help with film and digital photography club at my school please.

-halli-

-halli-

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Holidays have just started and I'm already thinking of a club I'm going to run at school next term!

I'm a teacher in a Primary school and I fancied running a photography club. Rather than just jumping in with digital, I was considering going back to basics and starting with making pinhole cameras and then possibly pinhole film cameras.

I'd even like to develop the films at school too.

Here's the tricky bit though - I've never done anything with film before. Not got a clue!

I made a pinhole camera when I was at school in the 80s, and remember putting objects on photographic paper (but can't remember the process of fixing)

So, can anyone give me any pointers as to what kit I would need, how to best build a "matchbox type" film pinhole camera and where I could get some REALLY cheap equipment (Film, developing kit etc.) ?

I'd also appreciate some pointers as to how I would use it all (inc developing). I've done a google but it is easy to get bogged down in rubbish. I know there are some really knowledgeable folk on here who will know how to explain it to a novice like me! (or point me towards some good websites)

My scanner has a film scanner light lid. I guess this would be OK for scanning the developed film?

I've imagined the club going through this progression throughout the year, each item on the list might take a differing amount of sessions.

1) Shoebox pinhole cameras (the ones with the greaseproof paper screens)
2) Photo paper and objects on top (what's this called again?)
3) Matchbox film pinhole cameras
4) Developing films
5) Scanning negatives
6) Digital camera introduction - composition
7) Digital camera - basic macro
8) Digital camera - portrait
9) Digital camera - candid portraits (if the kids in the playground don't cotton-on and pose!)
10) Digital camera - animation
11) Digital video .....

Anything you would add to the list?

Thanks in advance :thumbs:
 
Maybe a bit about cameras in general and optics at 3 and a half... film camera maybe - so you got something to develop in part four?
 
Thank you for the reply, I guess I could do a bit about optics, but I'd need to make it interesting for a bunch of KS2 kids. Any ideas?

Ambermile said:
so you got something to develop in part four?
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The films from the matchbox pinhole cameras.
 
Hmm - it's a whole lot easier to develop a roll...

They will need to know *why* lenses since you just showed them you don't need one!
 
Ambermile said:
Hmm - it's a whole lot easier to develop a roll...

They will need to know *why* lenses since you just showed them you don't need one!
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I was thinking of using a roll. I'm sure I remember my teacher at school making a matchbox pinhole camera with a roll of film going into an empty roll or something.

Just googled and found this - just as I remember :D

EDIT: Link would help :trigger:

http://www.matchboxpinhole.com/
 
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The only step you've missed that I can see is darkroom printing. It's magic and would have small children captivated. The only problem I can see involves small children, short attention spans, dark rooms and a load of chemicals. Other than that it'd be peachy:thumbs:

I wish I still lived in Northumberland, I'd have been happy to run you through the developing and printing side of things.
 
Kev M said:
The only step you've missed that I can see is darkroom printing. It's magic and would have small children captivated. The only problem I can see involves small children, short attention spans, dark rooms and a load of chemicals.
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Sadly, the other problem is lack of a darkroom and equipment :( That's why I'll be using the scanner and laser printer (better than nothing I suppose)

Kev M said:
Other than that it'd be peachy:thumbs:
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Cheers :thumbs:

Kev M said:
I wish I still lived in Northumberland, I'd have been happy to run you through the developing and printing side of things.
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Northumberland's the place to be :D
 
I think I might retire there in 40 years time, it was a very peaceful place to be and I might even be able to afford a house in Alnwick or Alnmouth by then.
 
Anyone have any recommendations as to what to buy for developing the films and from where? I don't have a clue what I'm looking for (equipment and chemicals wise)

Also where to buy some cheap film?
 
Film

Chemicals - would depend on the film to some extent - complete Ilford ID-11 chemical starter packs are available on Ebay for about £30. Then a tank and if no dark room a changing sack. And a scanner if no printing facilities.
 
I'd recommend Ilfosol3 as a developer. Not because it's particularly brilliant but it's good enough for what you want to do and its liquid so it's simpler to use than a powder developer.

I've got a processing tank you can have but I'm not back in the UK for a couple more weeks so I can't post it until then. Changing bags can be had off ebay pretty cheap if you shop around, get the biggest you can afford, the more room to work the better.
 
-halli- said:
Anyone have any recommendations as to what to buy for developing the films and from where? I don't have a clue what I'm looking for (equipment and chemicals wise)

Also where to buy some cheap film?
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There's really some scope for someone a little more literate and competent to write a sticky thread for this... Volunteers anyone??
 
With the coming of the Fuji I bought a bigger changing bag - you can have ny old one if you want it.

Just leaves the chemicals then :thumbs:


PS - litterut? 'round here?
 
I might make a start on something this afternoon if it's quiet around here. Can't add images unless I steal them off the net as I'm away with work and have nothing to hand.

I could make a start on developing B&W 35mm & medium format but someone else might want to add to it with regards to LF as I've zero experience of it. I could do a bit about printing (even though I'm carp and still learning) but that might be a somewhat limited audience.

Someone else can write about scanning though, I makes me die a little bit every time I turn the scanner on.
 
I think BY means what you need and where to get it ... hardly a week goes by without a Q like this (though this is a bit different as its' phillanthropic*)







*littrussy eh? Who'd have it?
 
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Ambermile said:
Film

Chemicals - would depend on the film to some extent - complete Ilford ID-11 chemical starter packs are available on Ebay for about £30. Then a tank and if no dark room a changing sack. And a scanner if no printing facilities.
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Is that the cheapest I could get? I've no clue about prices to be honest :bonk:

The film wouldn't need to be anything special for the pinhole cameras, cheaper the better really ;)

I can't seem to find anything on eBay regarding the chemicals when searching for Ilford ID-11. How many films would a starter pack develop?

Kev M said:
I'd recommend Ilfosol3 as a developer. Not because it's particularly brilliant but it's good enough for what you want to do and its liquid so it's simpler to use than a powder developer.

I've got a processing tank you can have but I'm not back in the UK for a couple more weeks so I can't post it until then.
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That's really kind of you, thank you. I'll PM you in a few weeks. :thumbs:

Ambermile said:
With the coming of the Fuji I bought a bigger changing bag - you can have ny old one if you want it.
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That's brilliant! Thank you very much. I'll contact you via PM regarding the details :thumbs:
 
Ambermile said:
I think BY means what you need and where to get it ... hardly a week goes by without a Q like this (though this is a bit different as its' phillanthropic*)







*littrussy eh? Who'd have it?
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If it's just a case of where to buy stuff rather than what to buy we can ask the MODs for a new "Use the search facility/Google" smiley;)
 
See, now I *know* you are joking but do newbies?
 
Ambermile said:
I think BY means what you need and where to get it ... hardly a week goes by without a Q like this
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A sticky for both would be great! Where to buy and what to do.

I'll post up the results of the club (as long as there aren't any pics of the kids) and some pictures of the kit in use (doctored so you can't recognise the kids or the school logos etc.)

I'll also do a thread on making the matchbox camera.
 
-halli- said:
It would help if I knew what to search for though - not a clue, but willing to learn and pass it on. See/read it, do it, teach it.
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That's exactly the problem...

I sort of envisaged a "Shooting and Processing your first 35mm black and white film for dummies" style thread

Where to get film

What you need for Developing and where to get it
chemicals
hardware

Instructions for use
link to ilfords lovely pdf file...

Ways of printing
Digital
scanner recommendations
software recomendations
Analogue
kit list
howto



That sort of thing...
 
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I just think that a sticky would help pull the beginners information into one thread... Obviously, B&W processing is a pretty personal thing, and most of us have found variations that work for our own style of working. For myself, by and large, I've stuck to the ilford "processing your first B&W film" pdf, though I have experimented with different chemicals (man!) for the developing. I would actually have a go at this myself, but when it comes to the wet darkroom printing side i'd be working from memories of work done whilst still at school, a good thirty years ago.
 
I would be more than happy to write a sticky (if i'm given a few days). I think the hardest part is dev'ing your first film and wet printing is much easier than imagined :) Let me know if I can be of any help :)
 
Isn't Freecycle great!?

I've just bagged two enlargers, a 6'8" tall dryer and a box full of film developing related gubbins for my school!

I've got a lot of learning to do :D (and a darkroom to make
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)
 
Ambermile said:
With the coming of the Fuji I bought a bigger changing bag - you can have ny old one if you want it.
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The bag was delivered this morning. Thank you very much Arthur
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Was there meant to be a roll of film in it?
 
Ah... that may be an old empty one - Rollei Retro 100 by any chance? If so it's the used cannister out of the Konishiroku tail end of last week :D
 
Oops - sorry, posting you my rubbish wasn't part of the plan :lol:
 
Ambermile said:
Oops - sorry, posting you my rubbish wasn't part of the plan :lol:
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I was just worried it hadn't been developed yet!

I need some used canisters to make the matchbox cameras, so it won't go to waste ;)
 
I'd ditch the film stuff alltogether it's really not going to be all the relevant to kids that age these days and you've got a whole lot of equipment, cost and work hassle. Jump straight in with the digital get the kids taking pictures in a way they'll understand and I think you'll see much better results in terms of enjoyment and improvment in standards. It's a club it supposed to be fun!
 
Ambermile said:
Ah... that may be an old empty one - Rollei Retro 100 by any chance? If so it's the used cannister out of the Konishiroku tail end of last week :D
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:lol: A nasty habit that I keep trying to break myself of. Number of times I've put everything in the bag, zipped up, then stuck my hands in, and spent 5 minutes trying to decide which of the 3 canisters of 35mm is the one that's actually still got some film in it! Glad to see someone else forgets to remove the last roll occasionally!
 
a1ex2001 said:
I'd ditch the film stuff alltogether it's really not going to be all the relevant to kids that age these days and you've got a whole lot of equipment, cost and work hassle. Jump straight in with the digital get the kids taking pictures in a way they'll understand and I think you'll see much better results in terms of enjoyment and improvment in standards. It's a club it supposed to be fun!
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Silly talk in a film section, no?
 
a1ex2001 said:
I'd ditch the film stuff alltogether it's really not going to be all the relevant to kids that age these days and you've got a whole lot of equipment, cost and work hassle. Jump straight in with the digital get the kids taking pictures in a way they'll understand and I think you'll see much better results in terms of enjoyment and improvment in standards. It's a club it supposed to be fun!
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:shrug: What an odd opinion. You're entitled to it though.

I'm only new at film stuff. I've been doing this teacher hobby for about 14 years now.
 
Ambermile said:
Silly talk in a film section, no?
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No I have a pile of film cameras that I use and enjoy, I was just offering some perfectly reasonable advice on how I would approach the OP's situation.

-halli- said:
:shrug: What an odd opinion. You're entitled to it though.

I'm only new at film stuff. I've been doing this teacher hobby for about 14 years now.
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It is exactly that, only an opinion. Not mean't as a crticisim of you, your teaching or what your trying to achieve.

Why is everyone so defensive today?
 
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'Cos it's all we get in here from the digital-only guys. Pinholes and so on are fun and teach about light and optics - not cameras and modes.
 
there is always the one, always. :D

( I was taught - and had to make- a pin hole camera when I was 10 years old. Had nothing to do with photography and every thing to do with science. And besides, film is much more fun than digital - and I have a pile of digital- , so the whole point is moot)
 
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a1ex2001 said:
No I have a pile of film cameras that I use and enjoy,
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So you think the kids will not?

I've done the digital photography clubs

I've done the digital animation clubs (Y'know, we made flicker books in animation club too ;) )

I've done the Digital video clubs

Now I'm going to offer a photography club with a bit of history attached to it. The kids will not be forced to come. As for cost, I've got all the kit from freecycle and the kind people of this forum. All I now need is film, paper and chemicals, which I'll ask the parents for contributions.
 
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