Introduction to Alternative Photographic Printing Techniques Workshops

I have been approached by a number of people who have shown interest in half day workshops that would provide an introduction to Alternative Photographic Printing Techniques. I currently teach a similar course/workshop to universities and colleges.

The half day workshop will provide those people who have an interest in Alternative Photographic Printing Techniques an introduction to a range of processes including Cyanotype, Kalitype, Platinum/Palladium, Polymer Photogravure and Wet Plate Collodion. Demonstrations of a number of processes will be provided on the day and each participant will leave with print examples of two of the printing processes. The half day workshop also provides an opportunity to meet other people interested in alternative techniques as well as peruse more than 400 books on photography.

Topics covered on the workshop include:

Alternative Photographic Printing Techniques in the 21st Century
Common Equipment needed for Alternative Photographic printing techniques
Methods of creating contact printing negatives
Health and safety of Alternative Photographic Printing Techniques.
Introduction to Cyanotype, Kalitype, Platinum/Palladium, Photogravure and Wet Plate Collodion techniques.
Demonstrations of Cyanotype and Platinum/Palladium printing processes.
Question and Answer Session

Further Details :

Date : 8th November 2009 ( Then first Sunday of every month thereafter)
Location : Held at my home in Cottenham, 6 miles North of Cambridge
Workshop Size – Maximum 4 people
Time : 10:30 to 2:30
Cost : £55 per person
Includes : Workshop Handbook and a light lunch is provided on the day

For further information and booking please email me on altphotoworkshops@hotmail.co.uk

For further information on my one day workshops please visit www.platinumprinting.co.uk

Back from Boston!

Just spent a week in Boston, I went over there to interview 21st Editions editor and founder Steven Albahari for an upcoming article I am writing called ‘The Intimate Photobook’

They produce the most exquisite ‘original print’ publications I have ever had the privilege to view. When I first saw one of their books almost 6 years ago, entitled ‘Sally Mann’ at Photo London I was awe struck by the quality of the platinum prints that were included in the book, so much so that I was motivated to learn alternative printing techniques. 21st Editions print using a variety of alternative printing techniques including platinum and cyanotype, these are paired with seminal writings by such acclaimed writers as John Wood . These are beautifully printed in letterpress and bound using the most extravagant and luxurious materials including silk, copper, velum, Moroccan goatskin and even Japanese wood. They have worked with some of the most renowned photographers including, Michael Kenna, Joel-Peter Witkin, Shelia Metzner, Eikeo Hoseo and upcoming photographers including Jefferson Hayman and John Metoer. Prices range from $1500 to $20,000.The article is proposed for publication in early 2010.

Sally Mann, 10 bound platinum prints, 1 freestanding print

Jefferson Hayman, The New City,18 platinum bound and 2 freestanding prints with writings by MacLean Gander.

Whilst in Boston I had the opportunity to take time out to visit the Cape Cod area. I have long had a love with this part of the world as it was frequently painted by one of my favourite painters Edward Hopper.

I had time to pay a visit to his house in Truro and took a few photographers, one of which I hope to print in platinum as a homage to the great artist.

While walking back along the beach from his house, which was surprisingly empty of any tourists or even locals, I serendipitously met and got talking to an artist from New York who instantly reminded me of my other all time favourite painters, that being Georgia O’Keeffe, who was married to great photographer and book publisher Alfred Stieglitz. I had to record this moment and she kindly let me take a portrait of her. She had a really cheeky smile which reminded me of that rare picture Ansel Adams took of O’Keffe in 1937.

After Truro I visited Provincetown and went to a gallery that SuzanneR on APUG mentioned I go see called ‘All about Photography’ at ArtStand

What a show!! for any photographers interested in alternative photographic processes or indeed photography this is a must see, I got to see my first wet plates, daguerreotypes, tin types as well as many other beautiful prints by some very talented photographers including Jerri Spangoli, France Scully Osterman, Sally Gall, Eugene Richards to name a few.

To finish this whistle-stop visit I was fortunate enough to have a consultation with Alison Collins at the Iris Gallery in Boston on Charles Street, she represents artists including Brigitte Carnochan, Beth Dow . We had a productive meeting and as a result she will now be representing me in the Boston area with my large and small cyanotype prints aswell as my upcoming platinum portfolio of work entitled ‘Curiosity’, which documents the fascinating and intriguing encounters I have had with people, places,objects over the last five years. Below is a scan of one platinum print from this new work.

Following the consultation I went to view the new exhibition at the Robert Klein gallery called ‘Still Seen’ and was shown around by the always helpful director of the gallery Eunice who I often see at the galleries booth at Photo Paris. The gallery itself is set in a really pleasant part of Boston on Newbury Street which I found to be very chic although understated. The exhibition itself is worth going to, I came across an artist called Tomio Seike who I had never heard of although his work is well collected and at a premium price, really exquisite platinum and silver prints, I will keep an eye out for him in future.

Whenever I am in a city that has Kenro Izu’s prints, which is not as often as I like, I just have to view them and Eunice kindly showed me some, they are always breathtaking. For me these are the finest platinum prints I have seen, printed from 11x14 and 20x16 inch in camera negatives. I was also shown the Cyanotype over platinum prints which too are a sight to behold.

Just as I was leaving my eye caught this print taken by Judy Dater called ‘Imogen and Twinka’ which I am sure many people know but I had never seen, it made me smile :)

What a great visit, the people of Boston and Cape Cod were such nice people, it was pleasure visiting this part of the US and cannot recommend it highly enough.

Large Cyanotype prints

I was inspired to write about the challenges that I am having with coating large prints by a fellow blogger Brain Palowski who details the various methods one uses to coat an alternative print such as Cyanotype and Platinum, in addition he describes some techniques employed by well known alt photo printers. (see http://lightimpressions.blogspot.com/2009/03/on-coating-methods.html)

I too am interested in coating methods at the moment as i am attempting to coat some 20"x24" prints in Cyanotype 2 with a glass rod. I have had to commission such a large rod to be made, B&S will make any size rod you want for $44, which is good value IMO. I am able to get two passes down on smaller prints that are 20x16" but to get the denisty i am after i think it will require 4 passes, so i plan to have to 2 syringes, once i have done the two passes and the sensitiser runs out apply another line of sensitiser and attempt another two passes.

Kenro Izu i know uses a brush to coat his large platinum prints see video below, however i just have never been able to coat consistently with a brush which is disappointing but i am sure it just takes practice as is the case with most alt photo techniques. I have used a rod for about 5 years now and don't want to put it down!

Another alternative is to use the brush and and rod as is shown by platinum printer Arkady Lvov, see video @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gprrYmUCgzw

This is the best of both worlds and is a technique worth investigating.The rod enables you to get a good first coat down and then by using the brush you can even the coat out. I have tried this method and it works but again practice is key!

I will post some pictures of my progress with large Cyanotypes in the next week. I will try to blog a lot more over the coming months :)

Busy with Workshops

Last week we had two Platinum workshops which went really well, the participants created some excellent prints. Since moving over to the Dichromate method which uses Potassium Oxalate as the print developer the tones produced have been extremely smooth especially for high key prints. I still teach using the Ratio method on the workshop however participants usually decide upon the Dichromate method for developing their platinum/palladium prints. Below shows a few of the results that were scanned in after the workshop. I like Silbury hill by Mark, quite reminisant of the composition and tone Sugimoto achived with his famous Seascape images.

'Silbury Hill' Mark Somerville

'San Fransisco Church' Mark Somerville

'Van & Her Mum' John Hodder

'Luminosity' John Hodder

Back again!

Its been a while since i last blogged. My Masters degree in printmaking took over my life for the last 7 months, however i am back and will be blogging a lot more in the coming months about anything and everything related to Alternative Photographic processes. I will be going to Paris Photo 2008 next month and will provide a detailed review of the show.

(Print info : 'Bench By the River' Platinum/Palldium print 10x8 " David Chow)

Paris Photo 2007 (Mini review)

Finally had a chance to write i my visit last month to Photo Paris 2007. Overall it was another great show put on by the Reed the organisers of this large exhibition.

Apart from Eurostar hitting something just before entering the channel tunnel on the way back from Paris to London and resulting in a five hour delay the journey, the journey to Paris was comfortable and uneventful and took a speedy two and a quarter hours from the shiny new St Pancreas Terminal.

I took a number of photos of those booths and prints that really sparked my interest as well as some of the people I met. There was lots of new work aswell as old, so any person interested in photography would find some to take away from this wonderful event.

Michael Smith & Paula Chamlee



Had a good chat with Mike and his wife Paula, really nice people and their Azo prints are simply stunning. Bought one of Paula books on Tuscany. ( Ian I remembered to say hi to them for you, they thought your work was excellent and really enjoyed working with you at their workshop a month ago

http://www.michaelandpaula.com

Hamiltons Gallery

Had a short chat with the gallery manager of Hamiltons, a really pleasant chap called Charlie Fellowes. The booth was one of the nicest at Photo Paris. Was lucky enough to get an invite to their private view this Wednesday of Irving Penn’s work, will write up on blog.



What mainly sparked my interest at Hamiltons was a set of 10 photogravures of Robert Mapplethorpe’s flower prints, I believe they were around 50x40 cm and were made in 1984. A truly stunning set of prints that will no doubt rise in value, the asking price for the set was £150,000 Euros, below shows all of the set together.




Interesting nude



I went away from the Hamiltons booth really inspired as I have just started to experiment with photogravure

http://www.hamiltonsgallery.com/

Camera Work

Cram packed full of prints by all sorts of photographers including, Helmet Newton, Richard Avedon, Peter Lindbergh to name a few, quite a bit of eye candy!



Also had one of my favourite prints by Irving Penn of his wife


Howard Greenberg

This booth had a nice set of prints by the late Arnold Newman as well some other prints that I cant remember , no Kenro Izu prints again this year, I really don’t know why they do not bring some of his prints over to Paris as they are simply stunning.



http://www.howardgreenberg.com/


Robert Klein

This gallery had a good assortment of prints by the masters of photography including Stiglitz, Sudek, Steichen

Edward Steichen (Asking price £950,000 Euros)



Josef Sudek



Individual Artists work worth a mention

Paolo Roversi

Some stunningly beautiful polaroid nude portraits by Paolo Roversi, 10x8 inches £10,000 Euros each, a few had sold at this price.







Duane Michael’s

A nice set of Michael’s silver prints



Masao Yamamoto



Bill Brandt ( I believe this is one of his prints, please someone correct me if I am wrong) a stunning silver print



Alberto Morello



31 Studio

Although not present 31 studio (U.K platinum printmakers) had one of the largest platinum prints I have ever seen at Michael Hoppen stand. Looked almost like A1 size! I imagine a very expensive print to make!




General Shots of the exhibition

Overall I had an excellent time viewing many prints and I left the showing feeling very inspired, Highly recommended

Irving Penn Private View @ Hamiltons Gallery

Hell's Angel (Doug),San Fransico, 1967

Got back from Photo Paris on Sunday (will write up on blog in the next few days, its quite long a long post!) Whilst at the event I was very kindly invited by Charlie Fellowes at Hamiltons Gallery(Mayfair, London) to a private view of Irving Penn’s prints from the 60’s. The show appropriately entitled ‘Flower Power’ was a collection of Penns platinum/palladium prints, silver gelatine, colour dye transfer prints and pigment prints from that decade. The private view took place last wednesday evening.

The colour dye transfer prints of flowers were quite stunning, the intensity of the colours was very special, and nothing I have ever seen before. The prints of flowers were almost clinical in detail reminisant of Mapplethorpe's flower portraits, compositionally the flowers looked perfect. I believe Penn shot these for Vogue in late 80’s for their Christmas editions.

Single Oriental poppy, Irving Penn 1965, Colour Dye transfer

For those interested in Colour transfer prints Wikpedia defines them as :

‘The dye transfer process is a continuous-tone color photographic printing process, popularized by the Eastman Kodak Company in the 1940s. It is sometimes referred to by such generic names as wash-off relief printing and dye imbibition transfer printing. The process involves making three matrices for each color, which absorb dye in proportion to the density of the relief. A color print is formed, by transferring the dyed film matrices in physical contact onto a mordanted dye receiver paper. Eastman Kodak Company stopped making materials for this process in the mid 1990s. The dyes used in the process are very spectrally pure compared to normal coupler induced photographic dyes, with the exception of the Kodak cyan. Also the dyes have excellent light and dark fastness. The dye transfer process possesses the largest color gamut and tonal scale than any other process, including inkjet. Another important characteristic of dye transfer is it allows the practitioner the highest degree of photographic control compared to any other photochemical color print process.’

Penn’s platinum/palladium prints on show were also exceptional and were shots of Hippes and Hell angels, great characters and they all had a real instensity to them. I remember reading a desription of Penn's time with the 'Angels' in which he said 'They were like coiled springs ready to fly loose and make trouble. The delays and provocations they could produce were endless. Fortunately the hypnotizing lens of the camera and the confinement of the studio held them in check long enough for the exposures to be made'. The prints did not have the kind of intensity I thought they might have had having read so much about them in he past, however on closer inspection their was a beautiful subtlety to them with velvety blacks which the process is so well known for producing. I would have liked to have seen them without glass in front of them but alas.

My friend and I arrived half way through the private view and the gallery was buzzing with atmosphere, I was told to expect the whole glitterati to be out in force and this seemed to be the case. Yasmin Le Bon arrived fashionably late looking stunning and had a quick look around at the prints, she did look in a buying mood which can only have been good for the gallery. Overall it was a really enjoyable evening.

The prices for the collection of prints on show ranged from $20,000 to $120,000 and the exhibition runs through to 12th January for further information please goto http://www.hamiltonsgallery.com/

A bit short notice but on Sunday 11th November there is a London photograph fair. The fair, which is in its 18th year, is devoted solely to the sale of photographic images from the 19th and 20th century, and to books on the history and art of photography.

The fair has a friendly, clubbable feel about it and is held in the comfortable surroundings of the Bonnington Hotel. It is the place for friends to meet, swap and sell rare photographs and generally catch up on the gossip.

The quality of material offered is high, and covers cased images, stereo cards, rare topographical images and albums, art prints including Emerson and Cameron, and 20th century prints by Ponting and the pictorialist school. The fair also has probably the finest range of rare and out of print books on the art and history of photography assembled anywhere in Europe.

For further details please visit

http://www.photofair.co.uk/

Pont-Neuf, Paris

In keeping with the Paris theme, the above scan was a photograph I took around this time last year. It’s a polymer photogravure on Japanese paper that i printed yesterday. It’s a challenging process to master but I will keep trying to work out the finer points of the process as it can create quite unique prints that know other photographic process can replicate. An artist that I have recently found on the internet who works exclusively in this process is Kari Holopainen you can see his work here : http://www2.uiah.fi/~teofilus/

On his site he also describes in detail how to go about creating polymer photogravure's.

Paris Photo 07

I have been rather busy since my last upload and I will update in the next few days on my visit to Stroud and the lecture by Platinum printers Paul and Max Caffell.

Paris Photo 2007 is next week from the 15th November and I have booked my tickets to go. Its one of the highlights of the year for me as you get to see the whole spectrum of photographic prints from vintage to contemporary. Nearly all the major players in the photographic world attend and it really is a worthwhile event to goto if you can make it. I will write up the visit on my return. For further infotmation please visit :

http://www.parisphoto.fr/7/introduction.htm?lang=uk

Cyanotype & Platinum/Palladium Workshops

I will be starting my workshop programme from November 2007 and it will include separate workshops on Cyanotype and Platinum/Palladium printing. They will be held at my home in Cottenham (6 miles north of Cambridge).

The workshops will be one day either in the week or weekend, which ever is most convenient for the participants. I have deliberately kept the maximum class size down to 2 people as this will facilitate more personal tuition. Both workshops will include all materials such as transparency materials for creation of negatives, printing paper, chemicals, paper, Printing Handbook with cd etc.. and lunch.

A workshop handbook is provided on the day and covers in detail the following themes, all of which will be addressed on the day.

1) Introduction: Platinum printing in the 21st Century
2) Introduction to Digital Negatives
3) Chemicals needed to create your first Platinum/Palladium Print
4) Health & Safety
5) Importance of Keeping Notes
6) Suitable Papers for Platinum/Palladium Printing
7) Methods of Contrast Control for Platinum/Palladium printing
8) Creating your first Platinum/Palladium print
8.1) Preparing and coating the paper
8.2) Exposing the coated sensitized paper to Ultraviolet light
8.3) Developing the print
8.4) Preparing the Clearing baths and Clearing the print
8.5) Drying the print
9 ) Calibrating your own system

The workshop hand book also includes 2 cd’s

Workshop cd 1 includes : Platinum printing curves
Calibration images
Step wedges
Examples of platinum prints

cd 2 includes : all edited images with correction curves made on the day

Below shows two participants of the workshop viewing their final prints at the end of the day

Examples of prints produced on the workshop by participants have included the following :

The Lone Tree,Mark Burley

Portwrinkle Beach,Mark Burley


Train Wheels,Phil Dresser


Sea Alter,Mark Burley


Steps, Phil Dresser


Ridge, Phil Dresser

If you are interested and would like further information including the workshop program please email me at davidchow2002@hotmail.com

Major Edward Steichen Exhibition

I have always loved Edward Steichen's work and was fortunate enough to view some of his gum over platinum prints at Photo Paris last year. I will be going to this years Photo Paris which takes place at the Carrousel Du Louvre from 15-18 November. It just so happens this large Exhibition on Steichen's work will be displayed in Paris too at the Jeu de Paume from 10th October to 30 December.

For those that have not heard of him, Edward Steichen was one of the key figures in the history of photography. Beginning as a leading exponent of the 19th-century romantic movement called Pictorialism, where he produced some extraordinary prints, his most famous being Moonrise, printed in 1904, For this print Steichen used unique alternative photographic printing techniques to establish depth and richness of tones. I believe there are only three prints of ‘moonrise’ in existence and they are all printed slightly differently. Below shows one that was a multiple gum over platinum print :

Edward Steichen (1879– 1973): “The Pond-Moonlight” (1904); New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art; multiple gum bichromate over platinum, 15¼ × 19".)

In February last year this print sold for the highest price to date for an art photograph. (This has recently been eclipsed by a Gursky print)

Another version of 'Moonrise' was a cyanotype over platinum print shown below :

(Edward Steichen (1879–1973): “Moonrise-Mamaroneck,New York” (1904); New York, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); platinum, cyanotype, and ferroprussiate print, 15¼ × 19".)

After Steichen's Pictorialism phase he metamorphosed rapidly into one of the leading photographers of modernism. For more than half a century he occupied centre stage as the most famous living photographer, the medium’s first household name. However, until now Steichen, a Luxembourger by birth has never been the subject of a significant retrospective in Europe. This show will have around 450 vintage prints and I can’t wait to view them. I will write a short review when i return from Paris.

For further information on the Paris exhibition visit :

http://www.jeudepaume.org/?page=article&idArt=419&lieu=7&idImg=448

This exhibition will move to other European Venues including:

Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne January 17-March 23, 2008

Palazzo Magnani, Reggio Emilia April 12-June 8, 2008

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid June 24-September 22, 2008

The Genius of Photography

I was looking around my local Borders and came across a book called 'The Genius of Photography' which has just been published to go alongside the BBC show of the same name. The book actually looked quite interesting and worth a read.

Touted as ‘the first comprehensive television history of the most influential art form of the present day. This landmark series for BBC2 and BBC4 will explore the key events and images that have marked the development of photography. At the heart of the series will be a quest to understand what makes a truly great photograph.’

The series begins in a palazzo on the Grand Canal, Venice. Using bin-liners and masking tape, photographer Abe Morell turns a room into a camera. He cuts a small hole to let a tight beam of light into the blacked-out room and, with it, the outside world comes pouring in – upside down and twice as natural, thereby demonstrating one half of the simple but profound physical principles on which photography is based.

The other half – the problem of "fixing the shadows" – took longer to solve but, when that was done by two rival methods announced in 1839 by Henry Fox Talbot and Louis Daguerre, photography was born.

The series is six 1 hour shows, the first episode called ‘Fixing the Shadows’ tells the story of the inventions of photography and the way in which it became an integral part of the modern world. It describes the remarkable achievements of the pioneer photographers, the revolution that took place when George Eastman made photography available to the masses with the invention of the Kodak brand and the story of Jacques-Henri Lartigue, the child photographer and ultimate amateur.

For those of us in the U.K this is listed as airing on Thurs 24th Oct as 9-10pm, BBC4.

For a video clip check this link http://www.walltowall.co.uk/videoclip.aspx?w2wProgram=15

Dye based negative vs Pigment based negative

Over the last few days I have been testing the difference between Dye based ink jet digital negatives (Epson 1290) and Pigment based digital negatives (Epson 3800) when printing with platinum/palladium.

The above shows the two prints side by side, the print on the left I used a pigment based inks to create the negative, dye based on the right.(click on the print to see larger version) The difference is quite obvious and I would be interested to hear which print people prefer.

My initial findings show that the dye based negative seems to be blocking a lot more UV light than the pigment based negative and resulting in a significantly more contrasty print. The print has more ‘punch’ to it. I like it, as it has a certain luminosity to it, however I am not arriving at the print I expected when I finished editing the negative in PS.

The pigment based negatives on the other hand gives a good rendition of what I see in P.S but lacks the luminosity of the dye based negative print. I need to find some half way point between the two prints and believe I have two options to achieve this.

Either adjust the curve in PS for the pigment based negative or try and boost contrast through the platinum/palladium chemistry (i.e more drops of ferric oxalate #2) I prefer the former option to the later as this will add more grain to the final print. I will try both options and post the result.

Platinum Printing talk by Paul and Max Caffel (31 Studio)

Cafe Bar, Stroud Subscription Rooms Thursday, 18th October 7.30pm Paul and Max Caffel (31 Studio) with Dominic Burd will discuss the process of Platinum Printing and their work with some of the leading photographers in the history of the medium.

I have just booked my tickets for this event and am very much looking forward to attending. I have been a big fan of the Caffels Platinum work (http://www.31-studio.com/) and was introduced to Max some 4 years ago at a Private viewing of work by Paul Dazely's at the Stephanie Hoppen Gallery in London. (Stephanie now represents my work in her beautiful Gallery in South Kensington)

Max and his father Paul, are well known within the Photographic ‘Fine Art’ world as producing some of the finest Platinum Prints one will ever see. In the past they and have produced prints for the likes of David Bailey, Alvin Langdon Coburn, Jacques Henri Lartigue, Lee Miller and Bill Brandt.

I remember having a conversation with Max about the process of producing platinum prints and was surprised to learn that one could produce such prints with smaller negatives than 5x4. It had never occurred to me that this was possible (I was very photographically naïve back then :) ) as I thought you had to use large in camera negatives due to it being a contact printing process.

When i spoke to Max I believe they were using digital negatives as well as negatives created in the darkroom, to produce some of their large Platinum work. However it must be added that at all levels they are using the top of the line equipment with the likes of drum scanners and Lambda print positives, expensive image setters machines to create negatives. The results are truly stunning and I can highly recommend viewing their work.

The talk is part of the Photo Stroud Festival (http://www.stroudphotofestival.co.uk/)
For others interested in obtaining tickets for the talk by the Caffels please contact Fred Chance on 01453 824212

Meet up with Mike Ware (inventor of the cyanotype II process)

Mike kindly invited me over for lunch with his wife at his lovely house in Buxton. The drive to the peak district was quite special. Mike and his wife were very hospitable and it was a real pleasure to meet such a kind and generous man.

An expert in all things related to alternative processes and their conservation, Mike has written extensively about many alternative processes including my favourite the ‘Cyanotype II’ process which he invented. Mike has also devised a ‘Platinum/Palladium II’ process that attempts to address some of the shortcomings of the original process. ( For full details of this and any other related processes visit his website at http://www.mikeware.demon.co.uk/

We spent a good few hours looking through his own wonderful collection of prints that he has produced over the last 25 years. Including Cyanotype II, Argyrotypes, Platinum/Palladium II and his latest Gold prints. The above image is one of Mike’s Cyanotypes and was taken on a visit in Sicily in 1989 (10x8 print). Having seen the print in real life I must say it is one of the most luminous prints I have seen, it simply glows.

He also has a stunning collection of prints on the walls around the house that friends have given him over the years, some truly stunning platinum/palladium prints by Pradip Malde . Another highlight was a print by father and son team the ‘Caffels’ at (studio 31) who specialise in printing some of the most beautiful prints one will ever see.

Coming from a chemistry background Mike initially looks at alternative processes from a different angle to myself which is really very interesting. At the moment I am strictly interested in the aesthetic appeal of alternative processes, Mike also has this passion but goes a lot deeper into how various chemicals react with each other and how alternative processes can be improved/modified as well as their conservation.

I am not sure but I believe Kenro Izu uses Mikes formula for his cyanotype over platinum prints ( Bostick and Sullivan have posted one of Izu’s Cyanotype images next to where they sell the Cyanotype II sensitizer ). I have tried to arrange for him to see some of Izus Cyanotype over platinum prints at the Howard Greenberg gallery in New York next time Mike is over there as I was amazed the first time I saw them, truly breathtaking work. I look forward to hearing his reaction to the prints.

All in all it was a very special day for me to finally meet the man who inadvertently helped me, through the invention of the Cyanotype II process, to discover how wonderful and challenging in equal measures alternative photographic processes can be .

Arches Platine & Cyanotype

Spent another day printing although this time just in cyanotype, i am really enjoying printing with Arches Platine as the luminosity of the final print is quite special if you get the negative right. People have told me that Fabriano Artistico Bright white is also an excellent paper to try with both cyanotype and platinum, although it requires a pre soak of 4% oxalic acid to take away the alkaline which a lot of these watercolour papers seem to have these days. Quite a productive day, a few prints might be 'keepers' but will wait for the dry down tomorrow before 'counting chickens'.

I was finally able to successfully print my largest contact print too, below shows the print hang drying. The full sheet is 20x16 and the actual print size is 11x14. Some slight solarisation around the edges although it does not show to much.


The paper i used to use for all my cyanotype prints (Fabriano Rospina) became very difficult to coat large sheets using a glass rod as the sensitizer was absorbed to quickly. With the Arches Platine I am usually able to coat successfully with a 17” glass rod as the surface is very smooth and is not absorbed as quickly which is great news as i have wanted to print larger prints for a while now.

Cyanotype over Platinum (First results)

I was able to get the pre sized Platinum print to register with the cyanotype negative, with quite a bit of masking tape i might add!! The above scan shows the result. The Cyanotype layer i think is too strong and needs to be more subtle so i think i will half the exposure time on next few prints either that or adjust the cyanotype negative, not sure which approach to take yet but will try something. I really want to keep some of the luminosity of the platinum layer.

Below is the first result uncropped which shows my rather clumsy methods! :)

Ahh Registration!!

Turns out the registration was about 1mm out on the print without the pre size (see above image), the pre sized print was out by about 1/2mm, although the later appers more blochy in the highlights. I believe a registration difference even this small might make cause the final print to lose sharpness and i would prefer not to if at all possible.

On the plus side the inadvertant change to dye based inks to print the platinum negative has resulted in a much more luminous print than the print made with the pigment ink negative. Having looked on the net it has been suggested that the 'pre size' soak should be in warm water (125f) for an hour, as opposed to the 5 mins i gave it last night. I have now done this and will try printing another platinum print to see if it will register on the cyanotype negative.

New Cyanotype over Platinum print

Spent all day calibrating as i want to see how a cyanotype over platinum looks, cant afford one of Kenro's yet, I think they start at $3500!

Its going to require some sort of registration which could be problamatic for me as i have never done it before. The above image shows some of the calibration prints i did to see how the two prints will come together. One had a sizing bath before exposure the other one did not.

I will be printing the cyanotype over the top tommorow once they are dry and completly flat.I just hope the paper has not shrunk as my cyanotype registation negative will be out!

Below is a how i want the end print to look like (its a scan of the platinum and i added a blue filter in PS to see) Will post the results tommorow if i can get the cyanotype negative to register.

Alternative Photographic Processes Event (New York)

I stumbled across this event that is taking place from September 29 to November 4, 2007 in New York. There are both traditional and hybrid artists being represented at the event.

Unfortunately I cant make it but there was some interesting and inspirational work in the catolgue which you can download from the site. Some of the wet collodion portraits but Michael Mazzeo looked pretty special(Shown Below).

The web address is Alternative Photographic Processes Event



Godess 3 (Mazzeo, Michael)
www.michaelmazzeo.com

Another 'Wet Plate Collodion' Video

I have been recently looking at 'Wet Plate Collodion' and came across another video on the process. I really love the way these glass plates look when finished and would like to try this process at some stage. Finding the chemicals for this process looks quite challenging but i think it should be possible here in the U.K. What does concern me is the safety aspects of the process. I believe Collodion is very flammable and Amonia is also used in the process. Once i find out more information about costs and the like i will post it. I know Kerik from APUG.org is doing a workshop next year in Scotland on 'Wet Plate' it would be good if he could come down south for another workshop.

Cambridge Meet Up

A couple of weeks ago a few of us from the Analogue Photographers User Group (http://www.apug.org) met up at my house for the day. I have only just got around to writing about the day which I thought was not only good fun but it was very interesting to see different types of alternative photographic prints. All the work was to a very high standard.

A few examples of the work are included below

Platinum Prints By Ian Leake (http://www.ianleake.com)


The subtlety of these platinum prints was very special indeed and something I have only experienced once before whilst looking at a portfolio of Sally Mann’s platinum work. They really have to be seen in person without glass in front of them to fully appreciate their beauty.

Kalitype by Phill dresser

A good time was had by all and I look forward to future meet ups!

Interesting videos on Kenro Izu’s Platinum work

Having been a fan of Kenro Izu’s work for a long time its great to finally find some videos about his work and the way he processes his prints. I stumbled across these videos whilst looking for information on printing Cyanotype over platinum which he has done in the past and are stunning, a process i would like to try in the next couple of weeks. The above image shows an example of one such print of Izu's.


There are two videos at : http://www.pem.org/izu/theartist.html

Direct links are :

One brief one on his work : http://www.pem.org/izu/high.html

And one on the way he processes his prints. : http://www.pem.org/izu/process.html (love the way he dumps his developer on the print )

Although these small videos they are a nice insight into this master photographer and printers work.

(You need QuickTime or Realplayer installed to watch.)

There is a longer text file of the interview at : http://www.pem.org/izu/interview_text.html

After the slight problems with mottling on the polymer photogravure plates I decided to redirect my time to calbirating for Platinum and Palladium over the last 3 days. I Intend to pick up the gravure process again in the coming weeks but I am waiting for a shippment of 'Kreene' which might solve the contact problems we are having with the vaccum frame and the plate.
The print above is an image i took last week of this rather unusual sunflower i found. Printed Using a 1:1 mix of Platinum and Palladium. More to follow.

New Print

Spent 4 hours printing this new photopolymer gravure today. We seem to be having problems with mottling on our plates at the press.It was not so bad today but one can still see that there is a problem. This was a photo i took last year in Paris.

Video on Tintype

Masters of Photography

A nice video on some of the greatest photographers

Interesting Video on Wet Plate processing.

Well here goes!

Have just started a new alternative way of printing some of my images. Its called 'Photogravure' using Toybo polymor plates.

Cyanotype Workshop

For those interested in a Cyanotype Workshop please email me at davidchow2002@hotmail.com.