Lodima Fine Art Paper--Official reports and Member Responses

[jgjbowen]

I received my Brett Weston "15 images" today. As usual, a beautiful book.

 

[Curt]

I checked my account and it looks like I will be getting mine soon.

Curt

 

[jgjbowen]

Curt,

Don't know where you are located, but I'm only 5 hours from the Phily area. It was shipped UPS ground on the 2nd and in my hands on the 3rd.

 

[payral]

I received my Brett Weston "15 images" today. As usual, a beautiful book.

Lucky guy, I checked my account too and it's for sure on the road but France it's a little further...

 

[c6h6o3]

Curt,

Don't know where you are located, but I'm only 5 hours from the Phily area. It was shipped UPS ground on the 2nd and in my hands on the 3rd.

I sure hope mine comes today.

 

[Curt]

I've got my eye out for the mail, ups, fedex, what ever method is used. I'm eager to get the new book. I think they are fantastic. I wish I had the hard cover editions but glad to get what I have. I was wondering where I hear the phrase "abstract expressionist". When I was looking that the Art Wright DVD I went to the excerpts from several people and there it was, the reference. What a fantastic photographer.

 

[skillian]

Got mine yesterday - hats off to Michael and Paula for another awesome book from the series. Four down, fifteen to go.

 

[Curt]

Book number 4 came today, I sat down and spend some time looking at it. It's one of the best yet, they keep getting better and better, I love to see photographs that I haven't seen before. This is the best way to do it.

Curt

 

[payral]

I got mine today (in France). As always, really beautiful. But now few months to waite till the next one…

 

[c6h6o3]

I got mine today (in France). As always, really beautiful. But now few months to waite till the next one…

This fourth Lodima Brett Weston book defines a milestone for me. There is a reproduction of a picture in it (Garrapata Beach) which is "better" than the original. At least I like it more. I've never liked that photograph until seeing this interpretation of it. Bravo!

That being said another issue arises, to wit: did Brett Weston make a print like the reproduction? I know that Lodima prides itself on reproducing the works it publishes exactly as the photographer rendered it, Michael and Paula's personal opinion of a print notwithstanding. When last I spoke with Paula Chamlee she said that they had not liked the way Brett had printed some of the pictures in this portfolio but that they were reproducing them as perfectly as they could anyway as a matter of policy. I'd surely love to see the original from which this one was made.

 

[PhotoHistorian]

This fourth Lodima Brett Weston book defines a milestone for me. There is a reproduction of a picture in it (Garrapata Beach) which is "better" than the original. At least I like it more. I've never liked that photograph until seeing this interpretation of it. Bravo!

That being said another issue arises, to wit: did Brett Weston make a print like the reproduction? I know that Lodima prides itself on reproducing the works it publishes exactly as the photographer rendered it, Michael and Paula's personal opinion of a print notwithstanding. When last I spoke with Paula Chamlee she said that they had not liked the way Brett had printed some of the pictures in this portfolio but that they were reproducing them as perfectly as they could anyway as a matter of policy. I'd surely love to see the original from which this one was made.

The Lodima "interpretation" that you like "better" than the original is the very reason Brett destroyed his negatives. He wanted no "photographic interpretations" made after his death. He didn't take into account book publishers "interpeting" his work. Whether Paula and Micahel like or dislike the way Brett printed any negative is not the issue. If you want to present a book of Brett's work, make the reproductions as Brett visualized his work. As for the image Garrapata Beach, I have handled the original negative and I can't imagine any resulting print being "bad." It is was a beautiful piece of art unto itself.

Walker

 

[doughowk]

I only have the Voyage of the Eye book for comparison with Lodima's Garrapata Beach version. The latter is a higher contrast print. Does anyone here have an original portfolio for comparison? Of course, like most printers, Brett's interpretation of his negative probably varied over time. So can't really pick one to say its the definitive interpretation.

 

[michael9793]

I would have liked to see a reproduction around that time to see if they could have done the job M&P did. remember your asking for a print look alike from a different media. You can only do so much. I try to scan my prints and match them to the screen. but someone else's screen it may be way off. M&P pride themselves on as perfect a reproduction they can get so we have the ability to enjoy the print without having the original in your hand.

enjoy

ma

 

[Ray Heath]

so, where is this great new paper many of you can't work without?

 

[Curt]

so, where is this great new paper many of you can't work without?

It got hijacked away by the BW books didn't it?

Did Brett Weston use very much AZO paper in his time?

 

[Ray Heath]

It got hijacked away by the BW books didn't it?

Did Brett Weston use very much AZO paper in his time?

apparently Curt, is the current status un-aswerable?

does it matter how much of a certain material any creative artist uses?

surely the artwork is more important than the materials used

Ray

 

[maxbloom]

surely the artwork is more important than the materials used

Ray

The artwork in this case is the materials used.

 

[Ray Heath]

The artwork in this case is the materials used.

yeh, hardly creative, more like restrictive and unimaginative

 

[michael9793]

I'm sure with everyone having a slow down in this country, the purchase of photos or art in general is on a decline. and since M&P are taking this endeavor out of their own pocket it is on the back burner right now. Unless you have the money to come up with to finish the project or even start one of this magnitude. And yes, this paper is in a class of it's own (having compared it to several other papers available today). Till then Pt/Pd, and other papers will have to be used.

 

[jgjbowen]

And yes, this paper is in a class of it's own (having compared it to several other papers available today).

Michael,

Does "this paper" refer to Azo? If not, have you had he opportunity to see/test Lodima?

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

so, where is this great new paper many of you can't work without?

I'm quite happy using other materials though I'll surely give Lodima a try when it's released. In the meantime, I'd suggest not letting this fellow and others like him bait you... I'm not sure how sitting around a computer bitching about a paper you don't use makes someone any more creative than anyone else. Keep on keeping on and let the trolls continue guarding their little bridges. :rolleyes:

 

[Michael Kadillak]

and since M&P are taking this endeavor out of their own pocket it is on the back burner right now.

This assertion needs to be put into the proper perspective.

If you go back and review the project on the Azo web site you will see that Michael and Paula are relying upon the participation of silver chloride users to finance it and pull this project off. They are artists in the true sense of the word and their contribution to this endeavor is that they are the catalyist that are out there continuing to promote the concept of a silver chloride paper in the market place with their extensive experience with this project (nobody knows Azo like they do), the massive allocation of their personal time, travel expenses, phone calls and the passion that is common with them in their desire to continue to have a silver chloride paper to express themselves and for others to do so as well. I can further assure you that when they get their teeth into a project it is not set aside until it is completed because that is just how they do things. As a result, the Azo project is not now and since its initiation has never been on "hold".

We as consumers of silver chloride printing paper will be called upon to do our share at some point in the not to distant future so do not be surprised when we will need to reach for the checkbook or the credit card. That will truly be a defining monent in the new and improved analog business going forward.

Maintaining a positive attitude and continuing to promote analog are two very important contributions we can all make in the interim.

Onward!

 

[Kirk Keyes]

Are M&P dedicated to producing a "silver chloride" paper, or are they dedicated to producing an Azo-clone. I get the impression that they are after a clone of Azo.

I fear that they may not have the finances to produce something that is just similar to Azo let alone an Azo-clone, even with all you Azo people standing behind them with credit cards in hand. When it takes several more test runs to get the formula close, will they be able to hold the proposed pricing where it was. Especially when the factory is being run without modern climate controls and tests can only be done when eastern Europe is released from it's typically cold winters.

And remember, the price of gas has increased about 50% since they started this project and all other prices have gone up as well. Shipping alone will be more than anyone projected 2 years ago.

Sorry about what may be percieved as a "lack of a positive attitude", I'm just trying to be realistic in my outlook on the world...

OK - here's a positive suggestion - perhaps they should try using a plant in India where there are a lot of good engineers about and the climate it much more temperate than in eastern Europe.

 

[Captain_joe6]

Kirk and all,

It has been my understanding of reading this thread and Michael's posts that the paper is to be similar in characteristic to Azo, but cannot, by the nature of the product itself, be a duplicate of Azo. It will be a silver chloride paper and come with the nuances that a silver chloride paper exhibits.

It also seems to me that the project was getting fairly close to completion. Last report was that the paper still had a couple of kinks to be worked out, but was certainly 'in the ballpark.'

I applaud Michael and Paula for their gutsy undertaking of this project, and if I didn't have such a laughably small amount of money to my name, I would have thrown my monetary hat in the ring long ago.

And to Kirk,whereabouts in Portland are you? I am a volunteer at Blue Sky Gallery at NW 8th and Davis every friday, 12-5. You should stop in some time and see the work. Nice platinums by Beth Dow up right now.

Matter of fact, you should all come and say hi.

-Patrick

 

[Michael Kadillak]

Are M&P dedicated to producing a "silver chloride" paper, or are they dedicated to producing an Azo-clone. I get the impression that they are after a clone of Azo.

I fear that they may not have the finances to produce something that is just similar to Azo let alone an Azo-clone, even with all you Azo people standing behind them with credit cards in hand. When it takes several more test runs to get the formula close, will they be able to hold the proposed pricing where it was. Especially when the factory is being run without modern climate controls and tests can only be done when eastern Europe is released from it's typically cold winters.

And remember, the price of gas has increased about 50% since they started this project and all other prices have gone up as well. Shipping alone will be more than anyone projected 2 years ago.

Sorry about what may be percieved as a "lack of a positive attitude", I'm just trying to be realistic in my outlook on the world...

OK - here's a positive suggestion - perhaps they should try using a plant in India where there are a lot of good engineers about and the climate it much more temperate than in eastern Europe.

The Azo that most of us are familiar with is but one sample of the Azo family and only one of many Silver Chloride papers (as Merg Ross so kindly shared with us in a recent post). Every photographic paper manufacturer at one time or another produced a silver chloride paper and naturally their printing characteristics varied widely. Rest assured that Michael and Paula will pursue the best Silver Chloride paper that can possibly be made and I will leave it at that.

I understand in a general sense that fear is a natural emotion for anyone that is interested in this project and does not yet have a realized conclusion. But I want to point out to the general audience that your comments above are simply incorrect and/or speculative and I will leave it at that. The specific details of this work are in the best hands possible so hang in there and be patient and as things come together pertinent information will be forthcoming.

Being "realistic" has the reasonable expectation that you have something factual to hang your hat on. Michael and Paula are the only ones that know what is happening at the micro level and for obvious reasons, they must maintain complete confidentiality until it is in the done column.

Cheers!