Why you should be participating in Photrio print exchanges

[Rolleiflexible]

This year, I organized two alt process print exchanges. I did it for the selfish reason of wanting to see firsthand what various processes look like on paper.

I got what I wanted: A mailbox full of cyanotypes, carbon prints, salt prints and others.

But unexpectedly I got much more than that. Most important, I found that exchanging prints with other photographers pulled us closer together as artists and Photrio members. Or, at least, it pulled me closer to them -- I cannot presume that it worked in both directions. Now, when I see Photrio posts from others who participated in the exchanges, I have a newfound respect for their words, and a greater understanding of the artists behind them.

And it has made me a better printer. Not just from the task of printing at some volume for others, though that is certainly one reason. But also from the group discussions about the prints as they are circulated (in Photrio group DMs, not in the public threads).

And beyond the prints as exemplars of processes, many of them are truly precious, worthy of framing and hanging. A delicate cyanotype by @Patrick Robert James of a bowl and whisk. A kinetic palladium print by @TheFlyingCamera of a carousel. A quiet salt print by @fgorga of a study. I sent out prints. I received art.

If more Photrio members chose to organize or participate in an exchange, I believe it would go a long way toward strengthening the community that @Sean has built here over the years. This may be obvious to others on the site, but it was not to me until this year. There are precious few avenues for having this kind of dialogue and exchange among photographers and printers and artists from around the world. Photrio is one and we are all of us the richer for the opportunity.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Wow @Rolleiflexible you do me great honor. I'll second the affirmation of participating in the exchange - seeing the variety of prints that were sent has piqued my interest in several processes, especially cuprotype, which while not a new process, was completely new to me before last year.

 

[Michael Howard]

I've been in the postcard exchange for the last couple of years and really enjoy it. To me, it is more difficult to print a good "small" print than a good "large" print. It's more exacting and has made my printing skills better as a result. It's also made me think about getting into alt printing in some way, though I haven't figured out what yet.

 

[Daniela]

I wholeheartedly agree, OP.
I participate on the postcard exchanges and it's such a wonderful way to share and connect!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I participated regularly in print exchanges over at LFPF for several years, in fact even organising a few of them. At one point, a soft cover book was put together where participants could purchase. A member here, Darr, took over organising it and did a very professional job. The only challenging obstacle was from people who said they'd participate, but then never sent anything. Receiving prints from others was loads of fun! I may be talked into participating again...

 

[Rolleiflexible]

The only challenging obstacle was from people who said they'd participate, but then never sent anything.

It happens. The real losers are the people who don't mail their prints out. They miss out on the collegial aspects of sharing their work with others. I've come to understand that to be the most valuable part of the exchanges, at least in the alt process exchanges I've organized.

 

[fgorga]

This year, I organized two alt process print exchanges. I did it for the selfish reason of wanting to see firsthand what various processes look like on paper.

I got what I wanted: A mailbox full of cyanotypes, carbon prints, salt prints and others.

But unexpectedly I got much more than that. Most important, I found that exchanging prints with other photographers pulled us closer together as artists and Photrio members. Or, at least, it pulled me closer to them -- I cannot presume that it worked in both directions. Now, when I see Photrio posts from others who participated in the exchanges, I have a newfound respect for their words, and a greater understanding of the artists behind them.

And it has made me a better printer. Not just from the task of printing at some volume for others, though that is certainly one reason. But also from the group discussions about the prints as they are circulated (in Photrio group DMs, not in the public threads).

And beyond the prints as exemplars of processes, many of them are truly precious, worthy of framing and hanging. A delicate cyanotype by @Patrick Robert James of a bowl and whisk. A kinetic palladium print by @TheFlyingCamera of a carousel. A quiet salt print by @fgorga of a study. I sent out prints. I received art.

If more Photrio members chose to organize or participate in an exchange, I believe it would go a long way toward strengthening the community that @Sean has built here over the years. This may be obvious to others on the site, but it was not to me until this year. There are precious few avenues for having this kind of dialogue and exchange among photographers and printers and artists from around the world. Photrio is one and we are all of us the richer for the opportunity.

Sanders (@Rolleiflexible),

I agree 1000%! I could not have said this better.

Your feeling of closeness is not unique to you. I, also, have a real sense of community as a result of participating in our alt process print exchanges.

I think that you are selling yourself short. The prints you have sent are fine examples of the art, both "Lace" from the latest exchange and the earlier cow print are, in my book, frame worthy.

Hopefully we can do it again in a few months.

--- Frank

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I'd have to agree as well. I hadn't done a print exchange in probably close to 20 years. I thoroughly enjoyed getting some amazing prints and the blurbs that went with them. And I had never seen a salt print or Kallitype in person for example so the variety was really something. It made all those hours working on really pushing the quality of my output worth it. I'll be in again for sure. Might even do a different type of print next time.

Back in the day I would trade prints with different photographers quite often but that was always one on one and in person. Not a lot of opportunity like that anymore, at least not for me these days. I think we are all scattered in the wind. At least a forum like Apuggio can bring us of like mind together.

 

[BHuij]

That alt process exchange from early this year was probably my favorite exchange I've ever participated in. Something about how all the participants were passionate enough about their alt processes that we ended up having a ton of great discussions. The exchange got me hooked on exchanges in general, to the point that I've now organized 3 of them on Reddit (3rd one ongoing).

I'm about 85% of the way done making myself a proper darkroom sink for the first time, and as soon as it's done (hopefully this weekend!), the first thing I'm going to do with it is make a couple of cyanotypes. Before this alt process exchange, I thought cyanotype was an unappealing process that didn't really produce results with a lot of depth. I think that's because I had only ever seen digital images of cyanotypes made by people who didn't really dedicate themselves to the craft. Then I held one in my hands made by @mfohl and understood what the process was capable of producing.

Your photo of the cow is still on my wall.

A million times yes, everyone should be participating in print exchanges!

And I will without hesitation join the next round of the alt process exchange!

 

[MattKing]

@Rolleiflexible (Sanders) - thanks for posting this.
I've moved this thread to "Member Organized Functions"
And I've made it a "Sticky Thread" - because the idea behind it should be easy for all to find and read.
Exchanges are challenging - in a good way - and a lot of fun.
They make going to check if you have mail much more rewarding!

 

[Don_ih]

I wish you better luck convincing people than I had. I find the print exchanges the best part of being in this forum. I like to see what others choose to photograph, how they choose to do it, how they print it. I'd take part in your alt print exchange but the most "alt" I'm currently doing is lith.

It has long struck me that one personally benefits from making the prints and sending them. That's why I don't really hold it against anyone that fails to complete their part of the exchange. Sure, I may not get something from them, but they also don't get to send their prints out into the world. And I always assume that person simply could not, for whatever reason, follow through.

 

[koraks]

I'd take part in your alt print exchange but the most "alt" I'm currently doing is lith.

That's sufficiently "alt" for the alt print exchange. You'd be welcome to participate.

 

[winger]

It's been awhile, but I've participated in print exchanges and the postcard exchange and also think they're great. I might even have a print from an exchange on my wall. What's been hindering me lately is that I have trouble committing when I just haven't been getting regular time in my darkroom. Which needs to change. The alt exchange sounds really cool, too, especially if lith counts. (not sure if I could part with a Mordançage print)

 

[Rolleiflexible]

It's been awhile, but I've participated in print exchanges and the postcard exchange and also think they're great. I might even have a print from an exchange on my wall. What's been hindering me lately is that I have trouble committing when I just haven't been getting regular time in my darkroom. Which needs to change. The alt exchange sounds really cool, too, especially if lith counts. (not sure if I could part with a Mordançage print)

The alt exchanges I organized had very few rules. Lith counts and mordançage too.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

What if you don't have a darkroom?

 

[fgorga]

What if you don't have a darkroom?

No darkroom needed for alt process. Most processes are sensitive only to UV light. This only a dim room is needed.

I work in my basement with the LED lights on. No running water either, one can make do.

More info on alt process available at alternativephotography.com. A good place to start is cyanotype or cuprotype. Cyanotype is the usual starting point. Cuprotype is a less known but also inexpensive process and not much harder than cyanotype. I wrote an article with full instructions for cuprotype on the above web site.

 

[Rolleiflexible]

What if you don't have a darkroom?

Cyanotypes in your bathroom? Cyanotypes are easy to make, need no darkroom, and can be toned to an extraordinary extent.

 

[koraks]

What if you don't have a darkroom?

As said, alt. processes generally don't require a darkroom.
And in the postcard exchange, we always receive (with pleasure and appreciation) a couple of 'hybrid' prints originating from film capture and output on home inkjet or digital lab print (C-print/RA4).

Not having a darkroom is not at all a barrier to participation. Don't let this hold you back in any way.

 

[Rolleiflexible]

No darkroom needed for alt process. Most processes are sensitive only to UV light. This only a dim room is needed.

I work in my basement with the LED lights on. No running water either, one can make do.

More info on alt process available at alternativephotography.com. A good place to start is cyanotype or cuprotype. Cyanotype is the usual starting point. Cuprotype is a less known but also inexpensive process and not much harder than cyanotype. I wrote an article with full instructions for cuprotype on the above web site.

I hope @fgorga will forgive me for making an example of him. To put Frank's post into context, I am posting my scan of Frank's last contribution to the alt print exchange, a salt print made in his basement without a darkroom. The scan does not do the print justice -- it is beautiful. Who needs a darkroom?

 

[MattKing]

There is always lumen prints
A bit tougher to share though, if no fixer used.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

What about pictures printed in a lab or even Walgreens? Can they be submitted and exchanged?

 

[MattKing]

What about pictures printed in a lab or even Walgreens? Can they be submitted and exchanged?

Yes, if they fit within the rules of the exchange, and no if they don't - unless the labs you deal with are really extraordinary.
For example, the Postcard Exchange requires that the original image capture be analog, but inkjet prints from a scan submitted to or from a lab are fine.
Whereas if you participate in the alt process print exchange, you will have to find a lab that makes something like cyanotypes or salt prints or .....?

 

[Don_ih]

@Alan Edward Klein - the rules will vary from one exchange to another. If you want to start an activity or even a one-off event of photo sharing of some sort, using whatever rules you want, that's fine, too. I think @Rolleiflexible is reacting to the fact that this forum has 96000 members and about a dozen participate in these activities --- activities that practically every participant ultimately enjoys and finds rewarding.

 

[MattKing]

@Alan Edward Klein - the rules will vary from one exchange to another. If you want to start an activity or even a one-off event of photo sharing of some sort, using whatever rules you want, that's fine, too. I think @Rolleiflexible is reacting to the fact that this forum has 96000 members and about a dozen participate in these activities --- activities that practically every participant ultimately enjoys and finds rewarding.

Exactly!
Although maybe two or three dozen, plus a decent number of those of us who follow and enjoy from afar, when we are not participating directly.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Can someone direct to a thread that explains how to enter a plain photo exchange? I plan to only print digitally from a scanned film shot.