Cheap Camera Challenge with… a Barbie Camera

for of not familiar cheap camera challenge, digitalrev site educates photographers. 1 idea try communicate is not equipment, photographer , ability create art tool given.

 

they have put toy cameras in hands of great photographers amazing results.

 

this time handed competant professional filmmaker barbie camera 240p resolution, , told him had create short film. turned out little silly , adult themed, of shots amazing. stick around end of video.

 

you might find video worth time.

 

for more philip bloom, click here.

years ago use of cheap film cameras popular same reasons used today expressed in above post.
i guess original kodak brownie cameras inexpensive way lots of normal people shoot stuff vacation pictures , easy following instructions came film , camera.

for while " diana" camera popular challenge artists , became fad while. professional photographers use cheap diana camera ( cost 10 cents ) plastic plastic lens , easy operate. had button pushed , leaf kinda fly through gate behind plastic lens ( there 1 spring wire operated shutter ).

with film there sheet of paper comes in box , has info on how use film , process , stuff that. there ( or @ least there used ) pictures show people how expose film.

like there picture of
1) sun
2) sun cloud
3) cloud
4) rain

 

something that...

and below each picture number ...like f 11, f 8, f 5.6, f 4 ....so looked @ picture , @ world around you...and matched them.

so if sunny out set camera lens f 11.

 

pretty simple....yipee !

 

so " basics " of camera operation...  other thing real basic choice of shoot...and how frame it.  nothing fancy diana camera.. looked through platic viewfinder , pointed @ thought pretty , pressed little plastic button.  had advance film or else stay there forever , keep getting multiple exposures !!!!  omg.

 

i used diana camera several bad things happened eventually.  1 thing plastic lens fell off , landed in dirt 1 day.  had use elmo's glue , stick onto camera.  worked out fine.

then light started leaking body through seams of plastic door load film. had put black paper tape around seams after loading film ( 120 size ).  worked out fine too.

to more " professional " in experiments cheapo camera started use secret method of exposing , developing film , in order specific " " in final prints.  cause had own darkroom , enlarger , stuff @ time.

this black , white now...

here's secret.  overexpose 1 stop.  means if see sun shining in real world, , see f 11 under picture of sun on film info sheet... open 1 stop f 8.

this fun because person starts think things instead of using camera features on fancy cameras.

for example, person learns f 11 f 8 twice amount of light. f 8 f 5.6 twice amount of light too.

with shutter speeds relationship becomes clear between f stops , shutter speeds.  example going 1/250 1/125 twice amount of time.  here's thinking in head gets cool...with cheapo camera.  let's correct exposure f 8 @ 1/60
cause person can see when letting in half amount of light ( f 8 f 11 ) can change shutter 1/30 , still have correct exposure !  difference dof changed f stop.  plot thickens cheapo camera teaches these things if aren't known already.

the diana camera made things easier stuff anyway. had 1 shutter speed ( think 1/60 , forget ). there no choice playing f stops , shutter speeds.

however ( secret overexposure method ) there way under develop film accomodate overexposed film... , chemical used ( developer ) in case of black , white, has nice paper info sheets telling kinds of stuff developer, developer times , temperatures , tells stuff normal human have no interest in @ all. turns out can under develop film overexposed film comes out pretty nice. secret developer " rodinol " made in foreign country.

it gives grainy negative sharp images , whites kinda " glow " little bit... pretty !  not " soft " might think...you sorta have see print know mean.

all of stuff has been introduced here in earlier threads , although in world of digital easy translate lessons learned on diana platic still camera ( film ) current digital world of still cameras. can applied motion pictures if person keeps in mind film motion picture camera based on 180 degree shutter...

that means @ 24 fps shutter speed 1/48th sec.  people refer " film ".  changing f stop , iso , shutter speeds related , of having understanding of things using cheapo equipment , doing thinking on own. also, same basics apply regarding framing of shots , choice of subject matter.

this image below diana camera.  in pond when took pic, , used secret exposure / rodinol method. not bit snapping turtle , thank gawd.  diana camera not water proof bet $100.00 have floated if dropped in pond.

that's other thing cheapo cameras. disposable !

 

 

 

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