Alchemist's Cave #1

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  David William White

• Feb 8, 2009

Wonderfully surreal photograph. I'm trying to guess your process and hoping you will divulge. Are they all pointed to the same baseboard? Enquiring minds want to know!

 

• Elapid

• Feb 8, 2009

I have a different negative in each enlarger and move the paper from enlarger to enlarger, masking out the areas I want with cut out masks between the lens and paper. I usually use Ilford variable contrast paper so each negative can be printed at it's own contrast. I didn't invent the technique but I try to use it to produce my own personal images.

 

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  Vincent Brady

• Feb 8, 2009

I feel that you have too many points of interest in this photo to hold the viewers attention. The fact that it is quite small does not help either. While I admire and envy your approach to photography, I feel that your picture is a triumph of technique over content.

Cheers
TEX

 

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  David William White

• Feb 8, 2009

I'm sure we'll see more clever juxtapositions and superpositions emerging...

 

• Elapid

• Feb 8, 2009

The original print fills most of an 11x14 sheet of paper, it's easier to appreciate the detail in a larger version and, I hope, appears more integrated to viewers. Not an easy print to view, I realize. It's experimental and hard for me to know if it works for viewers. I appreciate the comments. - Elapid

 

• Claire Senft

• Feb 8, 2009

What did you dream you ate before going to bed? Surely not pickles and ice-cream I hope.

 

• Elapid

• Feb 9, 2009

Yes, I suppose I could just as well have named it "Alchemist's Dream" although some viewers might perceive the photo as a nightmare. I did a short series on this theme. I saw an anology between alchemists transmuting lead and mercury into gold, and photographers transmuting light and imagination into silver. -Elapid

 

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  Thomas Bertilsson

• Feb 9, 2009

Very interesting! And definitely nicely pulled off in the darkroom.

- Thomas