Alternative Process Prints

[Benno Jones]

I'm embarking on a pinhole/zone plate/argyrotype project, so I thought I'd start a thread for Alt. Proc. images. I played around with Platinum/Palladium a few years ago, but with money getting tight I decided to go with a cheaper process for now. I was originally going to print in Kallitypes, but decided to try Argyrotypes first because it seemed like a simpler process for me to cut my teeth on.

This is the best of the 4 prints I made last night from a good-but-not-great negative that I used because it did not matter if I managed to destroy the negative by not drying the sensitizer enough, etc. Despite the fact that I didn't like the neg that much, I think the resulting print has a pastoral feel to it that I like.

The neg was shot in a Leonardo 3" 4x5 camera on Acros @ EI 50 (12 second exposure). Developed in Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100 for 36 minutes. Printed on Cranes Cover paper with the Bostick & Sullivan Argyrotype sensitizer, 9 minute exposure with a black light bulb. Toned in KRST 1:100.

[Vaughn]

Here is a carbon print -- 8x10

Oak, Cascade Creek, Yosemite National Park

Vaughn

PS...nice start, Benno!

[Brian Bullen]

Wow Vaughn, that is amazing. If it looks that good on my computer it must be amazing to see in person. Stunning! Thanks for posting.

[Vaughn]

Wow Vaughn, that is amazing. If it looks that good on my computer it must be amazing to see in person. Stunning! Thanks for posting.

Thanks. What you can not see on the screen (besides the highlights that I did not capture on the scan, but are in the print), is the raised relief the print has -- the blacker the tone, the thicker the emulsion is. The image is made of various thicknesses of pigmented gelatin (carbon is the pigment, thus the name of the process -- not to be confused with the term stolen by inkjet printers using carbon-based inks). Highlights are mde from a very thin layer of pigmented gelatin and the the layers get thicker as the tones get darker. Even when you get to darkest pure black tones, one can see detail as raised relief.

Quite a neat process. Very very cheap in materials...Knox Unflavored Gelatin and sugar from the supermarket, some lampblack watercolors in tubes from the local art store, and some Ammonium dichromate...and the print is on fixed-out photo paper that was too old to print with. Expensive in time required, but not all that bad compared to many other alt processes.

Vaughn

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Vaughn, you are letting out the secret on the carbon transfer process! I was fortunate to see Vaughn's work in Yosemite in February of this year and take a quick workshop in the bay area with him. I can tell you that if you are into some of the finest quality prints you can produce this process is in my opinion the best! The reliefs and the ability to capture a full range of tones with great detail is amazing. You need to spend a lot of time on your images and learn the process but the results are amazing. Here is my first attempt. The scan does not do it justice but this image taught me a lot.

Jim

[Greg Lockrey]

I've been studying this process since it really intrigues me. The main problem I have is getting the time to devote to it. :o They do look gorgeous on my screen though.

[phaedrus]

Here is my latest platinum-palladium print:http://web.mac.com/chammann/iWeb/Mostly%20Black%26White/Photoblog/D2D8FEC6-45B2-44AF-9510-0B9520198031_files/C1450_031008_1_PtPd.jpg

I did it with the Bostick&Sullivan kit, the ratio Pt/Pd was 7/17. I don't do them often and after careful selection of the negative, so the precious metal investment with B&S holds for a long time ...
The negative was on 8x10 inch Acros, E.I. 125 ISO , developped in X-TOL at 22°C for 12 minutes. The picture's subject is an overflow of a pond, but standing there, it reminded me of the monolith in Stanley Kubrick's "2001 A Space Odyssey".

Best regards, Christoph

[eddie]

this is an VDB.

foma 100 pyro hd 2:2:100 6 min. printed in the sun for about 3-4 min.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Here is a recent one, I am learning the Pd Na2 process, very fun.

[Benno Jones]

Vaughn & Jim - Great carbon prints, that's a process I really want to try one of these days.

[Vaughn]

Nice, Eric!

For something a little different, my first (and only so far) Salt Print.

PS...there is some mottling (blotches) in the sky in the right side...almost not visible when looking at the print, but very visible holding the print up against a light source. The print was made as part of a class I helped out with. The instructor said "Let's make salt prints on Friday!", with neither one of us ever having made them. The prints were made fast and dirty...lots of room for more control next time.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Vaughn,

Nice, but now I want to lear to make salt prints! It will never end.

[Vaughn]

Vaughn,

Nice, but now I want to lear to make salt prints! It will never end.

Buy yourself a copy of Christopher James' new edition of The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes. Good reading from both the historic and practical aspects of every process you could wish for.

It will drive you nuts! So many possibilities!

I have a three-print series I want to make using the salt print process. I have already salted the paper (but have not coated them with the silver nitrate solution so I think they'll hold for a long while), but haven't had the time to devote to them yet.

Vaughn

[Vaughn]

Hogging up the bandwidth here...but I do like alt processes!

Another carbon print -- shows its ability to reproduce a range of tones.

Burnt Snag, El Capitan Meadow
Yosemite National Park
Scanned 5x7 print

Vaughn

[Vaughn]

And yet, another...I must be addicted...

This time a platinum/palladium print

Alders, Houda Point
California
scanned 8x10 print

This is a straight print using a 300mm lens, but camera pointed up.

[Benno Jones]

That's the problem with alt processes... every time I see a beautiful print I want to try that process and then I never do any of them... That's why I finally settled on argyrotype to start with - it's a simple enough process for me to perfect skills such as spreading the sensitizer and returns a print that has an appealing quality to me.

Processes that I want to try (so far):

Platinum/Palladium
Ziatype
Carbon
Kallitype
Gum Bichromate
Gumoil
Salt Printing

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Ziatype is a great one as well, nice to learn with as it is a printing out process.

[PViapiano]

I just started with argyrotypes and have spent the last three days coating, exposing and adjusting...and learning. With all these processes there are so many variables...finally today I may have reached a place where I can codify some results. I say may, because I'm still waiting for my first print of the day to dry totally ;-)

I'll post something later if I'm happy with it...great images, everyone...beautiful work!

[Brian Bullen]

Pike's Island Trees
8x10 Palladium

[Vaughn]

Pike's Island Trees
8x10 Palladium

Wonderful image, Brian. Is the lightening up of the lower part of the print just a scanning defect?

Vaughn

[Brian Bullen]

Thanks Vaughn.
I'm not sure what the lightening is from, could be a number of reasons. It might be light reflecting from where I was standing, the sun was shining directly in front of the foreground trees.
This is one of the first printed negs from a stand development experiment with x-ray film. So it's possible there is some sort of development problem.
Lastly, my scanner is great at adding unwanted contrast.

[Darryl Baird]

That's the problem with alt processes... every time I see a beautiful print I want to try that process and then I never do any of them... That's why I finally settled on argyrotype to start with - it's a simple enough process for me to perfect skills such as spreading the sensitizer and returns a print that has an appealing quality to me.

Processes that I want to try (so far):

Platinum/Palladium
Ziatype
Carbon
Kallitype
Gum Bichromate
Gumoil
Salt Printing

That's a very daunting list, you'll need several books in addition to the James' new edition. I'd recommend the Gum Printing book by Chris Anderson... available ot Photoeye (http://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/mShowDetailsbycatAmazon.cfm?Catalog=ZC689).

btw, I've done a lot of Argyrotype and find the process very easy and particularly cheap if you're willing to precitate the silver-oxide from silver nitrate and buy the sulfamic acid from Home Depot (it's a tile cleaner... $6.00 per pound) That process is very paper sensitive - best choice (cheap) Cranes Cover 90 lb Natural White , followed by (expensive) Arches Platine.

[Darryl Baird]

Nice, Eric!

For something a little different, my first (and only so far) Salt Print.

PS...there is some mottling (blotches) in the sky in the right side...almost not visible when looking at the print, but very visible holding the print up against a light source. The print was made as part of a class I helped out with. The instructor said "Let's make salt prints on Friday!", with neither one of us ever having made them. The prints were made fast and dirty...lots of room for more control next time.

stunning print... such a smooth tonal range, I thought the process had more inherent contrast, but wow, Vaughn.

salt printing is (now) next on my list of processes to use, followed by albumen, followed by ...

[Colin Graham]

Darryl, that's gorgeous. Lovely work.

Carbon print on Lanaquarelle, from a digital negative. Still trying to get a handle on printer artifacts, but getting there.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/2949555102_680c88369c.jpg

[Vaughn]

stunning print... such a smooth tonal range, I thought the process had more inherent contrast...

The negative is what I would call "normal to medium high" contrast for silver gelatin printing...certainly not the higher contrast I would need for Platinum printing. It was also printed using sunlight...first in the shade, then in the direct sun (or was it the other way around? I'll have to think on that). By slowing down the exposure, the printing-out image has time to form (it does not form instantaneously) and allows for more self-masking...which in turn allows for lower contrast and a more even tonality.

If one is using an artificial UV light source, one might be able to duplicate this by making a partial exposure, letting the print rest for a few minutes, then continueing with the rest of the exposure.

I would think this would work for any process that self-masks, including cyanotypes and perhaps to a smaller degree, platinum and/or palladium prints.

Vaughn

PS...Colin, another stunning image!

[Benno Jones]

That's a very daunting list, you'll need several books in addition to the James' new edition. I'd recommend the Gum Printing book by Chris Anderson... available ot Photoeye (http://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/mShowDetailsbycatAmazon.cfm?Catalog=ZC689).

btw, I've done a lot of Argyrotype and find the process very easy and particularly cheap if you're willing to precitate the silver-oxide from silver nitrate and buy the sulfamic acid from Home Depot (it's a tile cleaner... $6.00 per pound) That process is very paper sensitive - best choice (cheap) Cranes Cover 90 lb Natural White , followed by (expensive) Arches Platine.

Not being at home I can't look over and list all the books on my shelf, but I do have a good half-dozen Alt Proc books already. :)

The print I posted is on Cranes Cover. I tried another on some Arches Aquarelle that I had lying around and it bled like crazy in the toner. I may try another print on that paper and not tone it just to see how it looks dried down.

[Andrew ren]

Nice work Colin!
Just got my book(Digital Negatives by Ron Reeder + Brad Hinkel) ordered in and started to read it.

[PViapiano]

Great image Darryl...

Benno, here's one of my results from yesterday on Arches Aquarelle. The photoflo (substituting for Tween) makes all the difference. I may try humidifying the paper to see if I can get more Dmax but it's a good start.

Disclaimer: It's an enlarged neg (4x5) from a 35mm neg ;-)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2948864083_901f813e15.jpg

More info here... (http://www.flickr.com/photos/viapiano/2948864083/)

[Benno Jones]

PViapiano - just out of curiosity, how does one measure 1/2 drop of photoflo?

[PViapiano]

I knew someone would ask that!

I diluted the photoflo 1:9 in distilled water and used 1 drop per ml of sensitizer, so since I used .4 -.5 ml of coating material...

I've read that photoflo can be diluted down to a 2% solution for use as a Tween substitute.

My other prints of the day were on Arches Cover cream and BFK Heavyweight giving two totally different colors to the final print, with paper base skewing the result as well. As I mentioned I may try humidification and double coating to see what would happen.

[DarkroomDan]

Nice work Colin!
Just got my book(Digital Negatives by Ron Reeder + Brad Hinkel) ordered in and started to read it.

Andrew,

Be sure to check out the articles on Ron's website http://www.ronreeder.com/ He has updates to his book.

Dan

[Joppino]

Ziatype contact print.

I love how it is easy to obtain astonishing results with this technique!!

Next step will be adding some gum... :)


Marco

(P.S. sorry for the bad scan... I find it's not easy to reproduce on screen the texture of cotton paper! Probably here I have enhanced it a little bit too much...)




http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2950111988_475e406978_b.jpg

[Brian Bullen]

Darryl simply beautiful, I really enjoy the tone and the texture. Great work.

Colin, as always, wonderful!

[Vaughn]

Very good, Marco! it could really glow with a bit of gum.

Scanning work on watercolor (or similar) paper is always tough. Photographing them with a digital camera may work a little better.

Vaughn

[Anupam]

Vandyke

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3157/2933298918_5ec906c7f8.jpg

[Benno Jones]

Nice work Marco, I think that Ziatype may have to be the next process I try down the road a bit.

Anupam - I like it, but I wonder if there's a bit more shadow detail in the print than in the scan?

[PViapiano]

Marco and Anupam...

What papers are these?

[Benno Jones]

Here's a second argyrotype. Full disclosure: The scan is much darker than the print. I need to work on this one some more, but this is how I envision a final print.

Pinhole image taken with a Leonardo 3" 4x5 camera on Fuji Acros @ EI 50, 12 minute exposure. Developed in Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100 for 36 minutes. Printed on Cranes Cover paper in Bostick & Sullivan Argyrotype sensitizer, toned in KRST 1:100 for 1 minute.

[Shutter]

Argyrotype on silk paper (yes, silk paper!!)

To get this 'muddy' look I put the paper into the stop bath for only a few seconds so it wouldn't be perfectly even and then just dip it into the fixer before washing it.
I also tried coloured silk paper but the colour dissolved into the water and the only thing that was I left with was a terrible tone and some ugly stains...

[Miguel Curbelo]

Colin I love that photograph.

[Vaughn]

"Argyrotype on silk paper"

Absolutely lovely!

Vaughn

[Vaughn]

This was taken from inside a sea cave, looking out into the sunlight. My meter read 0 in the darkest areas and 13 on the sunlit sand. I gave the neg normal development.

Scanned carbon print (5x7)

Vaughn

Oh, well...terrible scan, lots of dust on the glass -- far too much to "spot out" in PhotoShop. I'll have to rescan it someday.

[Joppino]

Marco and Anupam...

What papers are these?


It is a sheet of paper a friend of mine gave me to try some prints. I do not remember the brand right now, but if you need it I can ask him!


Marco

[Darryl Baird]

Here's a second argyrotype. Full disclosure: The scan is much darker than the print. I need to work on this one some more, but this is how I envision a final print.

Pinhole image taken with a Leonardo 3" 4x5 camera on Fuji Acros @ EI 50, 12 minute exposure. Developed in Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100 for 36 minutes. Printed on Cranes Cover paper in Bostick & Sullivan Argyrotype sensitizer, toned in KRST 1:100 for 1 minute.

aha, I though that looked like selenium toner.... I've found that print color to be my favorite, but not everything works with that golden glow. I think that's one of the argyro qualities I like -- colors from chocolate to warm gray and different contrast from a single negative.

[Matt Magruder]

http://www.matthewmagruder.com/files/gimgs/26_12x20ne1cyanoverptpd.jpg
from last xmas in Petersham, MA

12x20 cyanotype over platinum/palladium print on fabriano artistico extra white.

[eddie]

from last xmas in Petersham, MA

12x20 cyanotype over platinum/palladium print on fabriano artistico extra white.

please tell me more of how you did a cyanotype over PP? i am not 100% sure i understand.....

wonderful print!

[Benno Jones]

aha, I though that looked like selenium toner.... I've found that print color to be my favorite, but not everything works with that golden glow. I think that's one of the argyro qualities I like -- colors from chocolate to warm gray and different contrast from a single negative.

So far I'm toning in KRST because that's what I have on hand. I plan to try gold and palladium toning to see how it looks as well.

[Anupam]

Oops, I overlooked the two questions on my post. Yes, the print has a bit more detail, but my print scanning skill aren't very good yet. And the paper was Canson Montval watercolor sized in gelatin. I am looking for something with a smoother surface.

Here's another shot while I am at it:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2882266625_7645acfcf7.jpg

[domenico Foschi]

http://www.matthewmagruder.com/files/gimgs/26_12x20ne1cyanoverptpd.jpg
from last xmas in Petersham, MA

12x20 cyanotype over platinum/palladium print on fabriano artistico extra white.

Fantastic image.

[alec4444]

Couple contributions. Still learning plenty.

1) Cyanotype from Eastern State Penitentiary - 11x14

2) Salt Print from Governor's Island in NYC - 5x7

3) VDB of Angry Wife (not interested in my photography antics that day) - 11x14

#3 used that "mystery lens (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=40889&highlight=mystery+lens)" Jim kindly sold me. Thanks, Jim! Imagine what that could do if she were smiling! :D The vertical line on the right side was my careless application of the chemical to the paper....it's not on the neg.

Cheers!
--A

[Darryl Baird]

Couple contributions. Still learning plenty.

1) Cyanotype from Eastern State Penitentiary - 11x14

2) Salt Print from Governor's Island in NYC - 5x7

3) VDB of Angry Wife (not interested in my photography antics that day) - 11x14

#3 used that "mystery lens (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=40889&highlight=mystery+lens)" Jim kindly sold me. Thanks, Jim! Imagine what that could do if she were smiling! :D The vertical line on the right side was my careless application of the chemical to the paper....it's not on the neg.

Cheers!
--A

Alec, I'm digging that salt print... with those spiral holes I'm assuming this is from a watercolor block... like Fabriano Artistico?

[alec4444]

Thanks Darryl! Had some problems with watercolor paper and salt prints - I tried Arches Platine and Fabriano Acquarello with not so good results. Something about the sizing maybe? So then I tried cheap crap Strathmore 400 series drawing paper with a gelatin sizing formula and presto - nice salt prints. Go figure! =) Same results with Van Dyke, minus the gelatin sizing.

Cheers!
--A

[Andrew O'Neill]

Anybody every try a Brown Print? Related to Van Dyke and Kallitype (I'm completely hooked on Kallitypes). I tried one this morning and was quite please with it.
Sorry, no scanner at home.

[RDB Korn]

Wow, these are wonderful prints. Here are a couple of selenium toned kallitypes, digital negative produced from 4X5 Foma100.

[Darryl Baird]

Thanks Darryl! Had some problems with watercolor paper and salt prints - I tried Arches Platine and Fabriano Acquarello with not so good results. Something about the sizing maybe? So then I tried cheap crap Strathmore 400 series drawing paper with a gelatin sizing formula and presto - nice salt prints. Go figure! =) Same results with Van Dyke, minus the gelatin sizing.

Cheers!
--A

I don't knock Strathmore, haha, the 400 is decent, but most of their papers don't hold up to prolonged washing, but the 400 surface is really nice. I think I read that early photographers realized watercolor papers were too "fibrous" for good salt print results (too flat due to holding onto the sensitizer).

Do you shop at Central Paper (http://www.nycentralartsupply.com/home/paperapplications.html)?

[Jan Pedersen]

Great thread with wonderful work in many different alternative processes.
Albumen has as far as i could tell not been represented yet so here is one that i also did in Pt/Pd. I need to burn in the left side sky a bit more next time.

[Colin Graham]

Many thanks for the comments.

Vaughn, love that sea cave. What an incredible range!

[lecarp]

Ziatype

[Dave Aharonian]

This is a Palladium print made with a digital neg. from a T55 negative.

[Kerik Kouklis]

Dave! Nice, eh?

[Benno Jones]

lecarp - Very nice!

[lecarp]

lecarp - Very nice!

Thank You

[Miguel Coquis]

4x5 cyanotype portrait
Arches paper

[Benno Jones]

First 8x10 Argyrotype. I need to work on my sensitizer spreading, it's a bit uneven. Tonight was the first time I used puddle pushers instead of brushes. The 4x5s came out well (I'll scan and post them tomorrow), but the 8x10 was a bit trickier. That's flare on the right side, not uneveness, though.

Pinhole neg (HP5+ developed in Pyrocat-HD).

[Benno Jones]

A couple more argyrotypes from last night's session. Once again both are 4x5 pinhole negatives (exposure time around 6 minutes on both) on Acros in Pyrocat-HD.

[alec4444]

From photos shot last weekend. Finally got up the guts to cut one of my extra 11x14 dark slides to make 5.5x14 exposures. Love it. Attached is my first trial of "selective focus" - I was inspired by a photographer featured in View Camera Mag.

Wanted to do this in albumen today, but had to settle for Van Dyke due to time.... :(

--A

http://www.alec.com/Flatiron2.jpg

[PViapiano]

The ghost of Steichen strikes just in time for Halloween!!!

[domenico Foschi]

From photos shot last weekend. Finally got up the guts to cut one of my extra 11x14 dark slides to make 5.5x14 exposures. Love it. Attached is my first trial of "selective focus" - I was inspired by a photographer featured in View Camera Mag.

Wanted to do this in albumen today, but had to settle for Van Dyke due to time.... :(

--A

http://www.alec.com/Flatiron2.jpg

One of the most beautiful buildings, ever, not just because is the subject of some of my favorite images but its a great looking building, period, well...comma.

[cjbroadbent]

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm440/downstairs_2008/argy2.jpg
An argyrotype. Still unsatisfactory mid-tones.

[John Jarosz]

The racecar is a carbon print, the wall is a carbro made from a B&W print. The tissue is Hanfstaengle transferred to fixed out enlarging paper.

I hope i don't get tossed for the racecar as it's from a 6x6 camera.

While I like the carbro, it shows a common defect which is that the sensitized pigment moved slightly as it was squeeged onto the print. That's why the carbro doesn't look as sharp as it might, but I liked the effect. I'll probably never be able to duplicate it. The carbro came from a traditional 4x5 negative.

John

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Hogging up the bandwidth here...but I do like alt processes!

Another carbon print -- shows its ability to reproduce a range of tones.

Burnt Snag, El Capitan Meadow
Yosemite National Park
Scanned 5x7 print

Vaughn

I've held this print and others of Vaughn's in my hands and I have to tell you they are masterful! This print is amazing in the range of tones it covers. One day I hope to do as well.

Jim

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I'm doing better with my carbon printing. This is one I took on a recent trip to Yosemite. Bad scan, sorry about that.

Jim

[cjbroadbent]

...Carbon print on Lanaquarelle, from a digital negative....
Colin, This is the best thing I've seen for ages. I've stuck it on my desktop.

[Colin Graham]

Many thanks Christopher, I appreciate the comment.

[Mike Castles]

Palladium Print from this weekend...had to scratch the itch

[Jan Pedersen]

Also a Pt/Pd print, was taken in Denmark early September and printed yesterday.

[Vaughn]

One of my most recent carbon prints.

Oak, Sunlight, 2008
Yosemite National Park

f64 @ 15 seconds
8x10 FP4+, developed in Ilford Universal PQ Developer

[Vaughn]

And another one.

Oak, 2008
Yosemite National Park

f90 @ 30 seconds
8x10 FP4+. developed in Ilford Universal PQ Developer

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Vaughn, gotta love the oaks at Yosemite! Both of these look great!

By the way I forgot the details on mine:

F-90 @ 3:30 Fuji 240

J&C 200 developed in Pyrocat-HD.

Jim

[C. D. Keth]

Colin, This is the best thing I've seen for ages. I've stuck it on my desktop.


I second, third, and fourth that! Is there any chance is seeing it larger?

[Benno Jones]

Some more argyrotypes. All shot with a Leonardo 3" pinhole camera on 4x5 Acros @EI50 and developed in Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100. The pictures were taken at Emerald Bay, Mazatlan, Mexico on 10/28/08 at low tide in the early afternoon. The scans show the sky as a bit grainier than it appears on the prints.

[Turner Reich]

Jim and Vaughn, I've had enought of this, where and when is the next West Coast workshop on the Carbon Printing process? I'm sold, is 11x14 a good size negative for the process?

Thank you, great work both,

tr

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Jim and Vaughn, I've had enought of this, where and when is the next West Coast workshop on the Carbon Printing process? I'm sold, is 11x14 a good size negative for the process?

Thank you, great work both,

tr

Andrew, Vaughn is doing a workshop at the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite in April of '09 I think. Me I'm just plugging away trying to perfect the process. Once I get better at this I may offer some assistance in the future. I still have a long way to go. Thanks for the nice comments. Now I have to go and develop an 11x14 carbon!

Jim

[Vaughn]

Jim and Vaughn, I've had enought of this, where and when is the next West Coast workshop on the Carbon Printing process? I'm sold, is 11x14 a good size negative for the process?Thank you, great work both,tr

Shameless promotional posting:)

http://www.anseladams.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2263

April 14th to 18th, 2009...A five day workshop -- but we'll take some time off to photograph in the Valley, too. It will be a full-on hands-on experience. We'll have enough time for everyone to do the entire process and go home with some prints. I'll bring a couple of 5x7 cameras in case someone wants to take a few negs for processing in AA's old darkroom for carbon printing (more contrast is good for this process -- more than one normally aims for for silver printing -- or even platinum printing).

I started with 4x5 negs, but found that 5x7 negs was not a big jump, logistically. But 8x10 was. Kudos to Jim for jumping in with 8x10's and then quickly moving on to 11x14's!

For the workshop, I'd like to keep it to negatives that are 8x10 or smaller...due to space, material and keep the learning experience managable.

My aim is to give everyone a good grounding in the process, so that they will have the skills to go home and make the process their own. It is a very versitile process.

Vaughn

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Vaughn, thanks! I just jump in and hope for the best. 11x14 is fun! Going to start thinking about 8x20 soon. I've got some neg's for the process. There is a lot of help out there and Vaughn is a great teacher. He has taught me the process and continues to be of great help and inspiration. By working with vaughn and taking a workshop I feel that I saved about a year of frustration. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is serious about this process to learn from one of the best!

Jim

[venchka]

Vaughn,

I may not be able to attend in 2009. Do you do this workshop on an annual basis?

[zoneVIII]

that's great Vaughn, success with ur workshop, only in my dream to join the workshop, still too far from my home

haryanto

[Vaughn]

Vaughn,

I may not be able to attend in 2009. Do you do this workshop on an annual basis?

This is the first year the AA Gallery has offered a carbon workshop, but it their intention to make it an annual workshop...if there is enough interest. The Ansel Adams Gallery has had great success with workshops by Kerik Kouklis in both platinum printing and wet plate collodion. So I believe that there is enough interest in hands-on alternative photographic methods to make a carbon workshop work.

I certainly hope it does become an annual workshop. When I taught myself the carbon printing process from a magazine article in 1992, there were few resources available to help beginners out. The internet community has grown exponentially since then and now I help (and get help) on-line those who are trying the process. But the opportunity to work with 8 or 10 people for five days and really get into the process is very exciting. Plus I'll take any excuse to be in Yosemite Valley in April...especially during the week when there are few visitors and the falls are booming!

Hopefully, I will see you in 2010!

Vaughn

[venchka]

Thanks Vaughn. I do hope you're right. Maybe I'll win the lottery and sign up for 2009. You do paint an inviting picture.