Small Print Exchange

Hi,

I know there are already many different print exchanges going on, like the group, lith and alternative print exchanges - not to forget the postcard exchange. Why another exchange?

Well, I am a big fan of the smaller image (like 8x10 which is currently my standard format). I think it is nicer to look at smaller images when holding them in your hand and also there is only so many space at the wall.

But often when I participate in a print exchange I get relatively big prints and so often I tend to also send a big print, or at least bigger than my standard print format. Not that I do not welcome a big print sent to me, but honestly, I would prefer smaller ones. And I think I am not the only one.

So why don't we start a small print exchange where - like in the group exchanges - we make groups of three or four people who send a small print to each other. Let's define the maximum paper size to be 8x10 inches.

Anyone interested?

Cheers
Ruediger

While I think it certainly is a valid idea, I am going to hold myself to the current no no practice of sending my postcard prints in an envelope.

In my postal system (which is currently not functioning thanks to a labour dispute) that lets me send three 4.7x7 prints at a normal letter rate.

While I know it is a no no to some the fact that I can cram in three postcard sized images, and still pay the same as if mailing just the postcard justuifies it for me. It also lets me send all sorts of images on old paper styles that would otherwise never survive as raw postcards.

Thanks for all that you do in these exchanges.

Anybody heard how Randy, founder of the Postcard exchange, is hold up these days?
Last I heard, perhaps two years ago, he was weighed down with family responsibilities.

Mike Wilde said:

... In my postal system (which is currently not functioning thanks to a labour dispute) that lets me send three 4.7x7 prints at a normal letter rate.

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I found some funny thing in my postal system. Letters sent international may be a bit bigger than letter sent within Germany. Today I sent some images for the alternative print exchange and the same image to someone in Germany. The envelope was just a bit too big to be sent as a letter within Germany which means that sending that image international was cheaper than sending the same size within Germany. :confused:

Cheers
Ruediger

Mike Wilde said:

... Anybody heard how Randy, founder of the Postcard exchange, is hold up these days?
Last I heard, perhaps two years ago, he was weighed down with family responsibilities.

Click to expand...

I had some PM exchange with him early last year iirc but have not heard of him for more than a year.

And to give the founding credits to the right person. The founder of the postcard exchange is Nige and I think it started sometime in 2003. Randy took over when Nige retired from the postcard exchange. I think that was round 9 and I joined in round 10. Until Randy had to step back because of some personal issues (I think in round 11 or 12) we organized the exchange together, him collecting addresses, me providing the program to build the groupings. Organizing the exchange together sounded like half of the work for each of us, but it was not. There was some ... friction loss. Data got lost and I remember back when I received PM from one member who signed in and somehow did not end on the list. I can tell you, that was not the nicest read and I was really happy to live far away from that guy.

Cheers
Ruediger

In the UK, standard letter size is 240x165mm with a maximum thickness of 5mm - A 5x7 print would fit nicely in to an envelope this size.
If we could limit the size to A5, I'm game.

Here are the maximum sizes for Lettermail in Canada and the US:

Within Canada: 245 x 156 x 5 mm
To the US and internationally: 245 x 150 x 5 mm

USA

Within the US and international: No more than 6-1/8 inches high X 11-1/2 inches long X 1/4 inch thick (= 155mm x 292mm x 6mm)

I'd vote for a print size that is no larger than the maximum we can send lettermail in each of our respective countries.

MattKing said:

... I'd vote for a print size that is no larger than the maximum we can send lettermail in each of our respective countries.

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Here in Germany we have different sizes/costs for what we can send as lettermail. The standard and compact letter sizes will just not hold a 5x7. To use this I would have to trim it to something smaller. Then the bigger sizes will easily hold a 12x16 inch print. So in this case lettermail is not a good restriction for a small print That is why I'd rather vote for biggest paper size is 8x10 and everything smaller is allowed and welcome.

Cheers
Ruediger

I would love to join in! This would actually be my first exchange ever, but unfortunately I cannot get to a darkroom until late August If this time restriction would be too difficult to deal with I completely understand and perhaps I could participate in a later exchange.

I'd be happy to join. I too enjoy small prints, and exchanges are a good way to set deadlines and get actual work done !

I could be interested in this.

My preferred larger paper size is 20x25cm or 8x10".

Mick.

I am interested in this as well.

OK, that is enough people to give it a try. Let's say sign-in is open until end of June, then I will do the groupings and off we go.

Print size is whatever suits you best as long as it is not bigger than 8x10. Even contacts from medium format can be fun.

Here is the list of participants so far:

Sandra (swittmann)
Mick (Mick Fagan)
Joe (Joe O'Brien)
Laurent (Laurent)
Matt (MattKing)
Paul (paul_c5x4)
Ruediger (rst)

And maybe we can convince Mike to also join in here

Cheers
Ruediger

So is this a one for one swap, or a 'postcard prints on steriods' kind of thing, in terms of an 8x10's for all on the list ex.

Same image to all if multiple prints?

Also, is it to be mounted or matted, or just the print after it came off the drying rack/blotter roll/or flat out from underneath the good old light read.. the CRC handbook?

I likely have a set of suitable images already.

I was given a bunch of paper from an older photographer (friend of a friend) who can no longer see well enough to work his darkroom. All in his fridge freezer since about early 90's to early 2000's.
2 boxes of 8x10 Supra 3 RA-4 that test as fine, a box of 100 8x10 Radiance reversal colour paper that works fine as well, and about 50 8x10's in a Supra 2 box that was a mystery becuse it was not RC, and had no green or mauve overcoat.

(See, this is a theme with me, I really do have people give me free supplies).
(These also came with an Ansco Speexex Special R (Isolette III clone) that I now also have working, and the case's leather oiled and supple and even restiched! A nice old camera to use.)

Well the Supra 2 Box was not RA-4. Turns out it is DW FB glossy, on a white base. VC too though by now only grade 00(0) at 170Y to 2.5 at 170M. Ansco 130 did not change the image tone compared to what Dektol gave, so it is a cold tone paper.

I had not calibrated it any finer before I started printing a nice image of a ship at anchor in Hamilton Harbour. It was a lightly overcast day, so the clouds did not need too much burning in. The image looked like it might print well on grade 2.5, so I started there, and thought I might as well try out the unknown paper, since I knew it did not go any harder.

Then I decided no, less contrast, then , well a bit less contrast, and a bit more burn... By the time I was done I was down from 170M to 55M and back to 70M and had made 1-5x7 and 6- 8x10. Some too light in the clouds, some too dark in the shadows, or overall a bit dark. Overall most were quite nice prints, but you know how it is when you have a vision...

Well when I have 'dud' FB prints I go off and refine my toning skills.
So the bit too little contrast one saw selenium, and is quite fine now.
The bit too dark in the shadows one saw some local playing with 'liquid sunshine' as I recall hearing John Sexton call K Ferri bleaching and is looking more as I wanted to present the image.
The too dark overall one got rehalogenating bleached entirely and redevelped in Kodak Sepia and is now a lightly toned sepia variant.

Enough of this tale...

Hi Ruediger,

I'd like to join in if you have room for another. Just got my first box of Oriental paper, so looking forward to trying it out.

Thanks,
Craig

OK, Mike, I count this as a yes

But I think I should make it a bit more clear.

@All

• Any traditional process allowed on any paper as long as the paper is no larger than 8x10. Smaller is OK, whatever fits.
• As in the group print exchanges we will build groups of three or four people to send a print to each other. But there is no need to send the same image to each of the members in your group. Although sometimes it is interesting to get feedback for the same image from different people.
• There is no need to mount/mat/frame the print. If you do so I think it is OK, but we should not expect others to do so as well. I for myself will send the prints just flattened, no mounting, no mat, no frame.
• I think maybe a little bit info about the image and the print is always welcome.

And these are the participants so far:

Sandra (swittmann)
Mick (Mick Fagan)
Joe (Joe O'Brien)
Laurent (Laurent)
Matt (MattKing)
Paul (paul_c5x4)
Ruediger (rst)
Mike (Mike Wilde)
Craig (ccross)

Cheers
Ruediger

And one more participant ...

Sandra (swittmann)
Mick (Mick Fagan)
Joe (Joe O'Brien)
Laurent (Laurent)
Matt (MattKing)
Paul (paul_c5x4)
Ruediger (rst)
Mike (Mike Wilde)
Craig (ccross)
Roger (Roger Thoms)

Cheers
Ruediger

Ruediger, can you include me as well? I need a valid reason to tell my beautiful wife that I have no other
choice but to lock myself in the garage (aka darkroom) for a few hours...

anikin said:

... I need a valid reason to tell my beautiful wife that I have no other choice but to lock myself in the garage (aka darkroom) for a few hours...

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Hi Eugene,

sure and I think you have to go to your darkroom immediately to be sure that the print is ready once the groups have been defined. You live far away from my home, so if she asks questions tell her that it is my fault

Here is the updated list (11 participants)

Sandra (swittmann)
Mick (Mick Fagan)
Joe (Joe O'Brien)
Laurent (Laurent)
Matt (MattKing)
Paul (paul_c5x4)
Ruediger (rst)
Mike (Mike Wilde)
Craig (ccross)
Roger (Roger Thoms)
Eugene (anikin)

Cheers
Ruediger

just starting to print again at home, count me in

Hey great, already 12 participants.

Sandra (swittmann)
Mick (Mick Fagan)
Joe (Joe O'Brien)
Laurent (Laurent)
Matt (MattKing)
Paul (paul_c5x4)
Ruediger (rst)
Mike (Mike Wilde)
Craig (ccross)
Roger (Roger Thoms)
Eugene (anikin)
Timothy (dasBlute)

Cheers
Ruediger

Count me in if it doesn't break your grouping arrangement.

Count me in, PM sent.

Roger

I´d like to join this group too. Count me in. My favorite print size is 8x10 inch.
Thank you.
Best
Heiko Stock

tj01 said:

Count me in if it doesn't break your grouping arrangement.

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Grouping arrangements are not yet done. I think we wait until June 30 before we split into groups.

Sandra (swittmann)
Mick (Mick Fagan)
Joe (Joe O'Brien)
Laurent (Laurent)
Matt (MattKing)
Paul (paul_c5x4)
Ruediger (rst)
Mike (Mike Wilde)
Craig (ccross)
Roger (Roger Thoms)
Eugene (anikin)
Timothy (dasBlute)
NoName (tj01)
Heiko (Heiko Stock)

Cheers
Ruediger

So, we are 14 that would e.g. make for 2 groups of 3 and 2 groups of 4 or for 2 groups of 5 and one group of 4. I would opt for the latter. Any suggestions? If not I will form the 2 groups of 5 and one group of 4 and we could start tomorrow.

Cheers
Ruediger