Premonitions

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Thesis/Dissertation Collections

6-15-1973

Premonitions

Samuel Wernick

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PREMONITIONS:

By Samuel

W

ernick

candidate for the Master of Fine

Arts

Degree in the College of

Photographic Arts

and

Sciences,

of

the Rochester Institute of

Technology

June 15, 1973.

Betty Hahn

APPROVED

BY:

Betty

Hahn

Assistant

Professor

of

Photography

School of

Photographic Arts

and SCiences,

.

R.I.T.

Paul

Laincz

Assistant Professor

of

Photography

Kutztown State College

Kutztown, Pa.

Owen Butler

Inst

r

uctor of Photography

S.P.A.S.

R.I.T.

C1

^

TO

JOAN

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

TITLE

PAGE

AND

APPROVAL

SHEET

I

DEDICATION

II

TABLE

OP

CONTENTS

III

INDEX

OF

ILLUSTRATIVE

MATERIAL

1IV

INTRODUCTION

V

CALENDAR

OF

PROCEDURES

1

CONCLUSION

2

TECHNICAL

DATA

3

BIBLIOGRAPHY

4

SAMPLE

SPECIMEN

5

TRANSPARENCIES

OF

THESIS

PRINTS

6

INDEXING

OF

ILLUSTRATIVE

MATERIAL

SAMPLE

5"

x 7"

SPECIMEN

5

TRANSPARENCIES

OF

THESIS

6

(itemized

left

to

right

1-18

inclusive)

INTRODUCTION

The

aesthetic and

intellectual

dimensions

of

this

ex ploration

function

in

an extended range of

photography,

which

incorporates

the

use of a

camera,

to

alter or man

ipulate

an

image,

somehow,

in

order

to

create and

inter

pret a new symbolic

meaning

for

the

image.

The

images

I

have

encountered

in

this

extended range are

"out

of

focus",

and evoke

intuitive

feelings,

vague

notions,

and unclear

stimulating

ideas;

factors

which

function

to

define

the

realm of

premonitory

_responses.

This

level

of visual

awareness

is

often

encountered,

however

seldom understood.

Photographs

represent

the

isolation

of an event or

occurrence which

has

come

to

pass

in

"real"

time.

When

a photograph

is

taken,

it

isolates

"real"

time

in

photographic

time.

Because

photographic

time

parallels "real"

time,

photographic

reality

exists

in

the

past.

If

the

photograph,

when

taken,

has

not yet

been

fully

realized,

if

it

merely

appears

in

a state of extended realistic

representation,

then

it

exists

in

the

pre-present and

has

not yet

fully

reached photographic

time.

Because

of

this,

the

photograph

is

not a statement of photographic reality.

It

is

actually

only

a statement of possible photographic

reality

or a premonition of photographic reality.

CALENDER

OF

PROCEDURES

February 1,

1973-

Shooting

begins

February

15,

1973

20

rolls

developed

February

16,

1973

Toning

experimentation with

10

workprints

March

25,

1973

40

rolls

developed

April

15,

1973

60

rolls

developed

plus

20

workprints

May

1,

1973

80

rolls

developed

plus

30

workprints

May

2,

1973

Editing

begins

June

6,

1973

15

finished

prints

June

8,

1973

i.2

finished

prints and

final

toning

June

9,

1973

Final

editing

CONCLUSION

The

intended

affect of a

visually

oriented

thesis,

must

be

experienced

first

hand,

in

order

to

gain

its

true

mean

ing.

Viewing

a slide

is

simply

another

step

away

from

the

reality

which

it

represents or symbolizes.

To

view a slide often

only

reveals

the

content of

the

work of

art,

with

total

disregard

for

its

form.

Obviously,

therefore,

it

is

more effective

to

view

the

actual print.

Therefore

I

have

included

a sample

5x7

inch

print

toned

exactly

the

same

as

the

larger

thesis

prints which were

10

x

15

inches.

The

images

presented are all photographs about photo

graphy.

The

small

hexagonal

lights

which appear

in

the

sample print are a

truly

photographic statement.

Of

course

the

entire

image

is

photographic,

however,

these

small

patterns,

taken

out of

context,

and portrayed

through

another

medium,

would still

be

photographic

in

its

nature,

as

is

true

of

the

amount of

focus,

inherent,

from

sharpness

to

obscurity

o

In

a statement made

by

Ernst

Hans

Josef

Gombrich

in his

book

Art

and

Illusion^

in

an article entitled

"Conditions

of Illusion"

he

makes

this

statement,

regarding

the

im

pressionists:

"Where

they

tease

us with

incomplete

forms,

they

take

good care

to

remain

intelligible,

so

that

we can apprediate

their

concern with

the

transitory

and elusive

features

of visual reality"--

Not

all out of

focus

photographs

are successful

in

this

respect.

Such

elements as

the

range of

tonality

and

the

range of

obscurity have

to

be

very

cautiously

considered.

I

have

presented what

I

feel

are

all

visually

fertile

statements.

In

each

image,

a

viewer,

might

easily

experience,

intuitive

feelings

or

any

abstrac

tion

which

he

chooses

to

project.

The

images

are symbolic of

the

mood,

the

time,

and

setting

under which

the

photographs

were

taken.

The

meaning

of

the

images

are

different

to

everyone.

The

intent

of

the

images

are

to

stimulate

the

minds

of all who view

them.

"-TECHNICAL

NOTES

All

negatives used were

35

mm,

exposed with a single

lens

reflex

Nikon

and were

developed

in

D76

or,D25

developer

for

varying

lengths

of

time

at

75

F.

All

prints are 10" x 15"

printed on 16" x 20"

Agfa

Portriga

Rapid

paper of number

three

hardness,

developed

in

Printofine

developer

for

three

minutes at

72

P.

Selenium

toner

was used

to

color and

intensify

the

prints,

A

bath

consisting

of

8

ounces of

Kodak

Selenium

Toner

mixed with

64

ounces of water

in

a 16" x 20"

tray

will give a nice workable solution

for

toning

in

about

twenty

minutes at

approximately

85

F.

L-.

All

prints are presented

in

one-hundred

percent,

rag

free,

archival mounts and were

developed

according

to

arch

ival

standards compiled

from

a pamphlet

distributed

by

the

National

Gallery

of

Ottawa,

Canada

entitled

Notes

on

the

Care

of

Prints

and Drawings,^ and

from

A

Guide

to

Collecting

and

Care

of

Original

Prints.3

Notes

on

the

Care

of

Prints

and

Drawings

Restoration

&

Conservation

Laboratory

National

Gallery

of

Canada,

Ottawa

1973

C.

Zigrosser

and

C.

M.

Gaehde:

A

Guide

to

Collecting

and

Care

of

Original

Prints.

The

Print

Council

of

BIBLIOGRAPHY

OF

READINGS

Arnheim,

Rudolf,

Art

and

Visual

Perception

University

of

California Press

1954

Arnheim,

Rudolf,

Visual

Thinking

University

of

California Press

1969

C.

Zigrosser

and

C.

M.

Gaehde:

A

Guide

to

Collecting

and

Care

of

Original

Prints.

The

Print

Council

of

America,

Crown

Publishers,

Inc.,

New

York,

1965

Gombrich,

Ernst

Hans

Josef,

Art

and

Illusion

Pantheon

1961

Kepes, Gyorgy,

Language

of

Vision

P.

Pheobold

1944

Lippard,

Lucy

R.

,

Edited

by:

Surrealists

on

Art

Prentice

Hall

Inc.

1970

Notes

on

the

Care

of

Prints

and

Drawings

Restoration

&

Conservation

Laboratory

National

Gallery

of

Canada,

Ottawa

1973

PREMONITIONS:

By Samuel

W

ernick

candidate for the Master of Fine

Arts

Degree in the College of

Photographic Arts

and

Sciences,

of

the

Rochester

Institute of Technology

June 15, 1973.

Betty

Hahn

APPROVED

BY:

Betty

Hahn

Assistant Professor

of

Photography

School of

Photographic Arts

and Sciences, R.I.T.

Paul

Laincz

Assistant Professor

of

Photography

Kutztown State College

Kutztown, Pa.

Owen Butler

Inst

r

uctor of

Photography

S.

P

.A.S.

R.I.T.

TO

JOAN

TABLE

OF C;,V

EMTS

TITLE

AGE

AND

APPROVAL

SUi:.J?

-

I

DEDICATION

.*.,-.. ..

II

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

... ,

III

INDEX

OF

13.LUSVRATIVB

IL'.TERIAL

.

IIV

INTRODUCTION

.

V

CALENDAR

OF

P^CCL

-JURIS .-.-..-. _ - .

1

CONCLUSION

.

2

TECHNICAL

DATA

.-.-

3

BIBLIOGRAPHY

~~

4

Smi:.L

SPhCIHi'-H

---- -

5

TRANSPARENCIES

OF

TtlE.'-IS

PRINTS

6

INDEXING

OF

ILLUSTRATIVE

MATERIAL

SAMPLE

5"

x 7"

SPECIMEN

-5

TRANSi-ARCNCItS

oF

THI.SIS

-

6

(itemized

left

to

ricjht

1-18

inclusive)

INTRODUCTION

The

aesthetic and

intellectual

dimensions

of

this

ex

ploration

function

in

an

extended

range of

photography,

which

incorporates

the

use of a

camera,

to

alter or man

ipulate

an

image,

somehow,

in

order,

to

create and

inter

pret a new symbolic

meaning

for

the

image.

The

Images

I

have

encountered

in

this

extended range are

"out

of

focus",

and evoke

intuitive

feelings,

vague

notions,

and unclear

stimulating

ideas;

factors

which

function

to

define

the

realra of

premonitory

_responses.

This

leval

of visual

awareness

is

often

encountered,

however

seldom understood.

Photographs

represent

the

isolation

of an event or occurrence which

has

coe

to

pass

in

"rival"

time.

When

a photograph

is

taken,

it

isolates

"real"

time

in

_photographic

time.

Because

photographic

time

parallels "reel"

time,

photographic

reality

exists

in

th

past.

If

the

photograph,

when

taken,

has

not yet

been

fully

realized,

if

it

merely

appears

in

a state of extended realistic

representation,

then

it

exists

in

the

pre-present and

has

not yet

fully

reached photographic

time.

Because

of

this,

the

photograph

is

not a statement of photographic reality.

It

is

actually

only

a statement of possible photographic

reality

or a

premonition of photographic reality.

CALaSDaR

OF

PROC

.;i,;a;s

t

February 1,

1973-Shooting

begin!

February

15,

l?73

-

20

_rolls

ebruary

16,

1973

Toning

experimentation with

10

workprints

March

25,

1973

40

roll

developed

April

15,

1973

60

roll

developed

plus

20

workprints

May

1,

1973

80

rolls

developed

plus

30

workprints

May

2,

1973

Editing

begins

June

6,

1973

-

15

finished

_prints

June

8,

1973

22

finished

prints and

final

toning

June

9,

1973

-Final

editing

CONCLUSION

The

intended

affect of a

visually

oriented

thesis,

must

be

experienced

first

hand,

in

order

to

gain

its

true

mean

ing.

Viewing

a slide

is

imply

another

step

away

from

the

reality

which

it

represents

or

symbolizes.

To

view a slide

often

only

reveals

the

content of

the

work of

art,

with

total

disregard

for

its

form.

Obviously,

therefore,

it

is

more effective to view

tie

actual print.

Therefore

X

have

included

a sample

5x7

inch

print

toned

exactly

the

same

as

the

l-rper

thesis

prints which were

10

x

15

inches.

The

images

presented are all photographs about photo

graphy.

The

small

hexagonal

lights

which appear

in

the

sample print are a

truly

photographic _statement.

Of

course

the

entire

image

is

photographic,

however,

these

small

patterns,

taken

out of

context,

and portrayed

through

another

medium,

would still

be

photographic

in

its

nature,

as

is

true

of

th

amount of

focus,

inherent,

from

sharpness

to

obscurity.

In

a statement made

by

I'.rnst

Bans

Josef

--oiPbrich

in

his

book

Trt

an-u

Illusion,

in

an article entitled

"Conditions

of Illusicn"

he

aakes

this

statement,

regarding

the

im

pressionists:

"Vvhere

they

tease

us with

incomplete

forms,

they

take

good care

to

remain

intelligible,

no

that

wc cdh

api

reciate

their

cencern with

the

transitory

and elusive

features

of visual reality"--

Hot

all out of

focus

photographs

are successful ii?

this

respect*

Such

elements as

the

range

of

tonality

and

the

range of

obscurity

have

to

be

very

cautiously

considered.

I

have

presented what

I

fel

are

all

visually

fertile

statements.

In

each

image,

a

viewer,

ii,ight

easily

experience,

Intuitive

feelings

or

any

abstrac

tion

which

he

chooses

to

project. eh

images

are syrabolic

of

the

mood,

the

time,

and

setting

under which

the

photcgraphs

were

taken.

The

meaning

of the

imager,

art-

different

to

everyone.

The

intent

of

the

images

are

to

stimulate

tho

Kinds

of all who view

ties.

Gombrich,

Ernst

Hans

Josef

Art

and

Illusion

TECHNICAL,

NOTES

All

negatives used were

35

mv,

exposed with a single

lens

reflex

Hlkon

and 'were

developed

in

D76

or,

025

developer

for

varying

lengths

of

time

at

75

k\

Ml

prints are 10" x 15"

printed on 16" x 20"

Agfa

Porttiga

fcapid

paper of number

three

hardiness,

developed

ia

*rintoine

devcloaer

for

three

minutes at

72

P.

Selenium

toner

was used

to

color and

intensify

the

prints,

A

bath consisting

of

8

ounces of

Kodak

Selenium

Toner

laixed

with

64

ounces of water

in

a 16" x 20M

tray

will give a nice

workable solution

for

toning

in

about

twenty

minute at

approximately

85

F.

.

y

All

prints are presented

in

one-hundred

percent,

rag

free,

archival mount and were

developed

according

to

arch

ival

standards compiled

from

a pamphlet

distributed

by

the

Rational

Gallery

f

Ottawa,

Canada

entitled

hotes

on the

Care

of,

Prints

and Drawings*" and

froia

^

Guiue

to

Col

I

.._ctlnp

mil<i.ili-iaiiOW...tnMB| t^WmmltimmtnmtimnMttlili 1. 1i;u In.nmj-WIKWiiW-WinHWWWMWmi iWWWnl i "*<nmW -., *rn"iiiifwwn-

.i,ii.ii"--w--i-i|--'in.,.%.wmbm.>.n.nwMii .

and

Cere

of

Original

Irints.--Sotes

on

the

Care of

Prints

and

drawings

Restoration Conservation

Laboratory

national

Gallery

of

Canada,

Ottawa

1973

C.

aiarosser

and

C.

2a.

Gaehde:

A

_

Guide

to.

Collecting

and Care of t.-ric;inal

trin.ts.

The

Print

Council

of

D10L.tOG!P*rHY

OF

atL.DIKGi>

Arnheiic,

Rudolf,

^rt and

Visual

.Perception

University

of

California

trees

1954

Arnheim,

Rudolf,

Visual

Thinking

University

of

California

Press

1969

C,

Sigrosser

and

0.

fi.

Gaehde:

Aj

Guijde

to

Collecting

and

Care

of

original

..rln.ta.

the

Print

Council

of

America,

Crown

Jub:

iahers.

Inc.,

New

York,

1965

Gombrich,

*

Ernst

Hans

Josef,

f

Art

imr\mt,ummi".nmmm*i-Miim-irmmmmand

Illusion

'imi mi

Pantheon

1--61

Kepes,

Gyorgy,

I

mguafte,.of.

Vision

iJ,

Pheobold

1944

Lippard,

Lucy R.,

Edited

by:

Surrca

.1

ia

ts

;

on

Art

Prentice

Hail

Inc.

ID

70

Notes

on

t$t

Care

of

trlntff,

and.

Drawings

Restoration

&

Conservation

Laboratory

National

Gallery

of

Ottawa

1973