Interesting Technique

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Please take a look at artist Timothy Parkron's darkroom technique.

http://vimeo.com/12686139

 

[ic-racer]

Thanks for posting.

 

[MDR]

Really interesting thanks

 

[pentaxuser]

Can someone explain what exactly he is doing? It was too dark for me to see.I smiled wryly at his camera strap. Presumably he transferred it to his film camera from his other kind?

pentaxuser

 

[Vaughn]

Clearly if any piece of equipment is marked "Digital" it is of higher quality!

I have had some fun in a similar vein -- except I have bleached fully processed prints and then brought the image back (re-developing) selectively using Dektol on a brush. The results are not quite as graphic-looking as his. He appears to be selectively developing the image.

Vaughn

 

[artonpaper]

It appears that he is projecting through a high contrast filter and using brush development. Quite likely he's using a developer with less dilution then is recommended. Interesting results can be had by bushing bleaches and toners as well. Even bushing dilute fixer after development and then re-exposing to light followed by further fixing can cause some staining effects that can be intriguing.

 

[Helinophoto]

Looks like he is simply painting with developer, I'm going to try that, looked like fun ^^

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Mediocre photos that are more interesting because he paints in certain parts with developer? Eh, I fear we're about to go into a phase of lots of people trying to do things just to be different. I'm not that thrilled with this. Not to sound overly critical but it's like a chewing gum that loses flavor fast. Interesting at first, sort of, but then it's.....ok, now what?

 

[zsas]

Great stuff, wish him the best

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

 

[removed account4]

its always fun to see what others do to make their photographs.

 

[F/1.4]

I've painted in the darkroom a bit...expose a sheet of paper to the point where you know it will be pitch black and use developer on a brush..It's VERY difficult, it's like painting with watercolor on RC paper, runs off and pools up. I'd imagine fiber would be easier.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

taking out the big ol 16x20, placing it on the (easel?) table... And then loading the negative carrier, framing, and focusing all under red filter from enlarger? ugh. Please, paper out last, focus on top of old scrap, focus with white light. I also like the fact that he makes a big ol test strip for pretty much no reason as the finished print had no other tones except black. Then he paints a smiley face... haha thats art for you.

Hes basically doing selective development by painting on developer, rinsing it, and then (stop maybe or not) fixing it. Ive had lots of my students play with painting with chemicals, mostly with fixer though, they make for pretty fun photograms or whenever a sheet is exposed accidentally.

 

[Aron]

I don't wish to be overly critical, but this was more like a scene from a horror movie to me. With all those eyes and smiling lips dripping black blood and the rest, it was quite spooky. This seemed more like a struggle to break out of an artist's block, than to create something serious. Photography is better than that. By cutting up that 16x20 to 8x10s, I'm sure by the 4th sheet he would have arrived at a satisfying print of something, well, interesting.

He could be way more creative in that darkroom. Messing around with chemicals this way is a bit old and tired. Drawing with ink on paper is not bad, either, is much cheaper and has greater controllability.

Well applied selective techniques can be beautiful and powerful, but this one just isn't. Sorry.

 

[johnielvis]

iteresting--it's gives me the idea of how to get line drawings from a print....a way to isolate the outlines

 

[doc_atlas]

What part of the word "Artist" is not well understood? We photographers must be cautious about letting a piece of glass affect our vision.

Best to all who love to work in the dark.

Chris

 

[George Collier]

We used to do this when I was in college in the early 70's (went well with the hippy culture). It can be difficult to control, as F/1.4 points out. It can also be fun and isn't for everybody, but it can teach students a lot about exposure and development and how the chems work.
I would also put the paper up last, as pointed out, don't know why he feels he has to focus on the paper.
I don't remember it being a technique which lasted very long with anyone.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

iteresting--it's gives me the idea of how to get line drawings from a print....a way to isolate the outlines

You can use a film such as kodalith, or progressively print higher and higher contrast using filters, and copy those over and over. There was one he laid out from the portfolio scene which I think he did with a mask as the lines are very sharp on the edges.

 

[Photonaut]

A nice reminder. Thank you for sharing.

 

[MartinP]

I thought all students tried this?