath

Prices

Prices start at £380 for a day for up to 5 attendees (2 if using the portable darkroom)

If you would like me to deliver an analogue photography workshop at your school, home or workplace give me a call or drop me an email.

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