The Photo Masochist

[alec4444]

Back before I even bought the 11x14, I was dreaming in terms of "the photo masochist"....meaning that I was visualizing doing extraordinary things with photography bordering on the ridiculous. Dragging a ULF camera to Bhutan had crossed my mind.

http://www.alec.com/mammothcamera.jpg
Yup, that's about right!

While I've played with a few processes that are a pain in the ass, and while I've lugged 75lbs of gear thru some trying topography, I really haven't actually gone the full mile down one of these dreams. But they keep coming to me - growing ever more complicated as time progresses.

For example, think of a photographic process that is a pain in the ass. Now, think of another one that can be used in conjunction with the first. Here are a few that came to mind:


Shooting a Cirkut camera is a PITA. Doing albumen (or carbon) printing is a PITA. Combine the two - what about making a 10" x 50" albumen (or carbon) print from the negative of a #10 cirkut camera?
Tin-type photography is a PITA. Shooting 20x24 is a PITA. So how about a 20x24 tin-type photograph?
Photogravure is a PITA. Making wet plates are a PITA. So how about a hand cranked photogravure print from a wet-plate negative?
Shooting 11x14 isn't all that much of a PITA.... But shooting two 11x14s side by side, with one focused slightly differently than the other, then printed side by side and shown with specialized stereo-viewer glasses must be a PITA and kinda cool....
A project I had considered: I have a pair of bi-fold doors the would be fun to have an image on. So I've been considering covering each of the four panels with cloth (a cut, flat sheet would do, stapled to the panels) then painting them with cyanotype chemicals. Set up the 11x14 camera in a room with one bright window with an 11x14 negative mounted to the back of my camera. Project an image onto the bi-fold doors, develop with a hose or in a kiddie pool.... :)


Other people must have these same types of crazy ideas. The guys that did the pinhole photo made out of an aircraft hanger (http://www.alternativephotography.com/articles/art100.html) with hand-painted emulsion on fabric had the right idea.

So who else out there has these sick, sick thoughts running through their heads? C'mon, admit it....and share that crazy idea. They're all doable, ya know....where there's a will there's a way!

--A

[cdholden]

For example, think of a photographic process that is a pain in the ass. Now, think of another one that can be used in conjunction with the first. Here are a few that came to mind:


Tin-type photography is a PITA. Shooting 20x24 is a PITA. So how about a 20x24 tin-type photograph?

--A

I've got a bellows with the rear frame measuring 19"x23". I recently purchased some gear that is en route to get me started doing collodion (5x7). I still need to order chemicals, but I can see this one on your list as a possibility for me in the coming year. The part in question is how much/little money and how functional/ugly the camera will be.
I'm giving myself a year. If you can wait that long, check back for details.
Chris

[Toyon]

Ansel had an image printed commercially on a trifold room divider. It was kind of cool to see, but not the highest quality printing. Maybe a montage of prints would be more interesting.

[David A. Goldfarb]

If you were at AIPAD this past year, you might have noticed the photographs of Robert Glenn Ketchum reproduced in Chinese random stitch embroidery. There was one that was a trifold panel. These are done by an atelier in China and take something like two or three years.

[cobalt]

I used to think on such ridiculously grand scales. I am in recovery now, happily handling my Hasseblad and Linhof 4x5. Photography is suddenly fun again.