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COPYRIGHT NOTICE

No photograph that is displayed and posted on this blog may be reproduced, copied, stored, manipulated or used in whole or in part of a derivative work without the prior written permission of the Copyright (c) Owner & Photographer: Trevor David Betts BA (Hons). All rights reserved.

A POLITE REMINDER

If you want to use any of my photographs displayed upon this blog, for inclusion in an essay, presentation, talk, or for posting on your blog or web site. Or for use in any other way or means. Then it would be very much appreciated if you could contact me first (as a matter of courtesy and decency) to seek my permission to use any of my photographs. Failure to do so is breach of my copyright and rights.





Tuesday, 30 April 2013

MONOCHROME TO SEPIA


Another example of sepia toning. The first monochrome photographic print is a straight forward print with no toning at all. The second print has had sepia toning. This changes the whole depth and appearance of the print. I also personally think it gives good skin tones to this curvaceous young lady.

Kingston upon Hull, North Humberside, England.

From no specific project as such, circa 1988.

Copyright of all images displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.

Friday, 26 April 2013

BLEACHED


A monochrome photographic print which as been copper toned. The image is of some obviously dead tree branches that have fallen into a peat bog. The copper toning has rendered them almost white.

Printed on fibre based photographic paper.

Thorne and Hatfield Moors, South Yorkshire, England. Now know as the Humber Head Peatlands.

From a group project, circa 1993.

Copyright of all images displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.

Monday, 22 April 2013

TIME AGAIN


I have posted the above monochrome photographic print because I heard of the recent sad passing of Storm Thorgerson. Some of you will know straight away who I am talking about. His album cover designs were pieces of art in their own right, in my own opinion he stands alongside the likes of Roger Dean and Dennis Riggs.

Back in the 1970s and perhaps later decades I know that I used to buy LPs based not just on their musical content but also that of the artwork on the cover and inner sleeve design. I have a lovely book of his designs which is entitled: Mind over Matter - The Images of Pink Floyd.

Back in the 1960s and 70s there was no CAD available, so designers like Storm relied upon pure artwork and photography to produce album covers for not just Pink Floyd but for 10cc and Peter Gabriel. Sadly another of my teenage heroes passes away.

Kingston upon Hull, North Humberside, England.

From the Constructed Images module for a 9231 City & Guilds Certificate in Photography, Circa 1994.

Copyright of all images displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.

Friday, 12 April 2013

RETICULATION PRINT


Reticulation takes place when you subject the film to very hot temperatures at the end of normal processing followed immediately by an ice cold stop bath. You then fix the film normally. I found it best to boil a kettle of water then wait about 2 minutes or so for it to cool down slightly (so as to not damage the plastic film developing tank). Empty the film developer out of the tank then replace this straightaway with the hot water. Give it 1-to-2 minutes and then pour away the hot water. Then take your jug of cold water (that as been in the fridge complete with ice cubes in it for a few hours) and pour this into the tank (again give it about 2 minutes and then pour away and fix the film as per normal.

This process is very hit and miss though. I also imagine that today's film emulsion are far stronger and will not allow you to do this. The film that I used was a cheap roll (not Ilford or Kodak).

The resulting photographic prints will have small dark dots or circles. You notice this when you have the film negatives in the enlarger and are using your focusing scope to focus in. You will see the reticulation effect if you click onto and enlarge the image.

Kingston upon Hull, North Humberside, England.

From a City & Guilds 9231 Certificate in Photography for the Image Derivation module, circa 1993.

Copyright of all images displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.


Thursday, 11 April 2013

JIGSAW WINDOW


This featured monochrome photographic print looks very much like one of those crazy mirrors you used to see at a fair (the ones that distort and change your reflection so that you either look like a Thin Lizzy or Meat Loaf).

It's just the way in which the buildings opposite this well-known local office block look like when reflected in the glass-clad exterior of this building.

Kingston upon Hull, North Humberside, England.

From no specific project as such, circa 1991.

Copyright of all images displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

ECHOES


A monochromatic photo-montage. Very simple in it's production. This particular photographic print is based upon the album track of the same name (Echoes) by Pink Floyd. I was experimenting with various photographic techniques and ways of producing the finished pieces to represent a specific song or track.

This one is entitled: Echoes from the album Meddle. In my own personal opinion you have not lived if you was not fortunate and lucky enough to see Pink Floyd play live. Probably my favourite group of all time.

Lee was about 3 years old when I took this. Now he is a a fully grown up young man, with a son of his own.

Kingston upon Hull, North Humberside, England.

From a City & Guilds 9231 Photography Course in the Constructed Image module. Which I successful completed at Hull Community Artworks, circa 1992.

Copyright of all images displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.

Monday, 8 April 2013

SEPIA THEN COPPER TONED


Another example of how chemical toning can alter the the tonal depth and appearance of a monochrome photographic print. The top and first print is one that was sepia toned. The second and bottom print is one that was copper toned.

The sepia toning actually emphasis the texture of the bark on this willow tree and gives the print a overall lightness. Whilst the copper toning gives a slightly darker and pink reddish feel to the print.

Kingston upon Hull. North Humberside, England.

From no specific project as such, circa 1990.

Copyright of all images displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.

Sunday, 7 April 2013

STUDIO BASED PORTRAITURE


From the early 1990s in the photographic studio at the old former Hull Community Artworks. This monochrome photographic print was a simply lit shot with a white background. The young lady featured here had (in my own opinion) beautiful skin tones and perfectly applied make-up. Apart from that she was very photogenic.

This print was then printed up onto Ilford fibre-based photographic paper (no toning).

Hull Community Artworks, Kingston upon Hull, North Humberside, England.

From no specific project as such, circa 1993.

Copyright of all images displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.

SLIDE SHOW

HELLO AND WELCOME

To my Photo Blog,

All my monochrome photography is darkroom produced. This portfolio consists of photographs from several of my projects, assignments, personal and course related work. Some of these monochrome photographic prints are then selectively toned.

Take a look at the slide show, or the popular posts. Click onto some of the many excellent blogs that I have listed in my blog roll. I welcome constructive feedback (post a comment).

Click onto the links in some of my posts which will then take you to the relevant website link where you will be able to find out more about that location, charity or organisation etc featured in the post and which is relevant to that specific image.

Also please click onto my links. Join my blog and my Google + followers. If you would like to know more about any particular photograph or project then please send me an email. My email address is at the foot of this page.

Also from time to time I will post videos that are of interest to me, mainly from my military background.

Yours sincerely

Trevor David Betts BA (Hons)

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TECHNICAL INFORMATION

All the photographs featured on this blog spot were taken on Canon analog 35mm SLR cameras which included: Canon A1, Canon AE1 (non-programme) and Canon T90. The Canon A1 was rendered useless after prolonged exposure to salt spray residue, and the AE1 suffered a malfunction, and one of my T90s just packed up on me during a photographic shoot.

Most of my camera equipment was initially purchased brand new, then as the years have past I have purchased second-hand equipment. But the vast majority of equipment I currently possess is well over twenty years old.

Canon FD lenses used were: 28, and 35mm wide angle, 50mm standard, 35-105mm short telephoto zoom and a 70-210mm large telephoto zoom lenses. Also used was a loaned Mamiya 645 with 50 and 80mm lenses. My favourite combination is a T90 fitted with the 35-105mm lens with an Hoya orange filter. I use Hoya orange, red, neutral density, and skylight filters. Hoya and Canon lens hoods. A Canon remote cable. I have used a great Metz 45 CT-4 flashgun for many years. I used this for the bounced and fill-in flash for some of the documentary and portraiture work.

Studio flash used was Courtenay brolly flash (just two heads fitted with soft boxes) at Hull Community Artworks studio (sadly this excellent local arts facility closed in 2001). Billingham and Tamrac camera bags (the Billingham is a old model that I have had for years - wonderful bags). The Tamrac one is a medium sized back pack type bag. Slik Black Diamond 88, and 500 DX Pro tripods. A Cullmann touring set (which consists of a light tripod, ball and swivel head, all-purpose clamp, suction cap, and a ground spike). I presently have three Canon T90 and one A1 SLR cameras.

Film used was mainly 35mm (with some 120mm). Ilford Delta monochrome negative print film, 100 asa (a few rolls of 400 asa as well). Ilford HP5 and FP4 (400 and 125 asa respectively). Fuji Neopan 400 asa. Various Fuji colour film. Photographic chemicals: Ilford ID-11 and Microphen film developers. Agfa Rodinal fine grain film developer, and Ilford Hypam fixer.

Photographic paper: Ilford Multigrade IV VC paper, Fibre based VC paper including warm and cool tone. Kentmere Velvet Stipple and Art Document papers. Kodak selenium toner. Barclay and Fotospeed sepia toners, and Colorvir blue toner. Durst M60 and Meopta 5 enlargers fitted with 50 and 80mm Schneider lenses. Kenro negative sheets and Jessops negative folders.

Most of my photography involves the use of the camera being securely mounted onto the tripod, with the shutter set to the 10 second delay. I bracket my exposures (relying on the excellent Canon in-camera meter). My aperture settings are usually between F5.6 and F22. In the vast majority of cases the very first exposure I take is usually the correctly exposed one.

Finished photographic prints (spotted if needed). At the 10 x 8 inch size are then scanned on an Epsom 1660 photo perfection scanner using Adope Photoshop CS2 at the 5.5 x 3.5 inch image or canvas size, 150 dpi and at the 750 x 550 pixels size, and saved as for the web. The only thing that is manipulated is the brightness balance and contrast levels.

DON'T FORGET

"It is the soldier, not the minister, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to fair protest.

It is the soldier, not the politician, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."

From: "Fighting for Queen and Country,
by Nigel 'Spud' Ely. Blake Publishing London, 2007.
"