The Silver Footprint: Robin Bell Video

[ooze]

Saw this one over at the rangefinderforum. Great video IMO.

http://vimeo.com/13659991

 

[Marco B]

Saw this one over at the rangefinderforum. Great video IMO.

http://vimeo.com/13659991

If you like it, why not post it on the APUG Video section as well , that will keep it available... It is very easy:

- Go to "Videos" here on APUG. It is a menu-item in the top menu bar.
- Scroll down the opened page. At the bottom there is a "Submit media" option.
- Copy the URL you linked here in the "Media URL" text line. Choose a category.
- Click "Retrieve information". This will extract the video's data like description etc. and show it in a new window.
- Confirm it all and add the video by hitting the "Submit Media" button at the bottom of that page.

The APUG Video section just sets up links to already existing videos on sites like YouTube or Vimeo, so you don't have to go through the trouble of downloading and uploading a real video.

Marco

 

[nino]

great video... thanks for sharing

 

[Marco B]

Besides Robin Bell's, and the photographers he prints for, beautiful work, I also liked the small peek into the Ilford production plant. First time I see it.

 

[icono]

WOW!

 

[clayne]

The Silver Footprint

"A 'rough cut' version of a documentary on the work of photographic Master Printer Robin Bell, as a book of his life's work is published. The final sound mix and voiceover will be added in the next weeks. Robin Bell is the printer to many of the world's top photographers and photographic archives and his work hangs in countless galleries and is published in books, magazines and advertising campaigns worldwide.
Despite the onslaught of digital technology, artist printers like Robin Bell survive, as many galleries and collectors still prize the beauty of a real silver gelatin print."

The Silver Footprint

 

[Marco B]

Threads need merging

Can this thread be merged with the existing one by one of the moderators?:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Oh, and the link in the above post by Clayne doesn't work...

Marco

 

[clayne]

Woops, sorry, didn't realize there was an existing one.

 

[SuzanneR]

Two threads merged.

 

[Toffle]

Absolutely wonderful video. I had heard of Robin, but didn't realize how many great photographers' work was printed by him.

 

[K-G]

Thank you, ooze , for posting the link. To see a master printer like Robin in action today realy started up my working spirit again.

Karl-Gustaf

 

[richard dunkley]

The Silver Footprint Video

I would like to thank all of you who have watched my Robin Bell Film, The Silver Footprint and comment on the comments you have made.

Most people have been very complimentary and got the point of the film. I am a documentary film maker and my project was to make a profile on an interesting man and his craft, that would be accessible to a varied audience. Its purpose was for film festivals and hopefully TV (educational or middle of the night!). I was not making a film about the techniques of printing and certainly not a promo for Ilford, although I think darkroom printers should be on their knees thanking Ilford as almost the last company making a range of chemicals and papers to keep the art alive, especially in colleges. The Ilford section was, as some pointed out, how a darkroom craftsman needs their technology for supplies, and I think for the average viewer, a respite from dodging and burning!

I will be taking the film off the public domain on Thursday September 30th for a new soundtrack and to shoot 'extras' of Robin showing techniques for 30 minutes or so for the DVD which will go on sale later in the year.

I hope this will be welcome to your members, and again I thank you all for your interest

Richard Dunkley, Director.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Richard,

An interesting film, but did intend the rather "mystic" tone?

Tom

 

[Toffle]

Thank you Richard, this has been most inspiring. I hope that when the finished film is available you will re-post this segment, as it is certainly a good promo for the final product. Please keep us abreast of your progress.
Cheers,

 

[rtuttle]

Great film and please let us know when and where it is available!

 

[bill spears]

Thanks Richard for a very inspirational little production, the likes of which we rarely get to see - if ever. It's a pity stuff like this isn't shown more in the mainstream.... would make a refreshing change from the constant overload of motormouth celebrity chefs and the like !!

I had the pleasure of meeting Robin very recently at an awards evening, regarding B&W magazines annual photography competition.

Keep up the good work and inform us of any similar future productions.

Bill

 

[TSSPro]

Great film- thanks for posting the link.

 

[tmike]

Thank you Richard for making the documentary, and I love the production quality of the film. Please post when and where I can buy the final product. Also, in your film, I saw Robin is mixing raw chemical, can you please ask him what those chemicals are for?

 

[richard dunkley]

Robin Bell Film

I think I forgot to add this You Tube link, where anyone can see a short 'Trailer' version of the film while I am re-editing the full length
http://www.youtube.com/user/richarddunkley The Silver Footprint
If anyone has requests or ideas for the technique extras, please E mail me as we shoot in about 10 days
Richard Dunkley

 

[Michael W]

Excellent work, very well made. I enjoyed watching that. I thought it was a good length but certainly like the idea of there being extra footage with more technical info & demonstrations.
It was interesting watching it shortly after the Julius Shulman doc 'Visual Acoustics'. I'm a big Shulman fan & the doco was OK, but marred by too much digital animation & effects. It was as if the filmmakers wanted to show off what the software could do whether or not it was justified. By comparison the straight style of the Robin Bell piece was more pleasant to watch.

 

[ooze]

If anyone has requests or ideas for the technique extras, please E mail me as we shoot in about 10 days
Richard Dunkley

Hmm, personally I would like to see Robin Bell interpret several negatives of different formats; a straight print and then Robin's interpretation(s). Some of those negatives should be difficult

Negatives of different qualitites, e.g. thin, thick, normal, contrasty etc, and his view about them could also be a topic.

I wouldn't be extremely excited about a lot of print toning footage. The basic, untoned print itself is more important to me.

I hope other apuggers chime in as well. This is really a huge chance to see such a craftsman at work at length.

 

[Michael W]

I'd like to see some brief segments of him showing his darkroom set-up & talking about why he does things a certain way, e.g. "this is my best enlarger, it's xxx, & it has these useful features". "This is the developer I use for this paper, ... (straight from the bottle),... (or mixed from these raw materials)".
Also would like to see him print from what he regards as a particularly difficult neg, eg might require split printing, flashing or lots of dodge & burn.

 

[PVia]

I missed the video...isn't there anyplace where it's still available for viewing?

:-(

 

[PVia]

Does anyone have the Robin Bell's Silver Footprint book?

Is it a book of photographs only or is there commentary as well?

Thanks! Wish I could've seen the whole video...love the trailer.

 

[richard dunkley]

Robin Bell's Book

Robin's book, The Silver Footprint is available on Amazon, at a big discount.
I am shooting the technical 'extras' tomorrow, October 13th, so again any requests that I can put to him, please post. I hope the DVD will be available in January
Richard Dunkley