Collodion workshop in Pittsburgh w/ France Scully Osterman

I'm pleased to announce that in association with the f295 Symposium France Scully Osterman will be leading a 2 day wet plate collodion workshop! Here's some brief info --complete information/registration avail. on the symposium site:

It’s All Positive! The Wet-Plate Collodion Process Two Day Workshop
Instructor: France Scully Osterman

In this two day class, students will learn to make wet-plate collodion ambrotypes both in-camera and with an enlarger. The instructor will begin with a demonstration and then walk each student through the process to make a self-portrait and still-life using a large format period camera (provided).

Participants will also make ambrotypes and collodion photograms using transparencies, magic lantern slides or botanicals. Making collodion images without a camera is a particularly fun way to learn the process and gives participants a chance to play....(more on the site)

Class is limited to 8 participants (as with all workshops participants must be registered with the symposium to attend)
Date: Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1, 2008
Time: 9am - 4pm
Cost: $350 plus $25 lab fee (Lab fee paid directly to the instructor)

http://www.f295.org/symposium2008/?page_id=68

She'll also be delivering an hour long talk at the opening reception! more details TBA!

To follow up on this - here's some information about her talk which will take place during the symposium opening reception.

Special Thursday Night Artists’ Talk with France Scully Osterman
May 29, 2008 | Time: TBA

Serendipity and Exquisite Manipulation
More than any other photographic process, wet-collodion enables artists to produce images that are completely hand-crafted, seducing them with painterly artifacts. In this talk France Scully Osterman will discuss the factors which influence and guide her work: process, lens, light, exposure and intent.

The artifacts inherent to collodion negatives are reminders that they are entirely hand-crafted. Within these artifacts lie distinct possibilities to contribute to the painterliness of the image. Collodion is to photography what watercolor is to painting -fast but requiring ‘exquisite manipulation’. Initially Osterman was drawn to the subtle artifacts of the process -as she was with painting- which serve as a distinctive signature of the artist.

Ultimately though, it is not just about artifacts. Even when one becomes facile with the process there are many other factors which contribute to the image-making process. If the only thing the viewer notices are streaks and process-related artifacts the artist has failed. The process should provide support for the image.

So, why use collodion? Everything about the negatives and prints is visual. Osterman makes her negatives from scratch beginning with a plain sheet of glass. The resulting print is also coated by hand. Every part of the experience is visual. Making them is sensual and so are the results -as an artist she finds that very seductive.

more information here:
http://www.f295.org/symposium2008/?page_id=78

if you're flying to the city for the symposium we just added complete information regarding ground transportation from the airport to the symposium website: http://www.f295.org/symposium2008/?page_id=130