FAN Print Exchange Update

Thomas Bertilsson

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It's been 12 days since I sent the print. I sure hope it made it there OK.

- Thomas
 

keeds

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Thomas, the print has arrived safely thanks. I did post a note in the FAN Group. Sorry you missed it. The print is fantastic and the wife loves it also. Can you fill me in on some technique details. The print is very subtle and low key. Is it Lith? The mottled grainy effect would suggest so but I've never seen this effect with my Lith printing. The colour is very strong and suits the low key print very well. A very impressive print and composition. Thank you.
 

Thomas Bertilsson

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I'm glad it made it there OK! And I'm even more pleased that you like it.

It is indeed a lith print. It's an enlarged 5x7 negative, cropped since my enlarger only takes 4x5 negs max. It's printed on Fomabrom Variant 112 in a very strong lith bath (Arista Powder Lith, from Freestyle), and then toned to completion in selenium 1+10 at 80*F (25*C roughly). The toning only took about four minutes if I remember correctly. Final print size should be 9x12 inch. I left the border intentionally since I don't know how you mount prints (if you desire to do so), and it leaves you with the option of trimming it off it that's necessary too.
I just hinge the print to the backer board and over mat. Many people today dry mount, which looks very nice. But the conservator at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts told me once that I should never do so, because if something happened to the backer board, you have to scrap the print. Or, if you believe in preventative maintenance, perhaps some day you wish to put it on a fresh buffered backer board.

Once again, I am extremely pleased that you liked the print.

There's a very poor scan of the print attached. I don't think I can ever learn how to scan lith prints and do them justice.

- Thomas
 

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Thomas Bertilsson

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I'm wondering about the status of the exchange. Has everybody received a print? I was late sending mine out, and still haven't received anything in exchange.

- Thomas

 

TheFlyingCamera

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I'm being slow - I received my print, but haven't sent mine out yet. Looks like it may be another week or so, because I am now sans darkroom. Frozen pipe burst, basement flooded. No damage to the darkroom, but I am still without water. Trying to get a plumber in, but given that both today and tomorrow the city of Washington DC is basically shut down for the inauguration, that may be a non-starter until the weekend.
 

TheFlyingCamera

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Well, good news! I got my water back on today! I found a plumber who came this afternoon, fixed the main water leak, fixed another broken pipe I had, was clean, efficient and courteous, and charged a reasonable price! I couldn't be more pleased. The first thing I did was take a hot shower to celebrate. Tomorrow, I'll be doing a darkroom session during the day, then going to an artist's ball for the inaugural in the evening. This city is an absolute zoo this weekend.
 

Thomas Bertilsson

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Scott, I know what busted pipes means. I'm really pleased for you that you have things in order again.

I've had instances where I've had to turn my water off, like when my water heater broke last week. That was a lot of fun, and I could take a shower $1,200 later... It felt very good, though!

- Thomas
 

TheFlyingCamera

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Yipes! $1200!!! I really got off easy - this was $236, for 2 1/2 hours worth of work, to fix two pipes. I had to have a hot water heater replaced once, but it wasn't that bad... I think it was about $900, installation included.

Although I know I have damaged drywall in my basement, and wet insulation I'll have to have removed and replaced, it's not so bad as I was expecting that anyway - all the water ran down through the basement bathroom walls, which was previously torn apart for waterproofing work. But at least I can work in my darkroom again.
 
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KWhitmore

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I don't know how I missed this thread but...I have sent and received a print. And this was an awesome exchange by the way...
 

kberquist

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I sent mine to Dennis in late November. I received a wonderful lith print from Kathy Whitmore last week. When is round two?
 

Thomas Bertilsson

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I'll sign up for round two when I have something to show for round one... But, with that said, I'd happily do it again!

- Thomas
 

Rlibersky

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Still waiting for a print. Hope everything is okay with KEEDS. I would be willing to try again.
 

dpurdy

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I got my print from Kent (kberquist) some time ago, a very beautiful platinum print that I still love. However I was on the list twice for 2 exchanges and added to that another print on the side so I sent out 3 but as yet have only received 1 back. I haven't given up hope though.
 

Thomas Bertilsson

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I was very pleased to hear from my exchange partner that I need not worry, and that he had never short-changed anybody. Family health issues and what-not. I think the way I'm going to go about it in the future is personal print exchanges. That seems to work out better as far as turn-around time is concerned. I have been caught up in 'life' a couple of times in print exchanges in the past and people were generous with me, so I should be understanding in return.

- Thomas
 

Thomas Bertilsson

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You and me both, Randy. I think we'll have to chalk this one up to a regrettable experience, forgive those involved, and move on. I've heard from my trading partner and back in January he said he was going through some hard times. I guess we can never tell what they are going through, but it would be the right thing to do to at least communicate about something that you committed to.

To me it's not that big of a deal, but I sent a print that I was very proud of and spent hours perfecting. It is a bit sour to put in all that work and get nothing in return.

- Thomas
 

dpurdy

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my experience was bad as well. I was asked to do a print on the side and came to find out that the person wanted two prints in exchange for one. I returned his and asked to have my print on the side returned and it didn't return.
Dennis
 

Rlibersky

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You are right Thomas nothing to fret over. Just wanted the organizer to know if there is another one of these set up. This exchange and exchange number 11 (one of my trading partners hasn't sent a print yet, at least he did contact me last month) are the first time I had this experience. Just odd it happen at the same time.

I would also be willing to give it another try.

Randy
 

Vaughn

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I suppose one way to make this sort of thing fool-proof is to have all the images sent to one place, then have that person re-send them based on who s/he received them from. Doubles the postage, though, and makes a lot of work for one person. But whoever sends a print is sure to get one back...but still at the whim of the postal service/UPS, etc.
Vaughn
 

Allen Friday

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I have a suggestion for the next exchange, if we have one. Follow the same basic format as this exchange, but have each person send out 2 prints, one to the person below them on the list and one to the person above them on the list. Each photographer in the exchange should end up exchanging prints with two others, the same two the photographer sent prints. If we have a few problems with people not sending prints, the chances of not getting prints from two different photographers should be pretty slim, and you can make reasonably sure that a photographer is active in the exchange before sending out your prints.
 
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