Light Farm silver gelatin web tutorials

[dwross]

Thanks, Mark. I've certainly got my fingers crossed for a symposium. It follows close behind World Peace and Universal Science Literacy on my wish list (and hopefully more attainable.)

Regarding the issue of buying chemicals. Artists will prevail. No one has ever imagined that photography is a cheap date. Even smart phone pics come at a price. If the cost of silver nitrate tripled, d.i.y. would still cost less than commercial film, not to mention the cost of ink cartridges, high end baryta inkjet paper, and Pictorico.

Ron, tell me again why people would take the GEH workshops if they think they won't be able to get the materials someday?

On a proof-of-optimism note, Henk Mantel, a.k.a. "Polder", is the latest Light Farm contributor. He lives in Germany and with a little digging (well, maybe a lot ) he has put together the materials he needs to start making emulsions. As I mentioned before, wet plate, which takes a lot more silver nitrate and is a whole lot more hazardous than silver gelatin, is alive and well in Europe. If there are challenges along the way to making our art, I think it makes the achievements all the more sweet.

Here's Henk's first article:http://www.thelightfarm.com/Map/Inde...ingStarted.htm

Enjoy! I certainly did.

[gandolfi]

Denise: it is not a cost matter - if you can't get it you can't!

I still can as said above, but the majority of people here can't. And the way things are going, soon nobody can! (at least those that make silly unimportant things like photography...)

The future doesn't look great! But as long as I have my job - my future is ok....

[dwross]

Emil,

I'm very glad you'll be able to make your stunning photography for the foreseeable future!

If being able to get chemicals really is threatened in Europe (or at least select countries in the EU) perhaps a strategy of slow, incremental stockpiling is in order. Many professions and hobbies have disappeared or become very rare in the last few decades. "Setting by" the tools and materials is a fact of life for many artists and craftspersons. Happily for silver gelatin emulsion makers, the chemicals go a long way.

All my very best wishes,
d

[Photo Engineer]

Denise;

I think that Emil gave part of the answer. You can't get it, but want to learn is the other part. A third part is that several manufacturers have just simply quit making the chemicals used in photography and this includes sensitizing dyes and antifoggants. The demand for Hypo has gone way down and so has production while price goes up. What used to be shipped in tank cars now comes in 55 gallon drums.

So, laws prevent purchase, demand decreases and production either goes down or stops, but people still want to learn. OTOH, I must say that while early interest in workshops was world-wide, it is now decreasing to the US due to these problems and the cost of travel in some cases.

My book is selling well and I may have to go into a 3rd printing. And I've already had requests for V2.

PE

[AgX]

I buy my films and paper at Fotoimpex, they donŽt mention silvernitrate in their cataloque, I mailed them a couüple of days ago, but got no answer yet.

see at the Moersch site, there is a link to a listing of a german chemicals dealer specialized in photographic chemicals:
http://www.moersch-photochemie.de/content/rohchemie


this is a german mail order dealer having a special subsection "photochemicals" in his listing
http://www.omikron-online.de/lshop,s....photo,,,,.htm
I just realized that this dealer has restricted newly some relevant chemicals from sale to consumers. I can't see any reason for this.

a belgian dealer:
http://www.permadocument.be/texte/LE/LE-chem.html

[AgX]

I would like to join in but in trying to order the chemicals in Germany all the time I get the answer : we are not allowed to sell to private persons. The internet, or the way I use it, doesnŽt give any answers.
So does anyone have any experience with an internetshop in Germany?

That a chemicals dealer rejects a consumer as client cannot be based on chemicals related law. Most probably were those dealers set up as wholesalers and due to that might not offer consumer related rights. Without adapting to the consumer they could get into trouble.



German law concerning chemicals distinguishes not only between chemistries themselves and type of client but also between over-the-counter or mailorder sale. It's all quite complicated.

But to the relief of german lawmaking: photochemicals have got a privileged status. But then the question arises what are photochemicals...


The main problem in Germany is that local dealers in chemicals have vanished. And as indicated above over-the-counter sales are of legal relevance.

[Polder]

Hello to Denmark

IŽve got a few replies from Dutch firms, who can supply small quantities of the needed chemicals within the EU commonmarket. If Denise agrees IŽll publish the name of some firms in my next article on the Lightfarm. I am still waiting for the reactions of some firms in Germany.

I live in Germany but I am Dutch so it is easy for me to contact Dutch firms, but they all read English.

Henk

[dwross]

Henk,

I absolutely agree. In fact, I was going to ask if you'd be willing! Thank you.

d

[dwross]

AgX,

Thank you for the info on the German photochemistry situation and for the links.
d

[Polder]

Hello to you all,

Thanks a lot for the links, I am checking them all. The Belgian website (also in English), apart from supplying chemicals, has a lot to offer. Not each supplier is able or allowed to deliver Silvernitate and Potassiumchloride. That is not that cost effective. But succes is for sure, weŽll succeed in the end.

If anyone has more addresses, please. IŽll contact some people in France and Hungary, perhaps we can create a European list of suppliers.

Henk