What's everybody up to?

[Photo Engineer]

Well, Denise, our first two emulsions were made by two groups of students. We had to use 2 darkrooms at GEH to fit them in. We cut and washed fresh 4x5 glass plates and they are drying. Tomorrow we noodle and wash the emulsions. Then they will be coated.

Later this week, Chris will demo the film emulsion on paper and film support and if time permits we will run tests. The students will learn 2 methods for plate coating and one for film coating.

We have students scheduled from all over the US and the UK.

Oh, and a tour of the archives with favorite photographers is also included for later this week. Mark asked each student for their favorite photographers. We will hopefully be able do that while the plates are drying.

We plan on following the same format for both weeks.

PE

 

[dwross]

Sounds like a perfectly excellent good time. I heard from Mark last night and he is very happy with how things are going. He's got my fingers crossed that your snow storm cooperates with shooting those gorgeous plates! We haven't had enough snow this year. Don't shoot me, but I envy you Lake Effect folks

Best of days to you and GEH,
d

 

[Photo Engineer]

The plates I saw today look wonderful.

We will do some film and paper coatings on Thursday.

Everyone seems happy.

PE

 

[dwross]

I hope you can encourage the participants to post here. I saw a few of the plates from yesterday. Really terrific.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Lots of nice pics today. More coming tomorrow. Then paper and film.

We are moving forward and working hard. Several repeat students and much pressure to move onward.

many demos by the staff of GEH with KUDOS to them!

PE

 

[dwross]

The GEH bromide workshops have finished and they were a great success! Mark Osterman has been sending me regular reports with pictures. Beautiful pictures. The dry plates made by the class are wonderful. For anyone hesitating on getting started on handmade silver gelatin -- paper or dry plate or film -- there is now absolutely no technical excuse . The recipes are here, the materials are here, and the examples of success are growing by the day. So, get started! Or, if you already have, go bold and show the world. There are a lot of calls for 'alternative process' shows. Publicity is our friend. It is the only way to create awareness. With awareness will come community, and more information and opportunites.

 

[Photo Engineer]

You may want to see Mark's Facebook page. He has posted a number of pix there. Also, some of the plate work is starting to appear here.

It was an enjoyable two weeks with wonderful new (and old) friends. Many were APUG members and heard about the workshop from APUG.

We are planning for 2014. So much to teach and so little time! The 4 of us will be starting our planning on Tuesday at GEH.

PE

 

[dwross]

If anyone happens to be in New Orleans this month, I hope you can stop by the New Orleans Photo Alliance gallery to see my print in a show juried by Christopher James. http://www.neworleansphotoalliance.org/exhibitions.php

It is a contact print of a handmade Whole Plate format glass dry plate negative on handmade KCl gaslight paper. http://www.thelightfarm.com/Map/TLFTutorials/tlftutorials-handmade-silver-gelatin-emulsions.htm

 

[dwross]

OK, I know I endlessly promote handmade silver gelatin emulsion making. Toot! Toot!
Here's another one! Big thanks to Aline Smithson and her excellent publication, Lenscratch.
http://lenscratch.com/2014/11/the-light-farm/

 

[The Stone]

Congratulations Denise!
Well done, its a great achievement for you and a great thing for the community also!

 

[dwross]

Thanks!!

 

[MDR]

Congratulations you're getting really nice results

 

[MattKing]

At the relatively recent Northwest Alternative Photography Symposium, Denise' negatives and prints were some of the most interesting discoveries for me.

They really do look great in person.

And it was a treat to meet Denise too!

 

[removed account4]

NOW that's photography !

thanks denise !!

 

[Photo Engineer]

Well, as you know, I don't have a web site. It takes a lot of time to keep it up to date. But I am up to something! We just finished a private workshop at GEH. Yes, they have made it possible for there to be private workshops of virtually any length on the subject you choose. At this one, I spent a lot of time answering the student's questions and we diverged into many subjects. We have others scheduled for the near future.

In addition, I have had guests visit me at home just to chat about emulsion making and coating. A fun time and they can see where the emulsions in the book were made and the extra equipment that I show in DVD #2. I even gave one group (all the way from OZ) a quick look at the new book (as far as it is complete which is not very far).

So, I have been busy as a bee. And those that visit or take workshops are given the extra treat of seeing the original prints from the book. The scanning process does not do justice to some of the types of paper used and this is their extra extra treat.

Between the 4 of us, Mark, Nick, Chris and myself least of all, we discovered a new way of coating Baryta paper support with less difficulty and defects. This is also part of what is new in what I (we) are doing.

So along the way of your travels, stop by Rochester NY! I am just glad I was given the chance to go to the Formulary and be the one who apparently kick started Denise's ardor for making and coating emulsions.

And BTW, a plug for the Formulary. I get no reward for this, but they do sell genuine Kodak photo grade gelatin and they have unlisted stock of a lot of emulsion making chemicals that you might need for adjusting keeping or curve shape of your coatings.

PE

 

[kb3lms]

Denise, very nice article. Congratulations on it being published!

I myself am gearing up for a run of a neutral AgBrI emulsion rather than ammoniacal. Gonna give this a try and see what happens.

Looking forward to the next book, Ron!

Jason

 

[dwross]

Matt, It was great meeting you, too! The Symposium was a lot of fun. I love putting faces and voices to the people I enjoy on APUG.

Ron, Great to hear you're feeling well enough again to be as busy as a bee! I hope you have a healthy, happy, and productive winter. Fingers crossed that your part of the country doesn't have as long and brutal a winter as last year. Then again, terrible weather is a great excuse to hole up in a darkroom.

d

 

[Photo Engineer]

I have to hole up in front of a computer and write, write, write! I have some formulas to describe and new methods to describe for book #2. Best wishes to you and your family.

PE

 

[Peter Schrager]

interested in reviving this thread
recently I've taken a wet plate workshop
several days ago I made my first dry plates; have yet to expose them but I will follow up
don't expect a whole lot as my coating was irregular due to not heating the glass prior to coating but I'm fairly confident the emulsion came out ok
Who's next??

 

[Peter Schrager]

I've also made a printing out formula using casein instead of gelatin
I followed a recipe I found on the web from long ago but it needs work
could have possibilities!

 

[rmazzullo]

Cleaning out the basement (a major undertaking all on its own), getting supplies and stuff, setting up shop...picking up from where I left off years ago.

 

[Peter Schrager]

I'm starting to believe that everyone left here to be on Facebook but I've never seen any emulsion. making information on the dry plate forums