Using Ansels water

ezwriter · Feb 25, 2012

Read somewhere this week that 'all the water that ever was is still here" (or words to that effect).
So developing some prints tonight i realized some of this water could have been thru Ansel's trays.
Do you think this will make my prints better?

Ian Grant · Feb 25, 2012

It didn't always help Ansel, I've seen some quite poor prints exhibited

There was a touring exhibition 3 or 4 years ago of prints from his daughters collection and some images were quite different in terms the tonality in the prints, his printing style evolved and changed over the years.

Ian

Rick A · Feb 25, 2012

Sounds like "magic bullet" time. The only thing that helps anyones printing is practice, perserverance, and patience. Expose yourself to as many of the old masters, and new masters, and study what made them special. We don't have access to many of the materials they old timers used, but I believe the modern items we do have should enable us to outshine many of them. It's up to you to push yourself to be better and never be satisfied with yourself.

BrianShaw · Feb 25, 2012

I think the same is true about silver too. Perhaps the magic is in using AAs silver. First we need to get it out of the prints and back into circulation.

BrianShaw · Feb 25, 2012

ezwriter said:
... tonight i realized some of this water could have been thru Ansel's trays.
Do you think this will make my prints better?

First you must separate the water that passed through his trays from the water that passed through his kidneys. Use only the tray water.

vpwphoto · Feb 25, 2012

I remember in third grade debating with my mates about wether we ever drank any of George Washington's pee. With so much water on this planet, I kinda doubt it. Also the Ansel Adams fixer water/wash water too.

cowanw · Feb 25, 2012

You have breathed one of the same oxygen molecules that passed through Jesus's lungs.

keithwms · Feb 25, 2012

ezwriter said:
Read somewhere this week that 'all the water that ever was is still here" (or words to that effect).
So developing some prints tonight i realized some of this water could have been thru Ansel's trays.
Do you think this will make my prints better?

Yes well unfortunately St. Ansel was in a small minority and the same water has been used to process a lot of crap too. Plus you have to bear in mind that the air you breathe was once in the lungs of Stalin and Hitler and other deplorable characters... not just Jesus

But you might be on to a real commercial opportunity! Go to Yosemite and bottle some water and sell it as St. Ansel's water. Somebody will buy it!

Bill Burk · Feb 25, 2012

You might pick up a bottle of holy water from the Carmel Mission gift shop. Good chance it comes from the same source Ansel Adams used. You could make a ritual of it. Add like Photo-Flo, a few drops at a time, to your final rinse as you make the sign of Las Cruces. Careful not to add too much, don't wash out your originality.

Richard S. (rich815) · Feb 25, 2012

I live pretty close to his boyhood home. Times when I've driven past or couple times I deliberately stopped in front of the house I've found my photography for the next week or so improves greatly, particularly the tonality of my prints. It's amazing.

BrianShaw · Feb 25, 2012

rich815 said:
I live pretty close to his boyhood home. Times when I've driven past or couple times I deliberately actually stopped in front of the house I've found my photography for the next week or so improves great, particularly the tonality of my prints. It's amazing.

Did the house have a moonrise, or any other halo-like artifact, above it?

Simon R Galley · Feb 27, 2012

I cannot remember exactly when I heard the following fact, but I certainly remember it......

When enjoying a lovely glass of tap water in London, the chances are it has been enjoyed by up to a previous 17 Londoners.

I would hate to put off any prospective visitors to our fair capital city, especially during the year that sees the Olympics in London and the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II, so for balance I have to point out that I have drunk plenty of it and never come to any harm.

Interestingly, In Victorian times the Thames was so polluted it gained the sobriquet 'the big stink' and the largest and most expensive public works ever, built the largest sewer system built up to that time, most of which is still in use today, literally huindreds of miles of brick built sewers.....the guy who designed it was called Bazelgette and a statue was built commemorating his work, more cynical observers would say that since the Houses of Parliament are directly on the North bank of the Thames the politicians had a somewhat vested interest in approving the spend....

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

Vaughn · Feb 27, 2012

After being on earth for 60+ million years, any water we drink will have gone through many many dinosaurs.

I have given workshops in AA's darkroom in Yosemite Valley -- I'll take any help I can get!

Vaughn

Mainecoonmaniac · Feb 27, 2012

Maybe Ganges river water will do the trick?

dnjl · Feb 27, 2012

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Maybe Ganges river water will do the trick?

Chances are you won't even need to add developer. Also, I've heard that Ganges water is a great developer for perfect moments. It did the trick for HCB, so it should work for you too! Take a picture of a pebble on the street and the Ganges water will turn it into an all-time classic with a strong sociopolitical message.

pentaxuser · Feb 27, 2012

You need water that has been tested by Ansel BUT definitely not passed by him.

pentaxuser

benjiboy · Feb 27, 2012

It reminds me of a sign I once saw in a greasy spoon cafe " All the water in this establishment has been passed by the management"

JBrunner · Feb 27, 2012

I have a 2L bottle of Ansel's water. $50 + shipping.

BrianShaw · Feb 27, 2012

I have a 2L bottle of Saint Ansel's water. $500 + shipping.

Note: it is illegal to sell religious relics so this sale is for the bottle only. The water will be included as an incidental item.

BrianShaw · Feb 27, 2012

Sale pending. Thanks for looking. To the folks who PM'd too late... sorry, but I only have one.

Mainecoonmaniac · Feb 27, 2012

Didn't old time photographers called Amidol "Holy water"?

Richard S. (rich815) · Feb 27, 2012

Ok, if you read any early life histories of Ansel you will hear that he often explored Lobos Creek as a boy. This creek is less than a mile from me as I type this. I will soon be selling small 4 ounce bottles of water obtained from this creek. 1-2 drops put into your neg wash water (I recommend you add it around the time you add Photo Flo) will cause an immediate glow to the water and the negatives. This flash or glow will fade quickly and will not be immediately evident in viewing the negatives but when printing watch out, the difference vs. not using Ansel's Lobos Creek water will be obvious!

Please PM me. 4 ounce bottles for $30 each plus shipping. Limit 5 bottles per person. Each bottle can treat up to 30 rolls of film.

This is a limited time offer and may not be repeated so act now.

pentaxuser · Feb 27, 2012

benjiboy said:
It reminds me of a sign I once saw in a greasy spoon cafe " All the water in this establishment has been passed by the management"

Ben,yes, the old jokes are always the best but maybe my joke fails because it is two nations separated by a common language and that "passing water" just doesn't have the same mirth making qualities in the U.S.

Never mind - I won't give up the day job

pentaxuser

BrianShaw · Feb 27, 2012

pentaxuser said:
"passing water" just doesn't have the same mirth making qualities in the U.S.

Hmm, I'm American and I understood that phrase. But what is mirth? Maybe there is more mirth on your side of the pond than on ours.

John Austin · Feb 27, 2012

It was a long time ago I went to school, but doesn't water get broken down and reformed during photosynthesis by plants and the burning of sugar by animals? - Oh, I have forgotten where this was going, I need more coffee, just keep chatting amongst yourselves

Using Ansels water

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