Books on alternative processes

Peter Schrager · Nov 26, 2006

alt books

Actually I've made up some of the dev. recipes for Plat from THE KEEPERS OF LIGHT and I really like the warmtone dev. that I found there. Not really out of date yet!! It really is a great all around book which everyone should own. Otherwise Bostick And Sullivan sell a good list of books...
Best, Peter

get_me_a_gun · Dec 13, 2006

Alternative Photography Processes by Mark Eshbaugh

Hello APUGers,

I have an excellent book for Alt. processes. I own the book myself, and Im a student of the author, Professor Eshbaugh.

The book is a step by step, CLEAR explanation of many of the processes. There are even photos of each item that you need to complete the process! Easy to follow. Tons of sample images, and covered with plastic to protect the book!

http://www.markeshbaugh.com/books.htm < Check it out!

Good luck,
Lisa

Lukas Werth · Dec 14, 2006

get_me_a_gun said:
http://www.markeshbaugh.com/books.htm < Check it out!

Good luck,
Lisa

The problem is: you can't. And I just checked the author's website, i could find no alternative process prints.

sanking · Dec 14, 2006

I agree with Lukas on every point. Spirits of Salt is about the worst book on alternative processes you could buy. Best are Crawford's Keepers of Light (classic, but unsurpassed in the aestheic realm), Barniers' Coming into Focus, and Christopher James' Alternative Photographic Processes. Richard Farber's Historic Phographic Processes is also very good.

Anything by Mike Ware is beyond very good, though perhaps a difficult read for some.

Sandy

Lukas Werth said:
Coming somewhat late to this thread...
Someone mentioned "spirits of salts". In fact, I remember to have written a review on Amazon on this book: to put it short, this is in my view nota verry good book, as you can probably bring no single process to work properly if you rely on the informations given there. The authors try to cover everything, but really explain very little.

Crawford's "keepersof light" is much better, in fact, I think, a valuable classic, but pretty outmoded in may of its technical details by now.

I recently read Mice Ware's "The Chrysotype Manual", available from siderotype.com, which does not only cover chrysotypes (gold prints, similar to Platinum prints, but offering other possibilities, like different colours; see also my website), but contains an extensive general introduction into printing with metal salts (i.e. siderotypes) Some parts do not make a very easy read, but I can only recommend the book in the highest terms. It offeres basic insights valuable for different processes. Maybe somewhat taxing for an absolute beginner, but i would still say, why start with something second rate?

donbga · Dec 14, 2006

mikeg said:
I recently bought Jill Enfield's Photo-imaging "A complete guide to alternative processes". It's OK, but I was a bit disappointed with it. Most of the processes that I was looking for weren't covered in this "complete guide" In particular, no gum bichromate, albumen, or salt prints. What is covered was interesting but definitely not a complete guide. I'm sure this won't matter to most people but the one thing which really wound me up about the book is the mish-mash of units used in the chemical formulae! Although, I'm not a chemist, I am a scientist working in a chemical research company and this really annoyed my scientific mind! Temperatures given in F, liquids measured in ounces, litres or ml, solids in ounces, pounds, grammes, even teaspoons. Occasionally mixing Imperial with metric measurements in the same formula!

That feels better! Rant over Other than that it's an interesting read with some good images.

Cheers

Mike

Mike I tend to agree with you about Jill's book. I find her work inspiring at times but I wouldn't rank her book as 'good'. I did have the pleasure of meeting her in Santa Fe several years ago and she is a very nice person. Very enthusiastic about what she does.

get_me_a_gun · Dec 15, 2006

Lukas Werth said:
The problem is: you can't. And I just checked the author's website, i could find no alternative process prints.

All of his prints are toned with toner he makes himself. he concentrated on alternative processes/toning in grad school. You can see all of his work in the book.

Books on alternative processes

Peter Schrager

get_me_a_gun

Lukas Werth

sanking

donbga

get_me_a_gun

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency