Alt process print exchange?--#1

[CarlRadford]

"Just for the record, I also want to curse Jeremy for getting me interested in stuff and Carl for scheming up a way to actually get me to do this"

Credit goes to Mateo - this exchange was his idea, I just stirred things up a little and there was no shortage of takers. I am just looking forward to the next one and being stress free - apart from wondering what people really think about my efforts

[gbock]

Oh sure. Gloat why don't you? A pox on your nose.

Art.

Art,

Sorry, I didn't mean it THAT way :-)

What I meant to say is that the chemistry I use is nothing fancy, just the normal stuff. I get my chemistry from Bostick & Sullivan, all premixed, although once I'm finished with my current supply, I will make my own pd solution because it's quite a bit cheaper that way (and thanks to a co-op purchase, I have enough pd salt to last me for a few years).

Which Photographer's Formulary kit did you get, platinum or palladium? Platinum will produce cooler tones, palladium warmer tones. What do they use as the developer? I prefer potassium oxalate because it results in even warmer tones in conjunction with palladium.

Gawd, I'm pretending to be the expert here and yet, even after four years, I'm still learning with every print I make (especially the failures).

Gerhard

[gbock]

Today I received Gerhard Bock's 4x5 Pt/pl print. It is beautiful. Love the tones. He posted the photo in the gallery--and while it looks good in JEPG, the actual print is wonderful. It proves to me that the web cannot do justice to a really fine print.

THANK YOU!

I agree with what you said about JPGs. I find it notoriously difficult to scan pt/pd prints because the JPGs always end up contrastier AND the paper texture usually shows.

Gerhard

[gbock]

Art, allow me to help move the curve if you will...PM me your address and I will send you one of my prints...then you can fill better. My will be no where near as nice as Gerhards...but I do agree with you his work is very, very nice...have admired it for some time now.

Mike,

Thanks!!! I feel humbled by your praise, and at the same time challenged to climb that next rung on the long ladder to pt/pd nirvana :-)

Gerhard

[gr82bart]

Credit goes to Mateo - this exchange was his idea, I just stirred things up a little and there was no shortage of takers.

Fine, I curse him too. In fact, curse you all - where's my drink?

What I meant to say is that the chemistry I use is nothing fancy, just the normal stuff. I get my chemistry from Bostick & Sullivan, all premixed, although once I'm finished with my current supply, I will make my own pd solution because it's quite a bit cheaper that way

I don't buy it Gerhard. You're shaking down the pool hall and we're all on to you! "Look at me. Nothing fancy going on here. I'm just a regular schmo that PRODUCES BRILLIANT PRINTS!" I hate you by the way.

Which Photographer's Formulary kit did you get, platinum or palladium?

I bought the PT kit.

What do they use as the developer?

Ferric Oxalate

Gawd, I'm pretending to be the expert here and yet, even after four years, I'm still learning with every print I make

Riiiight. Sure. I believe you. You keep saying that to yourself.

ARGH!

Regards, Art (Being driven to drink....much more now)

[CarlRadford]

if we didn't like it hard we'd be doing digital - get a grip of yourself and get back into the darkroom, and let me know when you have all the answers - that latest 200gb overdrive maga pxel af mutli metering system is getting closer to the top of the christmas list

[gbock]

Art,

In my opinion, you don't really need a deep black in a pt/pd prints. If you look at the print I sent you, the borders are deep black, but the image itself doesn't contain any black areas. What's great about pt/pd is the long scale, i.e. the fact that there are so many shades of gray that can be represented. I agree that for silver prints, a deep black is something very desirable (although personally I love high-key images with no black as well) but it's not something you must have for a pt/pd print to be successful.

Gerhard

[MenacingTourist]

I got my print from Jim Galli today.
Holy crap I'm waaaaay out of my league here. Although I'm really excited to make my cyanotypes, this is the very first time I've done anything like this. I hope the guys in my group can find it in thier hearts to forgive my newness

Jim is setting the bar pretty high and I am now very motivated.

[mark]

Okay, You folks who have your stuff in the mail already make me sick. I still can't decide on a Neg. There is something wrong with each one I have shot for this.

Maybe I can get a good one over the Thanksgiving break.

[photomc]

Don't fret Mark, I just got lucky (or maybe all the testing Lee had me work on is starting to pay off) but I had made a negative that prints well with the Ziatypes as well as on silver. Just finished washing the last prints and they are drying. Now to get them ready to send out this weekend and in the mail. Made 20+ prints in the past 3 days, silver and alt. process...more production than I have ever had.