RE: Photography & Blind kids (morphed from 500W Halogen lamps instead of a flourescent box?)

Hi guys,

This solarplate stuff sounds very cool. I could use this in my classroom
because of the tactile nature of the image plate.

I work as a special educator with 6 multiply handicapped students in a
public high school. My students don't have good use of their hands and many
have compromised vision. I could get them to gather things and place them
on the solarplate for exposure. With staff help we can ink the plates to
make the prints.

Does anyone know where I can get this material in British Columbia? I can
easily reach Vancouver. Also, does the solarplate material off-gas
anything? Many of my students have very weak constitutions and we need to
keep the room free of chemical contaminates. And finally, is the solarplate
material biodegradable? Our school is on a septic system.

Thanks for any suggestions you folks might have. It would be great to mix
my interest in photography with my work as a special educator.

I have reserved the book, Printmaking in the Sun from the library so I hope
to answer some of my own questions.

Ehud

Circles of Confusion Photography
www.circlesofconfusion.ca

-----Original Message-----
From: Barry Kleider [mailto:bkleider@sihope.com]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 9:58 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Subject: Photography & Blind kids (morphed from 500W Halogen lamps instead
of a flourescent box?)

Joe,

Oh, fun solarplate! Yes! I get it.

What did your kids think about it?

About a year ago, I was asked to teach photography to some work with both
blind and low-vision kids at the Minnesota State Academy for the blind in
Faribault.

We gave cameras to 18 kids. The kids also got to make solarplates from their
favorite picture. It was a HUGE experience for me... I had to completely
deconstruct everything I knew about photography and figure out why and how
we do what we do.

I'm getting ready to go back to work with the same group of kids again. In
fact, I start on Monday. On Thursday I'll be teaching blind kids about the
different qualities of light. (After all, how can you talk about photography
if you never mention light? And what more arcane thing to discuss if you
happen to be blind?)

What a gas!

Barry

Joe Smigiel wrote:

bkleider@sihope.com 01/21/05 10:47 PM >>>
        I'm using blueprint paper for work with some of my younger students
and
solarplates with a group of blind kids...
Barry

Kewl. Please tell me more Barry (either on or offlist). I did some
similar things for several years with The Art Education Camp For
Students With Visual Impairments in Greenville Michigan a few years ago
and had a blast. Here's a scan of one of the Solarplate photograms one
of the kids did:

http://puma.kvcc.edu/photo/images/CT_solarplate.jpg

I'd be interested in comparing notes and experiences with you.

Joe
Received on Sat Jan 22 01:22:08 2005