Online Photography Course
Polaroid/Fuji Image and Emulsion Transfer

Your Instructor
Kathleen T. Carr

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What You Get

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	Benefits: You get direct feedback on your photos from world-acclaimed, professional photographers. You can learn photography in this way from anywhere in the world.
Learn at your pace, with structure. Be guided by a real pro instructor. Get your photos critiqued every week. Join students from around the world. Go far beyond any book or DVD. Make great pictures, again and again!

Instructor

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Kathleen T. Carr
Kathleen T. Carr is a fine art photographer, author and teacher. She received her B.F.A. (cum laude) in Photography from Ohio University in 1970. She then studied photography with Minor White at his home in Arlington, Massachusetts. Minor's work had a strong influence on Kathleen's visual perception and approach to photography. She subsequently worked for Aperture, a fine photography quarterly and book publisher. After spending seven years at the Findhorn Community in Scotland, creating audio-visual programs, multi-media shows, publicity materials and books, Kathleen was staff photographer for the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. She started and owns Carr Classics, a fine photography card company that showcases her Big Sur photography.

Kathleen's photographs have been published internationally in numerous books and periodicals, including PhotoVision (featured artist), American Art Collector, Outdoor Photographer (featured artist), National Geographic Traveler, Islands, Esquire, and Decor (featured artist). Several galleries and private dealers represent her work.

Her books include Polaroid Manipulations: A Complete Visual Guide to Creating SX-70, Transfer, and Digital Prints, Polaroid Transfers: A Complete Visual Guide to Creating Image and Emulsion Transfers (Amphoto Books), and To Honor the Earth (with Dorothy Maclean, HarperSanFrancisco).

Kathleen has been leading photography workshops since 1984 on topics including beginning photography, Polaroid and digital transfers, beginning Photoshop for photographers, and digital Infrared. In addition to teaching for BetterPhoto, she offers one to seven day workshops and private sessions in Hawaii, Montana, California and other locals.

See her Pro BetterPholio: www.kathleentcarr.com

A Couple of Photos by the Instructor

© Kathleen Carr

© Kathleen Carr

A Couple of Student Photos

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View photos by previous students. You can make pictures like this too!

© Nancy Lynch

© Nancy Lynch

Course Outline

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Week 1: Polaroid/Fuji Image Transfers - Basic Equipment, Film, and Supplies
Equipment options, film types, exposure and other settings, color filtration, types of images that work best.
Assignment: Make sure you have the correct equipment, film, and supplies for creating image transfers. Gather some existing slides (or 4x6 prints if you have the Daylab Copy System) that you'd like to work with, or go out and shoot a roll of film. Upload images for critique.

Week 2: Image Transfer Step-by-Step Procedure
Illustrated step-by-step image transfer technique, with tips for getting better results.
Assignment: Make 10 image transfers and upload your best results. Don't throw any problem transfers out, even if they are a mess! I'll want to see some of them for Lesson 3, Troubleshooting. Also, for Handcoloring in Lesson 5, they provide an opportunity to practice techniques on transfers you don't care about possibly ruining!

Week 3: Troubleshooting - Image Transfers
Common problems, both film-based and transfer related, and how to fix them.
Assignment: Try to identify any problems you've had, and upload examples with your identified solutions. If you don't have a clue what went wrong, upload the examples with your questions about any problem images.

Week 4: Creative Techniques for Image Transfers
Creative techniques, including the use of different surfaces, wet vs. dry technique, multiple exposures, sandwiches, using multiple images, collages, and methods of handworking the image.
Assignment: Try at least 3 different creative techniques, including the use of another surface. Upload your favorites, as well as any that you have questions about. Upload those to the Q&A section. I'm looking forward to seeing what you create!

Week 5: Handcoloring Image Transfers
Best artists' materials for handcoloring transfers, and recommended handcoloring techniques.
Assignment: Handcolor several transfers using at least two different media. Start on throw-aways to practice using different media and techniques, and build up your confidence.

Week 6: Polaroid/Fuji Emulsion Transfers (also called Emulsion Lifts)
Equipment options, film types, exposure and other settings, color filtration, types of images that work best. Illustrated step-by-step emulsion transfer technique, with tips for getting better results.
Assignment: Make 10 emulsion transfers and upload your three best results. Start on watercolor paper, and then try some alternative surfaces if you wish. Some possibilities are handmade papers (not too thin, and use the acetate), tiles, stones, aluminum foil, plexiglass, glass, sheet metal, playing cards - anything that is not too rough. Save any problematic transfers to upload for next week's lesson on troubleshooting.

Week 7: Troubleshooting - Emulsion Transfers
Common problems, both film-based and transfer related, and how to fix them.
Assignment: First, try to create some ghost transfers, and upload one or two. Second, identify any emulsion transfer problems you've had, and upload one or two examples with your identified solutions. If you don't have a clue what went wrong, upload the examples with your questions about these problem images.

Week 8: Creative Techniques for Emulsion Transfers
Creative techniques, including the use of different surfaces including three dimensional surfaces, multiple exposures, sandwiches, using multiple images, collages, and methods of handworking the image.
Assignment: Try at least 3 different creative techniques, including the use of a three-dimensional surface. Upload the ones that you like the best.

© Kathleen Carr

© Kathleen Carr

Requirements

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Daylab or Daylab Copy System or Or similar equipment (see Q&A for more)

FAQ

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No, this is a beginning course. I have many participants in my workshops who want to start exploring their creativity, and have no background in photography. 

No, there are several ways to expose your image onto the Polaroid or Fuji film. You can use any or all of the following:

• Daylab or Vivitar slide printer for 35mm slides (or a Daylab 120 for medium format transparencies).
• Daylab Copy System Pro for 4x6 prints (or 4x6 digital images printed on your home inkjet printer).
• Polaroid camera that takes peel-apart film, or a camera that takes a Polaroid or Fuji film holder, or Polaroid "back."
• Darkroom enlarger to projection print onto the Polaroid or Fuji film.

 

Yes, with the Daylab Copy System, you can create Polaroid or Fuji transfers from prints that you create from your digital files. 

An emulsion transfer, also called an emulsion lift, is a Polaroid or Fuji print (from peel-apart Polacolor ER or Fuji FP-100c film), whose image layer (the emulsion) has been removed with hot water and placed onto another surface. This transparent emulsion can be sculpted, stretched and torn into different shapes, and placed on virtually any surface, including three-dimensional objects. It can then be handcolored if desired.  

No, you can often find used Vivitar or Daylab slide printers, and you can buy new models of Daylab slide printers for under $200, or the Copy System Pro for $300. Also, many of the supplies can be found among your kitchen or household items, or purchased inexpensively at thrift stores.  

No, Polaroid and Fuji image and emulsion transfers are very simple, creative, and lots of fun! 

I will cover this more in-depth in the first lesson, but if you would like to get a head start, here's the required equipment and supplies:

- Slide Printer or Copy System: First you will need some kind of slide printer for 35mm or medium format slides, or a Daylab Copy System Pro for 4x6 prints.

- The Daylab Copy System Pro (fixed focus, for 3 1/4 x 4/1/4 inch peel-apart Polaroid 669 film or Fuji FP-100c film) can be used with 4x6 photo or digital inkjet prints, and with 3-D objects and other images, just like a scanner can be used. It's great for those of you who don't have 35mm slides. New $319. An optional power adapter allows you to use electricity, for $19.95 - or you can use four C batteries (rechargeable OK).

- The slide printer you can use is the Daylab EZ (fixed focus, for 3 1/4 x 4/1/4 inch peel-apart Polaroid 669 film). The newest and easiest of the Daylab slide printers, $179 new from www.daylab.com.  

- Daylab 35 (fixed focus, for 3 1/4 x 4/1/4 inch peel-apart Polaroid 669 film), used - $150 or under.

- Daylab Jr. or Vivitar - no longer made, available used (also fixed focus, for 3 1/4 x 4/1/4 inch peel-apart Polaroid 669 film) Used $60-$120.

- Daylab II or Daylab 35 Plus - Multi-format slide printers with 3x4 base (variable focus for 3 1/4 x 4/1/4 inch peel-apart Polaroid 669 film or Fuji FP-100c film, and can be used with an extra base and film holder for Fuji 4x5 peel-apart film. Fuji 4x5 film not available in US at this time). New $199-$260, used Daylab II's can also be found.

- Daylab 120 - Multi-format slide printer for medium format transparencies, with 3x4 base (variable focus for 3 1/4 x 4/1/4 inch peel-apart Polaroid 669 film or Fuji FP-100c film, and can be used with an extra base and film holder for Fuji 4x5 peel-apart film. Fuji 4x5 film not available in US at this time). New $250-$350.

- You can also use an enlarger or a camera that takes Polaroid 669 film.  

The basic supplies you'll need to work with for image and emulsion transfers with 669 film can be gathered from your kitchen or easily purchased. If you're starting from scratch, Polaroid offers an Image and Emulsion Transfer Kit that contains most of what you'll need for both image and emulsion transfers:
- Two 5x7 photographic trays
- 4 inch brayer roller (soft rubber printmaking roller)
- Thermometer capable of reading 160ºF and tongs
- Clear acetate sheet
- 140 lb. hot press watercolor paper
- Self-adhesive shelf paper (like Contact)
- Timer  

In addition, you'll need a squeegee, scissors, cotton swabs (Q-tips), x-acto knife, small cloth towel, paper towels, warming tray (1950s hors d'oeuvres warming trays at thrift stores work well) or electric fry pan (thrift store models are great), and white distilled vinegar. Using distilled water is recommended; however, I suggest comparing results with both distilled water and your tap water. If you don't notice a significant difference, just use tap water. 

35mm slides for all slide printer models except the Daylab 120 and the Copy System Pro. 35mm slides can be used with a condenser or color head enlarger, but not a cold light enlarger.
- Medium format transparencies for use with the Daylab 120 system only, or an enlarger.
- 4x6 prints for the Daylab Copy System Pro. These prints can be photographic or inkjet prints. Therefore, this is an excellent choice for those of you with digital cameras and printers.
- Black & white and color negatives can also be used, but you will get a negative print - one that looks similar to the negative. 

© Kathleen Carr

© Kathleen Carr

No, you do not need to be online at any specific time. The lessons are sent to your email and you are also provided the Campus Square - where you interact with your classmates and instructor. This is also where you upload your photos to be critiqued by your instructor. The instructors are very punctual and respond quickly.

Absolutely! Students can ask questions in the special Q&A forum set up in the course's Campus Square, or can ask the instructor via email.

Yes. We are confident that you will fully enjoy our courses. All the same, for our 8-week classes, we offer a 100% money-back guarantee before the Wednesday that Lesson #3 is sent out. If for any reason, you are not satisfied and let us know that you would like to withdraw before the Wednesday that Lesson #3 is sent, you will be promptly refunded.

For our 4-week courses, we offer a 100% money back guarantee before the Wednesday that Lesson #2 is sent out from BetterPhoto. If for any reason you are not satisfied and you let the ordering department know that you would like to withdraw before the Wednesday that Lesson #2 is sent, you will be refunded within 7 days. After the second lesson has been sent out, no refunds will be given.