Masters of the Black Art

[jnantz]

I think it's a Durst, it's a beautiful darkroom. The Ferrotype machine (print surface finishing and flattening) is impressive. It's nice to see a young woman so skilled, what does she have? Another 60 years of printing ahead of her?

and to think until yesterday when i read this,
i always thought the ferrotype machine was a print dryer ..
thanks for setting me straight !

[Bob Kerner]

Interesting. But there was a trailer for a movie about Robin Bell that was circulating about 7 months ago (it's gone from Vimeo now) that was much more captivating then this. I agree with an earlier post: it appeared a little too dramatic, like she was dancing around the darkroom for the camera.

Thank goodness, though, that someone is capturing this stuff on video. There's a whole generation that doesn't realize that pictures can come from someplace other than an SD card.

[Vaughn]

...Did not like the cleaning of the negatives with the finger tips, I must say , kind of freeked me out . almost stopped watching at that point thinking the rest would be useless.

Fingers do not produce any oils, so if one does not scratch one's nose, no problem, I still run wet 120 film between my fingers after the photo-flo -- right before hanging them to dry.

[Ari]

Having spent five years living and working there, I had to cringe when the film was brought to her in those paper envelopes, negs all stuck together in a lump, and everybody handling them with their fingers. Brought back some nasty memories (I'm talking to you, PICTO)
I ended up renting a darkroom so that my negs would at least have a fighting chance.
I like the bleaching of the whites of the eyes; I used to dodge those, but I'll try the bleach method.
Anyone hazard a guess as to dilution?

[bob carnie]

It has to be weak, and build up with application, kind of like the reverse of spotting
only problem is if you go to far , then the print is toast.

Having spent five years living and working there, I had to cringe when the film was brought to her in those paper envelopes, negs all stuck together in a lump, and everybody handling them with their fingers. Brought back some nasty memories (I'm talking to you, PICTO)
I ended up renting a darkroom so that my negs would at least have a fighting chance.
I like the bleaching of the whites of the eyes; I used to dodge those, but I'll try the bleach method.
Anyone hazard a guess as to dilution?

[al olson]

and to think until yesterday when i read this,
i always thought the ferrotype machine was a print dryer ..
thanks for setting me straight !

She is using it as a print dryer. None of the prints she puts in have the emulsion toward the ferrotype surface.

Thanks, Thomas, for bringing this to our attention.

[Fred L]

actually I think she's using it as flattener since her prints are screen dried. interesting workflow nonetheless.