Alternative Processes

[venchka]

Ordinarily, this means pretty exotic ancient stuff. However, around this forum it means non-digital. Is there any interest in a Forum for discussion & images related strictly to Non-Digital things?

Cheers!

Wayne

[kenw]

bump, 'cause I'm curious as well......but I don't think my (film-days) avante-garde photographs of the backside of a lens cover qualify....

[rockpics]

i've thought about doing platinum prints very recently, but haven"t acted.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by rockpics

i've thought about doing platinum prints very recently, but haven"t acted.

I often think about selling all of my cameras and lenses and investing in a 7"x17" camera, 1 lens and making platinum/palladium contact prints. Then I wake up.

[rockpics]

I was thinking about making a digital paper negative, and making a contact print from that.
It might not work.

[venchka]

I've read the term "digital negative" in View Camera magazine. Is that what it is? Interesting. So you use software to reverse an image, print it and then make a P/P contact print?

[rockpics]

Yes, that's what you do. I've done this to make silver prints with varied results. The type of paper used to make the negative is all important to the final print. Some people think that having the fiber texture of the paper show through adds an artistic something. I don't think I agree. I need to work on this before I go the the expense of making platinum prints.

[venchka]

What paper works best for you? I agree on not adding the fiber texture to a normal wet print. The real thing didn't have that.

[venchka]

More questions:

What do you use for a contact frame? What light source? Doesn't platinum/palladium require a strong UV light source?

[rockpics]

I think glossy paper works best. I used a sheet of glass from a broken picture frame to hold the negative down onto the paper. My light source was the light from my enlarger.
I experimented to get the exposure right. I'm by no means an expert, but I would like to try it again.

[rockpics]

You may be right about platinum/palladium. My research on that only extended to confirming I could get a platinum developing kit from an online source. I may need to re-google that to find the source again unless I can find where I wrote it down.

[venchka]

There is a book on the subject (p/p printing) as well. GOOGLE knows.

Well, there's another member of out little group. I'll let him tell us all about his venture into medium and large format film experiences.

Update: After several decades of procrastination and a fair amount of stumbling, fumbling and bumbling, I now have 4x5 negatives made with my own two hands. They look great! As soon as I can find a scanner to borrow I will share.

Abel: We want an Alternative Processes-Film-Non-Digital Forum. Please?