Tag: collodion

Will Dunniway announces 2008 collodion workshops

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

Wet plate collodion artist and educator Will Dunniway writes:

Greetings ~ I have been practicing in this craft since 1990 and just recently have begun to teach this skill in wet plate collodion workshops across the country. The workshops in Corona are for 2 days and the Montana workshop, 4 days. My experience credentials to teach this all but lost 19th century process is my years in the field working with this wet plate collodion process. For inquiries email me at: silverandsun@mac.com, or go to my web site www.collodion-artist.com for more information.

On my web page, the workshop schedule is being revised. The following is the latest. Thanks, and just maybe I will be hearing from a few of you>>>Will

The basic course description

Students will learn the making of ambrotypes (glass direct positives) and tintypes. (Ferrotypes, tin plate direct positives) Students are guided through the process step-by-step from the mixing, pouring, exposing and development of plates poured with wet collodion. The newest edition now is 4 color of the manual, Making the Wet Collodion Plate in 16 Steps manual by Will Dunniway is included along with all materials in the course fee. Students will use a period 1860 field camera with 1860-70 lenses. Workshop features 2 days of intensive hands-on training in the making of ambrotypes, ferrotypes (tintypes), and glass plate negatives. Each student will make and take home a self-portrait/still life tintype/ambrotypes. All materials and equipment provided.

The 4 day workshops include a day shooting with a Brownie type box camera that you keep. Intensifying glass negatives and printing from these negatives with salt paper.

January 19–20, Corona, California – WINTER Wet Plate collodion Workshop
Collodion Photography
Tentative, see www.collodion-artist.com

April 12–13, Corona, California – Julia Dean Wet Plate Collodion Workshop
Collodion Photography
Tentative, www.juliadean.com/2008summer/collodion.html

June 20–21, Corona, California – Summer Wet Plate Collodion Workshop
Collodion Photography
Tentative, see www.collodion-artist.com

July 6–11 Condon, Montana – Photographer Formulary Workshop on Collodion Photography
(See: www.photoformulary.com to register)

October 4–5, Corona, California – FALL Wet Plate collodion Workshop
Collodion Photography
Tentative, see www.collodion-artist.com

Kodak Monographs now available for free download

Nicolai Grossman 2 Comments

These three Kodak publications are available as PDF downloads from archive.org. As you can see, they’re quite old, and the copyright has expired.

Kodak Monograph 1: The silver bromide grain of photographic emulsions, Adrian Peter Herman Trivelli (1921)

Kodak Monograph 2: The theory of development, Adolph H. Nietz (1922)

The Photographic Negative, William Henry Burbank (1888)

Written as a practical guide to the preparation of sensitive surfaces by the calotype, albumen, collodion, and gelatin processes, on glass and paper, with supplementary chapters on development, etc.

Photographic printing methods: a practical guide to the professional and amateur worker, William Henry Burbank (1891) (thanks, Glenn!)

Via APUG member Emulsion

Project Basho’s Fall 2007 workshop/class schedule announced, PA, US

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

Philadephia’s Project Basho have announced their Fall 2007 class and workshop schedule:

Fall Classes and New Workshops

We would like to let you know that the fall schedule for photography classes and workshops at Project Basho has been finalized and is posted on our website. We have exciting workshops coming this fall. As usual, we are offering beginner and intermediate black and white classes along with an introductory color class. These classes are very small with a lot of feedback from instructors and are very structured with ongoing assignments. We also offer an afterschool class for teenagers.

In addition to our regular workshops like an introduction to large format photography and palladium printing, we are featuring some exciting programs this fall. We are inviting Shelby Lee Adams again but this time for a Location Lighting workshop where participants will learn the intricacy of lighting with the mixture of natural and artificial light. This use of lighting is considered to be essential for today’s editorial and commercial photographers. Shelby will deconstruct other notable photographers’ lighting techniques and walk you through the process making it approachable.

We are offering Creating a Photographer’s Artist Book by Olivia Antsis. If you have ever had a desire to create a one-of-kind book of your photographs and learn the basics of bookbinding, this workshop is for you. Photographers will learn how to use their photographs to make compelling visual narratives.

In October Craig Barber will lead Cultural Landscape, the workshop which will expand your understanding of landscape photography. He will explore how photographers portray cultural impact on the environment and also look at how the photographer’s own culture affects their vision.

In November, we are inviting Kerik Kouklis to offer a One-day Gum over Platinum Printing workshop as well as another Wet-Plate Collodion workshop. Kerik covers these historical processes in a friendly and approachable manner and his workshops have been very well received in the past.

Kevin Martini-Fuller will be offering an Introduction to Studio Lighting as well as Nude: Form and Light and Carbon Printing.

Last but not the least, there are still a couple of more summer workshops scheduled and some more opening left: Introduction to Studio Lighting workshop by Kevin Martini-Fuller and Gum Bichromate workshop by Scott McMahon.

Lecture Series Starting This Fall

Our first lecture series in May with Shelby Lee Adams was a great success and we are looking forward to more occasions like this. When we finish our new multi-purpose room, we will be bringing a lecture series to the Philadelphia photography community.

We are scheduling one lecture a month this fall. The first one will be by Shelby Lee Adams again in September. We are working closely with The University of the Arts and hope to run Shelby’s lecture in a larger space at UArts.

In October, we are inviting Craig J. Barber, and he is going to share his work and his latest book. This will be his first lecture in Philadelphia. In November, Kerik Kouklis is scheduled to join us.

A Gallery Space Opens This Fall

As you know, we have been working on the second phase of construction, and we will soon finish the space. Starting in October, we will be showing photographs on our walls.

The main gallery room is 600 sq ft with a 14ft ceiling and unique architectural details. The gallery also extends to a 40′ long hallway in the studio. That is over 100 liner ft. space for hanging photographs. We will be slowly and thoughtfully developing a series of photography shows which are visually stimulating as well as thought-provoking.

Tintype Portraiture Session During POST

October is the time for the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours. It is a great occasion where many artists’ studios will be open to public. As an artist-run organization, Project Basho is happy to be part of this unique annual event.

In order to provide an occasion for raising awareness and appreciation of historical photographic processes, we are having tintype portraiture sessions during POST. Tintypes have peculiar qualities which are difficult to reproduce with other technologies. For a small fee, you can have a one-of-a-kind tintype photograph made of you while you are visiting the studio. We will be running the sessions on both Saturday and Sunday. You are also more than welcome to come by to see how the process is done.

More Exciting Projects

We are working on a couple of other exciting projects right now. They have something to do with the use of our gallery space both physically and online. We hope to be able to make an announcement by the end of summer, so stay tuned with our latest development at Project Basho.

For more information and updates, please feel contact us or visit our website.

Project Basho
1305 Germantown Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19122
US
215-238-0928
www.projectbasho.org

Field wet plate collodion shoot with Will Dunniway, CA, US

Nicolai Grossman 1 Comment

NEW Field Wet Plate Collodion Shoot coming this July 14–15, 2007
Large format camera

Instructor: Will Dunniway of Corona, California, 40 miles east of Los Angeles, has been a professional graphic artist and photographer for over 40 years. He now practices the 19th century art of wet plate collodion photography using original cameras and lens with nearly 20 years experience.

The basic course description $425: ($100 deposit required to hold space)

Saturday: At the Corona Studio – Students will learn (or relearn) the making of ambrotypes (glass direct positives) and tintypes. (Ferrotypes, tin plate direct positives) adn large format glass collodion. Students are guided through the process step-by-step from the mixing, pouring, exposing and development of plates poured with wet collodion. The newest 4 color edition of the manual, Making the Wet Collodion Plate in 16 Steps manual by Will Dunniway is included along with all materials in the course fee. Students will use a period 1860 field camera with 1860-70 lenses. This will be for the beginner and experienced collodion practitioner. A two day course crammed into one day.

Sunday: Private land (with facilities) above Murrietta, California – We will drive the 30 minutes from Corona, Ca. to the oak /boulder wilderness location on the land of a friend. Very private. There I will set up one or two portable darkrooms and tutor you in a hands on field environment doing field wet plate work in the tradition of the old wet plate collodion masters. Lunch will be packed for you.

The workshop is not about the historical use of the process. It is about the use of wet plate collodion in a contemporary setting. It just so happens that I am an historical tin-typist with 19 years in the field doing this wet plate process.

I do not require anything remotely historical. I will also help you adapt newer ‘view’ type cameras with wet plate backs. Given this, my equipment is all original by default. This is the only equipment I use. My students have really enjoyed working with this rare camera equipment . The look these old lens give is incredible. In the end you will go away with a working knowledge of the process, not it’s historical interpretation.

I hope this information is useful. If you need to ask any questions, call. If you give me a thumbs up – Email: silverandsun@mac.com to attend the July 14–15, 2007 – The NEW Summer Wet Plate Collodion Field Shoot Workshop. Hope you can come

Will Dunniway
951-817-5113

Email ~ silverandsun@mac.com
Web sites ~ www.dunniway.com and www.collodion-artist.com

First look at Matthew Larkin’s "Suspended In Time" wet plate collodion book

Nicolai Grossman 5 Comments

Cover of collodion photography Suspended in Time by Matthew Larkin (Black Barn Editions)

I recently stopped by wet plate collodion photographer Matthew Larkin’s studio and got a look at an advance copy of his just-published book, Suspended in Time, which is the end result of a two year collaboration between Larkin and body suspension group Rites of Passage.

I’m a bit of a hard sell when it comes to photography books. Not only had the images better be damn good, but it had better be printed well, form a coherent body of work, and the pictures mustn’t give everything up at once, they’ve got to be engaging and give me something to explore over time. A book I can flip through once and say, "that was good, but I got it, and I don’t necessarily need to see it again," isn’t getting my money or sustained attention. Suspended in Time delivers on all fronts, which is why it gets my vote and my cash. The photography—the subject of which will undoubtedly be truly challenging for some—is compelling and well edited, and the book itself is gorgeously designed by Binocular and impeccably printed by top-of-the-heap fine art printers Studley Press.

In the 15 or so years I’ve been doing print design professionally, I’ve developed an annoyingly critical eye that sees the slightest printing defect coming a mile away. Usually, offset printing is a frustrating guessing game, where getting the expected result is difficult, expensive, and rare, because it’s an analog, mechanical process where a lot can go wrong. Larkin and the designers were on press for a week working with the printers to get the duotone inks and varnish balanced just right. The result is nothing short of phenomenal; this is one of the best- and most interestingly-printed things I’ve ever seen.

What does this mean for the photos? They managed to get much, much closer to the look of the original black glass ambrotypes than I thought was possible with offset printing. Due to the colored varnish, the page surfaces are half-way between matte and high-gloss. It’s a look that I ordinarily wouldn’t care for, but it happens to work perfectly for the material: some of the otherworldliness of the glass originals is of course lost on paper, but the finish makes up for it, albeit in a slightly different, though no less effective, direction.

There are few cues about when the photos were made, which makes them difficult to nail down. They’re equally believable at 1 or 150 years old. The printing makes them look both immediate and anachronistic, with none of the sense of temporal distance that usually comes with old photos. Time-wise, they pick you up and throw you, but don’t let you see where you landed. It’s a neat trick that sets the stage for beginning the real work of digesting the content.

I think you should really have your own experience of the photos, so I’m not going to say anything more about the subjects. I do suggest going for the ride, though, and looking at and thinking about what comes up for you when you look at them. It’s probably going to be a challenge, but I think it’s a worthy one. There are a lot of interesting questions to be found here if you let them in. If you’d like to get a peek, there are several plates from the book here at the publisher’s site and in this previous post here on Photon Detector.

Given the material, the photographic process, and the fact that this is the first book of its kind, Larkin had an opportunity to write a Weston daybook-style flowery and self-congratulatory bit of wankery for the introduction. I’m quite pleased to report that he didn’t take it. Instead, he provides enough background to help you understand what you’re looking at, but stops before boring you or turning it into a public masturbation session, and lets the work speak for itself. A successful artist statement is a rare treat. Thanks for that.

Don’t let the fact that I know Larkin detract from this statement in any way: this book is incredible. It’s a unique piece that I know I’ll get a lot of exploration out of for a long time to come. I almost tried to come up with something bad to say so this seems more balanced, but I’ve got nothing. (For the record, I don’t accept free or discounted stuff from anyone I write about here. I saw the book, I like it, and I’m paying full price.)

You can order direct from the publisher, Black Barn Editions. The book is US $70 plus shipping, and express and international shipping are available.

Look for interviews with Larkin and several of the subjects in the coming weeks.

 

Clothbound with jacket, 9.25 × 11.5 inches
70 duotone illustrations in 144 pages

Edition limited to 2000, of which 100 are signed and numbered by the artist.

ISBN 978-0-9793352-0-4
US $70.00

 

More coverage
Review by NYC.com

Review by Phil Nesmith

 

Cover image © copyright 2007 Black Barn Editions. Used with permission.

Wet plate collodion workshop with Kerik Kouklis, Philadelphia, US

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

Here’s a very interesting-looking workshop with Kerik Kouklis (I have it on good authority that his workshops are excellent):

Wet plate collodion, one of the earliest photographic processes, has been experiencing a resurgence of interest in recent years. This resurgence is primarily because of the beauty and uniqueness of the images created. In this workshop, you will learn how to create wet plate positive images (Tintype and Ambrotype) as well as wet plate negatives. Through a combination of discussions, shooting sessions and darkroom time, participants will learn how to incorporate this process in their own photography.

Cameras and wet plate holders ranging from 4×5 to 8×10 will be available for students to use. Students are also encouraged to bring your own view camera as well. This workshop is open to anyone with an interest in 19th century techniques.

The one-weekend workshop runs 9 am – 6 pm, May 5–6, 2007, at Project Basho, 1305 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA, US.

Check out the complete workshop schedule at ProjectBasho.org, including a two-weekend pinhole workshop with Scott McMahon for Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day.

f295 Symposium workshop information

Nicolai Grossman Leave a comment

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

Matthew Larkin’s wet plate collodion suspension project

Nicolai Grossman 5 Comments

Santos Elbow - black glass ambrotype by Matt Larkin (used with permission)

Photographer Matt Larkin is working on a book of wet plate collodion ambrotypes documenting people doing ritual body suspension. While some may find the subject matter challenging, I find the photography incredibly compelling—it captures both the intensity and the peace that I’ve heard can come from the suspension experience.

You can see more of Larkin’s wet plate photographs in his gallery at AlternativePhotography.com.

Nate Coma - black glass ambrotype by Matt Larkin (used with permission)

 

Photos © copyright 2007 Black Barn Editions. Used with permission.

 

UPDATE: The book is out, I’ve posted a review and ordering information here.