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Tom Persinger of f295 writes:

We’re excited to announce the addition of France Scully Osterman to the featured speakers/worskhop presenters at this years f295 Symposium in Pittsburgh, PA [US] May 29 - June 1, 2008!

France Scully Osterman is an artist, and a guest scholar at George Eastman House. She teaches private tutorials and workshops in the Scully & Osterman 19th century skylight studio, specializing in wet-plate collodion, salted paper and albumen printing.

France will be offering a 2 day collodion workshop called It’s All Positive! The Wet-Plate Collodion Process and delivering a artists’ talk at the Thursday night opening reception entitled Serendipity and Exquisite Manipulation which will discuss the artistic artifacts of the collodion process as well as the factors which influence and guide her work: process, lens, light, exposure and intent.

Workshop information is here
(this is a rare chance as neither she nor Mark teach very many intro collodion workshops!)

You can read more about France here

And more about her talk here

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SYMPOSIUM WORKSHOPS
Many of the workshops are filling fast/nearing capacity, the home page of the site has been updated to reflect the number of spots remaining in each. If you’re thinking about taking a workshop register soon so as to not miss your chance! Workshops are only available for those registered for the symposium.

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EXHIBITOR LIST GROWING!
We’re also excited to announce the addition of several more exhibitors to the growing group! B&H Photo, Fujifilm USA, Inkpress Paper, Lensbabies, Pinhole Blender and Without Lenses will all be on hand to discuss their products with you! More TBA soon!

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MIX AND MINGLE!
Not only will you be able to interact with other like minded practitioners and see a LOT of the exciting alt-photo work that is being done by this niche photographic group but you’ll be able to mixc and mingle with all of the 2008 featured speakers and many of the speakers from the 2007 symposium. What a group! You’ll be hard pressed to find this many alt-dignitaries, authors and practitioners in any other place!

Those speakers planning to be on hand for these events include:
* Martha Casanave
* Alan Greene
* Jo Babcock
* Laura Blacklow
* Jill Enfield
* Jesseca Ferguson
* Robert Hirsch
* France Scully Osterman
* Mike Robinson
* Terry King
* Jerry Spagnoli
* Keith Taylor
* Ilan Wolff

Stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the coming days. Registration has been brisk and we have limited space available for the event –register today!

Complete symposium information: www.f295.org/symposium2008

Go directly to the registration page!

See you in Pittsburgh!
Tom

Tom Persinger of f295 writes:

I’m pleased to announce that registration for ALL of the the symposium workshops is now available! We have a number of exciting offerings this year -some are being presented in the United States for the first time! The quality of instruction available is amazing. You will not be disappointed!

Here are the workshops, instructors and cost of what we’re offering this year:

An Artistic Approach to Digital Negatives, w/ Jill Enfield, $125.00

Bookmaking for Artists & Photographers, w/ Laura Blacklow, $125.00

Calotype Paper Negatives (Dry Process), w/ Alan Greene, $200.00 (+ $35 materials fee)

Developed-Out Salt-Printing, w/ Alan Greene, $200.00 (+ $35 materials fee)

Combined Calotype and Developed Out Salt Printing Weekend $350 (+ $50 materials fee)

Chrysotype and Cyanotype Rex Workshop, w/ Terry King, $270.00

Collodion and Albumen Platinum Prints, w/ Terry King, $260.00

Daguerreotype Workshop -SATURDAY, w/ Mike Robinson, $500.00 (+ $50 material fee)

Daguerreotype Workshop -SUNDAY, w/ Mike Robinson, $500.00(+ $50 material fee)

Gum Bichromate Printing, w/ Scott McMahon, $200.00 (+ $35 materials fee)

Planning, Organizing, and Staging a Successful Exhibition, w/ Jesseca Ferguson, $25.00

The Magic of the Photogram & Camera Obscura Techniques, w/ Ilan Wolff, $275.00

Wet Plate Collodion: An Introduction, w/ Patricia Katchur, $350.00

Wet Plate Collodion Field Trip, w/ Patricia Katchur, $350.00

Wet Plate Weekend (combines Intro and Field Trip at a discount) $600

You may register for the workshops and the symposium here: www.f295.org/symposium2008/?page_id=111.

Space is limited and we’ve already had a few sign-ups for some of these workshops. If you have interest in taking one consider signing up right away.

REMINDER: workshops are currently only available to those registered for the symposium (workshops are not included in symposium registration). Symposium registration is now available at an ‘early registration discount’ for $135 - only $75 for students! These prices last until March 1 when the rate increases to $150.

**Cancellation Policy: Symposium and/or Workshop reservations may be canceled for a full refund up to midnight April 17, 2008. Reservations canceled between April 18 and midnight May 15 will receive a 50% refund and cancellations after May 15 will receive no refund.

Complete Symposium Information:
http://www.f295.org/symposium2008

PS: We’ve just received word that in addition to B&H Photo and Pinhole Blender, Lensbabies and Fujifilm will be joining us in Pittsburgh! We’re poised to make several more exciting exhibitor announcements over the next few days. Stay tuned!

Tom Persinger of f295 writes:

We only have a few of The f295 Special Early, Early Registration Rates available! $120 instead of $150, and $75/students. Unless we sell all 40 slots prior -which looks highly probable- this rate will expire Saturday Feb. 2.

If you’re planning to come to Pittsburgh for the Symposium May 29 - June 1, 2008 Register today to reserve your seat at the best possible rate! Prices will increase Saturday at midnight EST to the (still discounted) EARLY Registration.

To Register: www.f295.org/symposium2008/?page_id=111

For Complete Symposium Information: www.f295.org/symposium2008

To book your stay with the official Symposium hotel:
Call 1-800-UNIV-CTR
Mention block code F29 to receive the discounted symposium rate.
There are a limited number of rooms available at this price. Reserve as early as possible to guarantee this great rate! Hotel price: $115 -single, double, triple or quadruple occupancy.

See you in Pittsburgh!
Tom

PS: the f295 Seminar in NYC was a fantastic success! some images may be seen here
and here.

Ten pieces by Matt Neimi sounds like a no-brainer to me!

Tom Persinger of f295 writes:

f295 Symposium 2008: An Examination of Lensless, Alternative and Adaptive Photographic Processes is being held in Pittsburgh, PA USA May 29 - June 1, 2008. Here are a few of the latest announcements!

The Official Symposium Hotel

I’m pleased to announce that The Holiday Inn Select at University Center is our official f295 Symposium Hotel partner this year! They’re offering a discounted rate of $115 for single, double, triple or quadruple occupancy. They’re located within easy walking distance to all of the events at CMU.You can find complete information here (including how to register).

Speaker List Nearing Completion

The roster of speakers is nearing completion. We will probably have one, maybe two more added but we already have a solid line-up:
- Martha Casanave
- Jill Enfield
- Jesseca Ferguson
- Jerry Spagnoli
- Keith Taylor
- Ilan Wolff

You can read some of their bios here.

Workshops

We may be expanding our number of workshop days to include Wednesday and Thursday (instead of just the weekend). We’ll be announcing several others over the coming weeks, but so far we have confirmed the following three:
- An Artistic Approach to Digital Negatives with Jill Enfield
- Daguerreotype Workshop with Mike Robinson
- Wet-Plate Collodion

The Schedule

This year promises to be bigger and better than 2007. Don’t miss our opening night festivities which is focused around an open work sharing event—bring your images, gear, cameras, etc. and set it up to share with others. We’ll also have a few choice vendors present as well including our good friends at B&H Photo.

Exhibitions

Several exhibtions are already planned by The Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s gallery at 709 Penn Avenue and Silver Eye Center for Photography. Stay tuned for more information about these exciting events!

Complete, up to the minute, Symposium 2008 information may be found at www.f295.org/symposium2008.

Your thoughts and ideas about the event are welcome. Feel free to email with any suggestions you may have.

All the best,
Tom Persinger

Tom Persinger of f295.org writes:

We are PLEASED to announce dates & some details for the 2008 f295 Symposium!

The event will take place in Pittsburgh, PA USA May 29 – June 1, 2008. The schedule is beginning to take shape with the following events already planned (though subject to change).

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DRAFT Schedule of Events
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Thursday May 29, 2008
5-10pm: Symposium reception with work sharing & ‘mini-trade show’ event!

The impromptu work sharing session that erupted at the end of the lectures/round-table discussion last year was such a hit that it’s been officially incorporated as part of the schedule of events. We have a large room in the University Center at Carnegie Mellon at which there will be tables for registered symposium attendees to spread out images, cameras, and other materials and equipment to share with other participants. We’ll also have our friends from B&H there with assorted goodies and symposium specials as well as a few other choice vendors! (this event is ONLY for registered symposium attendees)

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Friday May 30, 2008
9am - 6pm: Lectures and round-table discussion at McConomy Hall, University Center, Carnegie Mellon University (same location as this year)
So far we have confirmations from the following speakers (and are working on a few others!):

Martha Casanave
Jill Enfield
Jesseca Ferguson
Jerry Spagnoli

We’re excited to have our friends at the Center for the Arts in Society at CMU partner with us again this year to help bring together this day of lectures and discussion!

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Saturday May 31, 2008
8am-5pm Workshops TBA
7-11pm: f295 Exhibition opening at 707 Penn Gallery (next to where we had this year’s show) Watch for the Call for Entry that will be going out soon!

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Sunday June 1, 2008
8am-5pm Workshops TBA
9am-12pm: Lensless/alternative photography walk-about
3-6pm: Informal closing get-together/workshop sharing/etc…

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Estimated registration fee: $140 USD (this does NOT include workshop registration, and is subject to change as we nail down exact numbers…)
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We’re working with Visit Pittsburgh to secure a block of hotel rooms near the event at a special symposium rate. More information TBA.

Feel free to forward questions, comments or suggestions to tp@f295.org

All the best,
Tom

Late last week Barbara Ess, citing personal reasons, let us know that she would be unable to fulfill her commitment to attend the symposium. A few phone calls later and we’re extremely proud to announce that Laura Blacklow is joining us!

Here’s some preliminary information on the talk she’ll be giving on Friday April 27 [2007].

Laura Blacklow
Convergence: PhotoGraphics
9:45-10:15am

With the relative accessibility of digital production and manipulation, questions about realism, as well as the issues of multiples or editions, compel both printmaking and photography to reexamine their traditional divisions as dissimilar methodologies. Historically, both techniques were used, not as art forms, but as ways of disseminating information and commercial depictions to viewers who could not see the actualities firsthand. Although we still tend to unconsciously believe that a photograph is an accurate representation, not an abstracted illusion, what happens when the camera and lens, the optical devices that provide such seeming precision, are removed from the process? or when scanners are used to create prints?

and her short bio:
Laura Blacklow is the author of "New Dimensions in Photo Processes, A Step by Step Manual for Alternative Techniques" (Focal Press, an imprint of Elsevier: 4th ed., 2007). Ms. Blacklow was the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Regional Fellowship for Works on Paper, the St. Botolph Cub’s Morton C. Bradley Award in Color for her pastelled digital photos, Polaroid Corporation’s Artist Support Program, and the Massachusetts Artists’ Foundation Fellowship for her hand-colored black-and-white photographs. She is on the faculty of the Massachusetts College of Art and the School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and has also taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. Visit her website at www.lblacklow.com.

Complete Symposium information: www.f295.org/wordpress

Tom Persinger writes:

f295 is pleased to announce registration information for the The f295 Symposium on Lensless, Alternative and Adaptive Photographic Processes on Friday 27 April 2007. The registration for the lectures and round-table discussion will be handled by Conference and Event Services at Carnegie Mellon University.

We’re offering an early bird, discounted registration rate of $100 to all of those who register by phone before March 1. Students (w/ valid ID) are being offered a discounted rate of $70.

Rates are as follows:
Early Bird Discount Registration before Mar 1: $100
Registration before April 1: $120
Registration April 1 - April 20: $165
Late Registration and in-person (April 20 - 27): $200
Student rate with ID: $70

After March 1 the rate increases. The online registration system will also be available at that time. I’ll forward the URL at that time.

To take advantage of the early bird rate please call:
Conferences & Event Services
Phone: 412/268-1125
confserv@andrew.cmu.edu

Your registration fee includes:
This includes admission to all events of Friday 27 April including the 8 lectures and 2 round table discussions (9am- 5pm), name badge, coffee/tea/snacks during breaks, a program of the days activities, and access to the sale of books by symposium speakers.

Complete, up to the minute symposium information may be found on the website: www.f295.org/wordpress

See you in Pittsburgh!

Best,
Tom

f295 press release:

f295 is pleased to announce, as part of the 2007 Symposium on Lensless, Alternative and Adaptive Photographic Processes the list of speakers and topics for the lecture and round-table session to take place 27 April 2007. This event is being held in conjunction with The Center for the Arts in Society at Carnegie Mellon University as part of The Perspectives on the Arts in Society Series.

Date: 27 April 2007
Time: 9am - 5pm (1.5 hour break for lunch)
Place: McConomy Auditorium in the University Center at Carnegie Mellon University

SPEAKERS & TOPICS:
Tom Persinger - Introduction: ‘Simple’ Methods in a Complex World
Jo Babcock - Contemporary Pinhole Photography and it’s Place in Photographic History
Craig Barber - Photography and Memory
Barbara Ess - Reality, Representation and Lo-Fi Image-Making
Alan Greene - Steps Leading to ‘Primitive Photography’
Patricia Katchur - Back to Basics: The Renaissance in Alternative and Historic Photographic Processes
Terry King, FRPS - Retro-Invention: A Revolution in Gold and Blue
Mike Robinson - The Daguerreotype: Past, Present & Perfect

More information may be found on the symposium website:
http://www.f295.org/wordpress/?page_id=26

All inquires may be directed to:
Tom Persinger
tp@f295.org

Tom Persinger writes:

If you’ve done all your holiday shopping and are thinking about something for yourself how about one of the many workshops being offered as part of the f295 Symposium on Lensless, Alternative and Adaptive Photographic Processes? The Symposium takes place in Pittsburgh, PA USA 26-29 April 2007.

The workshops that are currently available for registration are filling up quickly. If you’re interested in participating in one (or more) of them I urge you to contact the organization/person listed as the registration contact ASAP.

Complete Symposium information may be found online at www.f295.org/wordpress, but here’s the workshop info:

One Day Daguerreotype Workshop at the Daguerreian Society World Headquarters

Instructor: Mike Robinson

Learn the traditional mercury daguerreotype process in this one day workshop. Mike will first demonstrate the process, then each participant will have the opportunity to create their own daguerreotype. All cameras, equipment and materials will be provided. No prior experience is necessary.

This workshop is limited to 6 students. (ONLY 4 spots remaining!)

Location: The Daguerreian Society, 3043 West Liberty Avenue
Date:Saturday, 28 April 2007
Time: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Cost: $350 Workshop fee plus $50.00 material fee.
Registration: phone: (412) 343-5525 e-mail dagsocpgh@comcast.net

One Day Wet Plate Workshop with CFAAHP

Instructor: The Center for Alternative and Historic Processes

Learn the 19th Century Technique of Wet Plate Collodion in this one day workshop. We will discuss the differences between ambrotypes (glass positives), glass negatives and tintypes (positives on tin). Students will learn ‘hands on’ how to make a wet plate image using a reproduction camera and original brass lens. The history of the process will be covered as well as a brief description of the chemistry used.

All materials (cameras, chemicals and glass/tin) will be supplied. Limited to 10 students. (ONLY 8 spots remaing)

Location: TBA
Date:Saturday, 28 April 2007
Time: TBA
Cost: $250
Registration: patty@cfaahp.org, phone: (917) 406-5638 or check www.cfaahp.org for upcoming details

Gum Printing with Terry King (Gum Rex)

Instructor: Terry King, FRPS

Terry King’s approach gives control of colour and contrast in the gum process comparable to that obtained by the great workers at the time of the Photo Secession. Negatives can be on paper or film from digital or analogue originals. The process can work with both acrylics and watercolour. Rather than the very long exposures used by many people working in gum, exposures using Terry’s process can be as short as a few seconds.

Participants should plan to bring their own large negatives, but there will also be a selection of large negatives on hand for participants to experiment with. Each student will be given a manual to take home.

Location: Pittsburgh Filmmakers
Date: Saturday, 28 April 2007
Time: 10am - 4pm
Cost: $250
Registration: sueabe@pghfilmmakers.org or phone: 412-681-5449 ext. 216

Primitive Photography: Camera and Lens Making

Instructor: Alan Greene

Whether you’ve been considering exploring large-format photography and have been deterred by cost or are a long time large-format photographer looking for ways to expand your craft this workshop is for you! We’ll use optical surplus and materials commonly found in home improvement stores to build a functioning landscape lens and box camera that uses standard, commercially available, 8×10 film holders.

In addition to the steps of construction, basic principles regarding format size and optical image formation will also be discussed. Participants will leave the workshop knowing how to use the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired to arrive at similar camera and lens design configurations for use in other formats (4×5, 5×7, 11×14, 14×17, etc!).

Limited to 12 participants. Sign up early so you don’t miss this great opportunity!

Location: Society for Contemporary Craft
Date: Saturday, 28 April 2007
Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Cost: $90 ($80 SCC members) + fee for materials (approx $40)
Registration: thestudio@contemporarycraft.org or phone (412) 261-7003 ext. 25

Pinhole Camera Workshop

Instructor: Tom Persinger

In this exciting, hands-on workshop participants will build their own large format pinhole camera, drill their own pinholes, expose images using paper negatives and develop them in the darkroom. This is an entry level workshop ideal for someone just getting started in lensless photography.

Location: The Mattress Factory
Date:28 April 2007
Time: 10am-4pm (includes lunch)
Cost: $35 ( $30 for MF members)
Registration: education@mattress.org or phone (412) 231- 3169 ext. 212, 213

The Cyanotype Rex

Instructor: Terry King, FRPS

Terry King will give people the opportunity to practice his cyanotype rex process. The method and the chemistry vary both from the standard approach and some new cyanotype processes. The process is fast enough to use in camera. According to the length of exposure, the strength of the toner and the time in the developer and toner, the process gives a wide range of colors and tones from negatives. of different densities.

Participants should plan to bring their own large negatives, but for those who do not have negatives there will be a selection to experiment with. Each student will be given a manual to take home.

More information about the Cyanotype Rex process is available on his website.

Location: Pittsburgh Filmmakers
Date: Sunday, 29 April 2007
Time: 10am - 4pm
Cost: $250
Registration: sueabe@pghfilmmakers.org or phone: 412-681-5449 ext. 216