Davide Ferrari
Placement report
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Contents Section-0 : Intro 4
Introduction: My placement
Section-I : Career management 6
Career tools - CV
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Covering letter
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Online portfolio
Section-II : Project Outline 24
Project Outline with images
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I - Cross Processing
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II - Texture Overlaying
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III - Retouching
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VI - Film Scannings
Section-III : Social Media 64
Use of Social Media
Introduction: My placement
When I started looking for a placement, I was asked if I would be have been interested in working online for an image group company called IML. This company, based in Athens - Greece, produces, modifies and sells photography all over the world. I was glad to accept and have the possibility to improve my post-production’ skills. Due to the distance that separates me from Greece, what I was asked to do was to retouch and modify photos using photoshop. More specifically some of my tasks were to change photos’ resolution, to crop and straighten images, to fix levels, curves and colour correct them while caring not to lose details, and again to remove dust and marks from scanning’s process. In order to work smoothly with large tiff files, I was given an account on their ftp server through which I was able to download raw images and upload them once corrected. Despite the fact that I was not working along with other persons, I have to say that IML follows the Artist Placement Group’s concept that “Context is half of the work”. I worked with more than one member of the staff based in Athens and I was receiving suggestions by email. I also collaborated together with one other member of the team in a creative and satisfactory project. I mainly learned all the technique I needed to accomplish my tasks alone, using Internet based tutorial and two books I bought for the occasion. I feel satisfied and enriched by this useful experience that enormously helped me to improve my photoshop knowledge. I have to say that it is a real pity that due to copyright problems I am not allowed to show my work in public environments. The images I used for my personal project are a testimony of the techniques I learned and used.
Career tools - CV
DAVIDE FERRARI 88 Nimrod Road, London, SW16 6TG1 Telephone: 020 8835 9094 (Home); 0750 6179 039 (Mobile) Email: Ferrari.davide.lsbu@gmail.com
Professional Profile
An enthusiastic and motivated Photographer, who enjoys being part of a successful and productive team as well as working on his own. Quick to grasp new ideas and concepts, and to develop innovative and creative solutions to assignments. Able to work well on his own initiative and can demonstrate the high levels of motivation required to meet the tightest of deadlines. Even under significant pressure, possesses a strong ability to perform effectively.
Objective
Now looking to gain experience and build up an extensive range of technical skills within a suitably challenging role. Keen to achieve professional development.
Key Technical Skills
Photographic Knowledge
Graphic Expert Knowledge
Good Working Knowledge
Full frame cameras Adobe PhotoShop
Adobe Flash
MF Cameras
Photomatix PRO
Microsoft Excel
Uses of lights/Flashes
Adobe Lightroom
Microsoft PowerPoint
Studio Equipment
Adobe Bridge
Adobe InDesign
Academic Career Summary
2007-Currently Studying:
Modules Included:
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Digital Photography (BA), South Bank University, London
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Photographic Index:
Photographic Index is a unit that examines the nature of the photographic image through critical methodologies and practice-based research project. It focus upon understanding the photographic representation of contemporary youth culture both in terms of the representational aspects of photographic imagery and as a cultural practice.
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Digital Image Fundamentals:
The aim of this unit was to introduce us to the practical production of digital photographic images. During the semester we learnt to use various technologies, processes and devices that together make the basis of digital photography.
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Sites and Practices of Photography:
In Sites and Practices I had the opportunity to learn about the various uses of photography in contemporary life and examine the influence of photography on our environment. In this unit we directed our attention to the theory and history of photography.
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Developing the Digital Image:
This Unit allowed me to improve my Apple Macintosh PC software knowledge, acquire advanced skills and photographic techniques in Adobe Photoshop, it introduced me to an advanced use of studio’s camera lights as well as medium format professional digital cameras.
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Photographic Rhetoric:
In Photographic Rhetoric I had the possibility to improve my skills in visual and theoretical research and project planning, to develop the ability to undertake a ‘finished’ project in a very short period of time and to experience of directing an assistant as well as assisting a photographer.
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Photographic Culture:
Photographic Culture has been designed to introduce us to a set of photographic cultures identified as selfpublishing, amongst which the photobook occupies a central stage. In this unit I examined the concepts of artist’s book and photobook and its relation to printing technologies, through theoretical texts, case studies and presentations. I also produced a photobook and made it available on a print on demand platform.
Selected Portfolio
http://davide.clickgarden.net/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/davideferrari/show/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/davideferrari/sets/72157609539107805/show/
http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=3158578
Formal Qualifications
Technical Diploma in Electronics and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, Milan, Italy (1998-2003)
Personal Details
Date of Birth:
18/12/83
Languages:
English & Italian
Nationality:
Italian
Health:
Excellent; non-smoker
Interests & Activities
Currently include: Photography, Environmental problems, cinema.
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Covering letter
I was not required to write a covering letter as I already know one of the member of the staff. We had the possibility to meet in London for a chat and I subsequently called her and discussed about my competences and level of knowledge in photoshop and post-production in general. I also sent my CV to her to be examinated. Aftwerwards I was immediately informed about the tasks I was supposed to do and I received instructions on how to download and upload photos on their server.
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Online portfolio
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Project Outline with images
Since I was not directly involved in the process of tacking photographs but my duties were rather related to the post-production and also due to the fact that I would not be allowed to use any photograph outside the working environment, I decided to base my project on my own photos and to apply to them some of the techniques I learned during this experience. Firstly I would like to point out that thanks to this work placement I improved and refined any technique I previously knew, from knowledge of the selection tools to the retouching skills. I had to spend a lot of time using photoshop and this let me get really acquainted with the program. Tasks such as white balance’ adjustment, curves and levels’ correction and exposure compensation, are under my control and I can now use them with confidence. After this initial period , I started working with some technique among which : I Cross Processing II Textures Overlaying III Retouching I also get interested in film photography since many of the photos I was working with, were made with film cameras. Below there are some picture that illustrates the photoshop techniques I was using, while the last section is dedicated to some examples of medium format and 35mm scanning I made. IV Film Scannings
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I - Cross Processing
The Cross Process is a technique originally introduced and used in the film camera’s era. It consists in deliberate processing of a film using a chemical solution that is supposed to be used with different type of films. For instance positive reversal films (slides) were developed using the C-41 chemical, that is intend to be used with negative film. Vice versa negative film could be developed using the E-6 chemical, which is intended for slides. In modern times, in the photoshop’s era, these results are achieved manipulating opportunely each RGB channel using the curves tool. The final appearance of the photo could be very interesting under many aspects, I really like the colours and the sense of melancholy that they assume.
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II - Textures Overlaying
This technique is used to give photos an older aspect, as if the have been crumpled. It adds grain and a real texture to the picture, it is very effective if used with Black and White photos but it could be used with colors images as well. It is obtained by scanning a crumpled sheet of paper and overlaying it to the photo. The effect is visible in the following photos.
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III - Retouching As soon as it concerns the retouching, I have to say that I mainly had to remove scratches and dust from photographs, nevertheless I used some of the techniques described in the books I have been reading, to modify some photographs for other university project. Here I present some examples of these modifications.
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IV - Film Scannings
These photographs have been taken with an old Medium format bellows camera and a 35mm film camera. All of them have been scanned and digitally retouched and modified to obtain the desired result. I wanted to explore the world of analogical photography because during this work experience I have been surprised by the quality that these devices are able to deliver. The results confirmed my suspicion that film cameras are still able to produce amazing results.
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Use of Social Media
Despite my efforts to try to use social media such as twitter, to communicate my progresses to everyone, I found really difficult, and under certain aspects not so helpful, to update the site constantly. My tasks, which were really systematic and similar, were not so suitable to be translated into short messages. Rather than overload my social space with useless and repetitive messages on what I was doing, I found it much more useful to add some links to photoshop tutorials that might have been useful to everyone.
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