Anyone take Steve Anchell's Alternative LF Technique Workshop

[redrockcoulee]

For Christmas and my birthday my wife gave me funds for a photography workshop. As Photographer's Formulary are within 5 or 6 hours of home making them very accessible and it would be great to return to National Bison Wildlife Refuge on the way I looked to see what was coming up this year. Two of the ones so far I am interested in are David Lewis's Bromoil (I do have his book) and Steve Anchell's Alternative Large Format Techniques. I am only familiar with him through the Darkroom Cookbook that I got last year. Is anyone here with his LF Technique course? Or any other workshops he has conducted? Thanks

Of course attendance to any workshop is contigent on getting the time off from work as summers are my busiest times plus it seems when there is the most training opportunities through work as well. I have also thought about the weekend LF workshops in California or Oregon but this is not only closer but might be more appropiate.

[Kirk Gittings]

What is "alternative" about it? What does that mean?

[Vaughn]

If you need to do a workshop earlier in the year (April), you might consider Kerik's Wet Plate Collodion workshop in Yosemite at the Ansel Adams Gallery. You will get some LF instruction as well as a chance to do one the the original "alternative" photographic processes. It is a 3 day workshop. http://www.anseladams.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2262

And as a shameless plug, right after his workshop, I will be teaching a carbon printing workshop at the same place...with lots of time to photograph w/ LF, including any instruction in their use that the participants may want. (I will be bringing two 5x7 cameras that participants may use to make negs for making carbon prints during the workshop.) It is a 5 day workshop.

Vaughn

[redrockcoulee]

If you need to do a workshop earlier in the year (April), you might consider Kerik's Wet Plate Collodion workshop in Yosemite at the Ansel Adams Gallery. You will get some LF instruction as well as a chance to do one the the original "alternative" photographic processes. It is a 3 day workshop. http://www.anseladams.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2262

And as a shameless plug, right after his workshop, I will be teaching a carbon printing workshop at the same place...with lots of time to photograph w/ LF, including any instruction in their use that the participants may want. (I will be bringing two 5x7 cameras that participants may use to make negs for making carbon prints during the workshop.) It is a 5 day workshop.

Vaughn

April is too early in the year to drive from Alberta to Yosemite. Need to drive the long way round and with my luck on my old beaters don't wish to tempt going through the mountains and the snow. But both workshops sound terrific.

[redrockcoulee]

What is "alternative" about it? What does that mean?


It is alternative techniques not alternative processes

"Alternative Large Format Techniques
Cost: $ 725.00
July 5-10, 2008 With Steve Anchell

There is more than one way to skin a cat, or so the saying goes. There is also more than one way to use a large format camera to create exceptional images. Even so, it is easy to settle into one method of exposing and developing without ever exploring the alternatives. In this workshop we will take five days to focus on alternative methods of exposure and different ways to develop and print large format negatives. Along the way we will experiment using a variety of film and print developers, ABC Pyro, Pyrocat-HD, TFX-2, Ansco 113 (amidol), Ansco 120 and 130, and perhaps some others.

Some of the techniques we will practice will be working with reciprocity failure for long exposures; stand development; tray development; tank development; contact printing, both in the darkroom and P.O.P.; two-tray development; water bath development; enlarging lenses for close-ups; calculating bellows extension and depth-of-field.

Leave your BTZS tubes, Palm Pilot, spot meter, JOBO rotary processor, and Zone System Manual at home. By the end of this workshop you will have expanded your knowledge and understanding of large format photography, simplified your working methods, and entered a new phase of creativity.

Any view camera format is welcome as long as it has swings and tilts, from 2 x 3” to 11 x 14”. All levels of view camera knowledge are welcome – beginners to experts. The less you know the more you’ll learn. The more you know the more you will be amazed."

From the Photographers Formulary web site from last summer

[Steve Anchell]

My good friend, and LF Photography Forum member, Robert Brummit, forwarded this link to me so now it's time for my shameless plug.

Redrockcoulee is correct, it is about technique. The reason I call it "alternative" is because most LF workshops with which I am familiar are about Zone System or BTZS or some other system. I teach you to interact with your camera and materials on a more intuitive basis without any "system." You, your camera, your subject. Long exposures, stand development, alternative developers.

Here are some comments from past LF workshops:

“I have only printed a couple of pictures from workshop so far but the experience last summer was even more than I expected. . . . you imparted a great deal of knowledge, experience and information.”
George Kieffer, Catoosa, Oklahoma

“I have a greater appreciation for all things involved in large format. The fear of my 4 x 5 is gone and now it is time to get out and shoot.”
Stephanie Slaymaker, Casper, Wyoming

“u r a wonderful teacher. i got good news when i got back a gallery wants 2 give me a solo show portraits.”
peter sumner walton bellamy, Brooklyn, New York


If you would like names and e-mail addresses of last years participants let me know at steve@steveanchell.com. I'll write a few of them and see if they mind your contacting them directly.


BTW, David Lewis is a good friend. I highly recommend his bromoil class if you have the opportunity. I'm not helping you decide, am I?:)