Contextual research - Metro imaging

Taking in information from my meeting with my mentor Scott, I am beginning to research film photography, using negatives, Polaroids, etc. I aim to use film photography within my project to replicate truth in emotions of the Windrush Generation and Scandal, as I feel the dark, vignette effect adds aesthetic depth to the feelings I wish to replicate, - (these being sad related, linking to the struggle and racial discrimination many from the generation faced) an example being a Polaroid of broken glass on the floor. A darker, vignette effect would show the photograph in a completely different manner than if taken digitally in vivid.

Metro Imaging - Metro imaging are a professional photographic specialist company associated with the Barbican and V&A, ranging from printing, framing, retouching, scanning and film processing. Their company has services that indicate what can be done with film processing, ones in which I have seen / feel are relevant to my project are the following -


Giclee printing - A digital, fine art printing process combining pigment based inks with high quality archival paper (acid free paper) to achieve an inkjet print of high quality. Commonly used by artists due to the high result pigment of colour.

C-type print - A photographic print on a 'light-sensitive' paper. The photograph is exposed in a different manner to darkroom techniques using digital technology, created by exposing the paper to lasers or LED's rather than a traditional bulb in a darkroom. The paper is then processed within a photographic developer and bleach fixed, then washed to remove all processed chemicals - following the same process as a darkroom (only for the second half of the process)

Duratran print - Translucent base film that allows light to diffuse through an image. Processing done within LED lighting in a light box.

Film processing - Metro imaging are a company where you can get film processed, using 'dip and dunk' processes. Photo processing for transparency (E6) means colour reversal, and negative (C41) means coloured films, in which are formed of dye. Prints are developed from 6x4 or 7x5 frames.