the lightbulb room

People of Inspiration (handcolourist)

2011-12-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

Nici Cumpston

Kate Breakey

http://www.katebreakey.com

My new 4x5 camera

2011-11-30T18:29:00.000-08:00

Plastic Camera ( tribute to Alice Blanch)

2011-09-21T23:24:00.000-07:00

a couple of days ago i was op shopping with a friend in a small town in Victoria (Portland) and i found a 35mm plastic camera for only $2. After buying a roll of colour film I was unsure what i should photograph so I decided to make small series inspired by Alice Blanch. www.aliceblanch.com

Space

2011-09-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

I took these photographs using my Canon D500 with 200mm zoom lens and enlarge them using Photoshop until I got these image. I don't know what galaxies these photo's are of , I just pointed at the brightest stars I could see.

Dry Glass Plate

2011-08-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

ingredients
-silver gelatin emulsion
-glass
-polyurethane varnish

step 1 clean the precut to size glass plate.1st wash in hot soapy water with a brush then wash in just hot water until there is no soap left on the glass. then dry the plate.

step 2 polish the plate to remove any water marks

step 3 warm the polyurethane varnish in its container in a warm water bath ( do this in ventilated room or outside)

step 4 apply the vanish to the glass and then lay flat to dry.

Under RED light

step 5 warm the gelatin emulsion in its container in a warm water bath ( do not warm in hot water it may damage the gelatin and the silver in the emulsion )

step 6 then apply the silver gelatin emulsion to the glass over the varnish

step 7 lay flat to dry in a dark place, the plate may take a couple of hours to completely dry

the plate is now ready to use in camera

Expose
the exposer will depend on the emulsion used, I use Liquid Light which has an ASA of 2 and Ag Plus which has an ASA of 8. Double coat of the emulsion will half the exposer time and if you add extra silver nitrate to the emulsion will also speed up the exposer.

Develop

develop like you would normal silver gelatin paper.

Kallitype Process

2011-08-22T22:33:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

-kallitype solution

-sized paper (egg or gelatin)

-citric acid

-sodium thiosulfate

-sodium sulfite

-glass rod or hake brush

-pencil

-sticky tape

-negative film

Developer

Black (Hall's)

150g sodium acetate,1.5g tartaric acid,1000ml distilled water

Sepia

200g soduim citrate,1000ml distilled water

step1: Tape the pre sized paper to a work table

Step2: Mark out film position on the paper.

Step3: Coat paper with Kallitype solution using a glass rod or hake brush.

Step4: Dry the Kallitype solution and tape down the negative over the dry Kallitype.

Step5: Expose Kallitype in a UV unit

Step6: Then develop.

Note:The kallitype process Develop out Process (D.O.P) so you need to do a teststrip in a UV Box

Process baths

Bath 1: develop, use a developer listed above ( 8mins)

Bath 2: clearing,1%citric acid and distilled water ( 4 mins)

Bath 3: fixer, 5%sodium thiosulfate and distilled water (2 mins)

Bath 4: clearing, 1%sodium sulfite and tap water (2 mins) OPTIONAL

Bath 5: wash,running water (30mins)

Dry

Tone OPTIONAL

Note : to reduce fading in the fixer ,add 2g sodium carbonate or bi carb to every 1000ml of fix.The Sodium sulfite bath will remove sodium thiosulfate fix faster then just water but a long wash is just as good. The Sodium Thiosulfate if left in the paper can fade the print over time.

This test was exposed until the image appear a as normal (POP) then it was developed in a bath of 5% rock salt and distilled water

This test was exposed until the image appear a as normal (POP) then it was developed in a bath of 1% citric acid and distilled water

This test is a normal sepia kallitype but the paper was damp with water when the kallitype was exposed

A normal black (hall's) kallitype but it wasn't put in the citric acid clearing bath

A normal black (hall's) kallitype

A normal sepia Kallitype

A Kallitype developed in a 4% citric acid bath

A normal black (hall's) Kallitype but the developer had chromate in it to increase the contrasts

normal sepia Kallitype but it was fist placed in the clearing bath of 1% citric acid for the same amount of time as the developer bath

Albumen

2011-08-03T19:39:00.000-07:00

solution A (albumen)

-egg whites 10

-distilled water 10ml

-ammonium chloride or salt 4gm

-glacial acetic acid 0.5ml

mix

step1(salted water) mix the ammonium chloride or salt into the distilled water until the salt has dissolved then add the glacial acetic acid

step2 separate all the egg whites from the yolks (note remove any shell or soild from the egg whites)

step3 add the salted water to the egg whites

step4 beat the egg whites until it turn completely to foam

step5 place in the fridge for 24 hour to settle

step6 filter the foam through a cheese cloth and then put clean egg white in the fridge for 1 week+

after a week the albumen is ready but the longer the albumen sit in the fridge the better it is.

solution B

-12gm silver nitrate

-100ml distilled water

ingredients

solution A (albumen)

solution B

paper (100%cotton)

sticky tape

glass pull rod or hake brush

negative film

pencil

distilled water

sodium thiosulfate

process

step1 stick the paper to a work table and mark where the film sit on the paper

step2 apply solution A (albumen) to the paper using the glass rod then dry the coated paper

step3 (optional) to harden the albumen by soaking it in 70%-100% alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)

step4 (optional) recoat albumen (1 coat semi gloss, 2 coats gloss)

step5 apply solution B with glass rod then dry the paper

step6 expose the coated paper in a UV unit or in the contact frame in the sun

step7 once the image been exposed on stop over this allows for fading in the fix.

step8 develop

important exposers need to be longer then 15 mins or prints shadows may not be black/dark.this is caused when the surface of the silver nitrate turns black to fast and blocks the silver underneath from getting exposed

Develop

bath 1 clearing wash in distilled water for 5-10mins

bath 2 clearing wash in distilled water for 2mins

bath 3 (fixer) soduim thiosulfate15% with distilled water 4 mins

bath 4 (wash)running water 20-30mins

dry print

People of Inspiration 2

2011-07-30T01:23:00.000-07:00

Simryn Gill

Simryn Gill would have to be one of my favourite artists.Her photographs are beautiful and are same time are little bazare. Some of Gill's early photos were of ran down building in Malayisa which instantly remind me of live in northern Australia. I have had the chance to she some her work in person its beautiful made as well as just great to look at and her concepts are well thought out. when one of her exhibitions was in adelaide i went back and saw it two or three time for a hour or so

Stephen Dupont

Stephen Dupont probably my favourite photojournalist because his work in unique and interesting. His photographs aren't just documents they're piece of art. The series Rascal is my favourite series by any artist and is one the things that made me want become a photojournalist myself and made me study photography thought. I ve decided to just do art photography I still love Dupont photographs

stephendupont.com

Philip Blenkinsop

Takashi Arai

Takashi Arai takes daguerreotype photographs and is one of the only daguerreotypist in Japan. his series flawless lakes is amazing and his series portraits on mirror is pretty good to .he all soon has a video on how to make daguerreotypes.

http://www.takashiarai.com

Notes: silver and iron based processes

2011-07-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

spot removal

to remove spots from iron and silver based process you need to bleach the spot away.

For silver processes
Potassium ferricyanide
(it doesn't really remove the silver it just changes the colour to a gold / yellow)

For iron processes
household bleach: White King etc
(again it only change the mark to a golden yellow but if the spot is light to start with it may disappear)

the best way to remove a silver and iron based spots is to cover the spot when you are exposing the print. When it is put in the developer it should wash away but if it does show up it should be lighter and the bleaching is more affective.

Egg sizing ( Basic )

2011-07-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

This egg sizing is a quick method for sizing paper for Van Dyke and Cyanotype only.

Ingredients:

-egg whites

-water

-paper

Step 1: mark the area needed for sizing.

Step 2: mix 3 parts egg whites to 1 part water. (Note: remove any blood or solids from the egg whites)

Step 3: apply the egg sizing using a glass rod or a brush, making sure the coat is thin and even.

Step 4: hang to dry.

(Note: for better result coat the paper twice)

Van Dyke Brown

2011-07-20T01:17:00.000-07:00

Vandyke is a silver and iron based solution and its related to Kallitype process. Van dyke has brown toner range that start with a nice amber to a dark chocolate brown for the darkest tone.

solution

always read the MSDS before using this chemicals

part A

27g ferric ammonium citrate

100ml distilled water

part B

4.5g tartaric acid

100ml distilled water

part C

12g silver nitrate

100ml distilled water

Mix B into A, then add C allow store for two day in a dark cold place (the fridge)

Ingredients

-Van Dyke brown solution

-sized paper (egg or gelatin)

-citric acid

-sodium thiosulfate

-sodium sulfite

-glass rod or hake brush

-pencil

-sticky tape

-negative film

step1: Tape the pre sized paper to a work table

Step2: Mark out film position on the paper.

Step3: Coat paper with Van Dyke solution using a glass rod or hake brush.

Step4: Dry the Van Dyke solution and tape down the negative over the dry Van Dyke.

Step5: Expose Van Dyke in a UV unit or in the sun.

Step6: Then develop.

Note:if you decide to guess the exposer instead of using the test strip method, the exposed print should look about 1 stops overexposed before developing because the image will wash out a little

Process baths

Bath 1: develop,1% citric acid and distilled water ( 5mins)

Bath 2: clearing,1%citric acid and distilled water ( 2mins)

Bath 3: fixer, 3%sodium thiosulfate and distilled water (2 mins)

Bath 4: clearing, 1%sodium sulfite and tap water (2 mins) OPTIONAL

Bath 5: wash,running water (30mins)

Dry

Tone OPTIONAL

Here is a rough guide to cheaply tone vandyke prints

After the print has been made and is dry then mix a strong brew of coffee. Then soak print in it until the print changes colour.

Place print in a normal silver gelatin blue toner

After the print has been made and is dry then

Mix a bath of Potassium ferricyanide and tap water. pop the print into the mix and watch it change,pull it out when you want it to stop and wash in water for around a hour to remove the bleach. then mix a strong brew of black tea .Then soak print in it until the print changes colour.

Normal print

Exposed when the Van dyke solution is still wet.

Mix a bath of Potassium ferricyanide and tap water. pop the print into the mix and watch it change,pull it out when you want it to stop and wash in water for around a ten minutes then place in a sepia toner bath until you great the right result. then wash for half an hour

Cyanotype (New)

2011-07-20T01:10:00.000-07:00

Cyanotype is better known as blueprint which was used for many years copying building plans and also it was used for photographic printing.but recently the formula have been tweaked by Mike Ware and is called Cyanotype new which is more vibrant and it has a longer shelf life. This new process has a blue tonal range starting from a light sky blue and end a dark Prussian blue.

Ingredients

-Cyanotype new solution

-paper (acid free)

-citric acid

-glass rod or hake brush

-pencil

-sticky tape

-negative film

( Note: Don't let the Cyanotype to come in contact with metal and the Cyanotype solution should yellowy-green before its exposed )

step1: Tape the paper to a work table

Step2: Mark out film position on the paper.

Step3: Coat paper with Cyanotype solution using a glass rod or hake brush.

Step4: Dry the Cyanotype solution and tape down the negative over the dry Cyanotype.

Step5: Expose Cyanotype in a UV unit or in the sun.

Step6: Then develop.

Note:if you decide to guess the exposer instead of using the test strip method, the exposed print should look about 1 stops overexposed before developing because the image will wash out a little

Process baths

Bath 1: develop,1% citric acid and water ( 2mins)

Bath 2: clearing,1%citric acid and water (5mins)

Bath 3: wash,running water (30mins)

Dry

Tone (optional)

Note : developing can be done just in water but the citric acid help the print to hold its bright blue colour.

Here is a rough guide to cheaply tone Cyanotype prints

After the print has been made and is dry then mix a strong brew of black tea .Then soak print in it until the print changes colour.

After the print has been made and is dry then mix a strong brew of coffee. Then soak print in it until the print changes colour.

Normal Cyanotype print

Mix a bath of household bleach (Whiteking), pinch of bicarb soda and tap water. Pop the print in to the mix and watch it change,pull it out when you want it to stop and wash in water for around a hour to remove the bleach. The bleach will bleach the image out and the bicarb split the tones up.

After the print has been made and is dry then mix a strong brew of black tea with a pinch of bicarb and then soak print in it until the print changes colour . Then wash to remove the bicarb but make sure not to wash the tea out.

After the print has been made and is dry then mix a strong brew of black tea with a small amount of Dektol developer in it and then soak print in it until the print changes colour . Then wash to remove the Dektol but make sure not to wash the tea out.

Mix a bath of household bleach (Whiteking) and tap water. pop the print into the mix and watch it change,pull it out when you want it to stop and wash in water for around a hour to remove the bleach. The bleach will bleach the image out .

Mix a bath of Silvo silver cleaner and tap water. Pop the print in to the mix and watch it change,pull it out when you want it to stop and wash in water for around a hour to remove the Silvo. The Silvo will bleach the image out .

Argyrotype Process

2011-07-20T01:07:00.000-07:00

Argyrotype is an iron and sliver based UV process and was recently invented Dr Mike Ware. this process is by far my favorite because it has a width range of tones as well as having great contrast.

Ingredients

-argyrotype solution

-paper (acid free)

-sodium thiosufate

-glass rod or hake brush

-pencil

-sticky tape

-negative film

( Note: Don't let the Argyrotype come in contact with metal.)

step1: Tape the paper to a work table

Step2: Mark out film position on the paper.

Step3: Coat paper with Argyrotype solution using a glass rod or hake brush then dry the Argyrotype solution

Optional step: this is when you can change the tone of the pre coated unexposed print by placing it in a steam. (sample at the bottom of the page).

Step4: tape down the negative over the Argyrotype coating.

Step5: Expose Argyrotype in a UV unit or in the sun.

Step6: Then develop.

Note:if you decide to guess the exposer instead of using the test strip method, the exposed print should look about 1 stops overexposed before developing because the image will wash out a little

Process baths

Bath 1: develop, distilled water (10mins)

Bath 2: clearing,distilled water (2mins)

Bath 3: fixer, 2%sodium thiosulfate and distilled water (2-3mins)

Bath 4: wash,running water (30mins)

Dry

Here is a rough guide to cheaply tone Argyrotype prints

Before applying the Argyrotype solution soak the print in warm / hot water then hung to dry but when the paper is damp not wet apply the solution. After applying solution ,dry the surface with a hair dryer then place the unexposed print in a steam bath for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the print and place the print between two layers of clear film to stop the moister from escaping then expose the print as normal.

After applying the argyrotype solution, dry the solution with a hair dryer then place the unexposed print in a steam bath for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the print and place the print between two layers of clear film to stop the moister from escaping then expose the print as normal.

After applying the argyrotype solution, dry the solution with a hair dryer then place the unexposed print in a steam bath for ten minutes. After ten minutes remove the print and place the print between two layers of clear film to stop the moister from escaping then expose the print as normal.

Normal Argyrotype print

Exposed when the solution was still wet

Salt print

2011-07-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Method 1

Ingredients:

-paper

-gelatin 8g

-salt 20g

-distilled water 1000ml

-sodium citrate 18g ( optional )

Sensitizer
-silver nitrate 15g
-distilled water 100ml

Note: sodium citrate will change the tone of the print but will decease the contrast of the print.

step 1 heat the distilled water to 40c then add the 8g of gelatin and wait for the gelatin crystals to dissolve.

step 2 Reheat the gelatin then mix in the 20g of salt and or the 18g of sodium citrate until the salts have completely dissolved.

step 3 Place the gelatin in a bath ready for sizing, place paper in the gelatin for 10 to 20mins

step 4 remove the paper form the getalin and squeegee off the excess gelatin hang out to dry , after a minute or two flip the paper so the gelatin run back over paper to make a more even coat. when it is dry it ready for use.

step 5 coat the paper with the sensitizer then wait until it dry then expose in the sun or in a uv unit
note exposers should be more the 15 mins and can be up to an hour long.

step6 develop print

Method 2

Ingredients:

-paper

Part A
-gelatin 3g

-salt 2g

-distilled water 100ml

-sodium citrate 1g ( optional )

Part B
-silver nitrate 15g
-distilled water 100ml

Process

step1 tape paper to a work table to stop it from moving

step2 apply part A to the paper using a glass rod or hake brush, then dry with a hair dryer

step3 apply part B over part A then dry either with a hair dryer or wait for it to dry normally

step4 expose print

step5 then develop

Method 3

Ingredients:

-pre gelatin sized paper

Part A

-salt 2g

-distilled water 100ml

-sodium citrate 1g ( optional )

Part B

-silver nitrate 15g

-distilled water 100ml

Process

step1 tape paper to a work table to stop it from moving

step2 apply part A to the paper using a glass rod or hake brush, then dry with a hair dryer

step3 apply part B over part A then dry either with a hair dryer or wait for it to dry normally

step4 expose print

step5 then develop

Develop

bath1 (clearing) distilled water 5mins

bath2 (clearing) distilled water 2mins

bath3 (fixer) 15% sodium thiosulfate, 0.2% sodium carbonate distilled water

wash running tap water

dry

Gelatin Sizing

2011-07-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

-paper

-gelatin

-distilled water

-5% formaldehyde

note: Food grade gelatin will work but photo grade gelatin is better. Formaldehyde is reusable the amount needed is just enough in a bath to cover the paper completely.

premix gelatin:(3% gelatin mix) Heat up 1000ml of distilled water to no more then 40c, Mix in 30g of gelatin and allow to sit overnight or until the gelatin crystals have dissolved completely.

step 1: Select the paper you would like to use. Thick paper handles better thin paper which can fold or rip when it is wet.The smoother the paper the flatter and closer the negative will sit to the light sensitive emulation this will make the image sharper.

step 2: Stretch the paper by place it in a bath of hot water for 20-30mins then hang out to dry.

step 3: Reheat the gelatin mixture slowly in it's container in a bath of hot water (not boiling hot water) until the gelatin turns into a liquid state ( don't let the gelatin exceed 40c or it won't set again). Place the liquid gelatin into bath which is sitting in a bigger bath of hot water to keep the gelatin warm. Now the gelatin is ready for sizing.

step 4: Place the paper into the gelatin bath for 20-30mins.Then remove the paper from the bath and squeegee the excess gelatin off the paper then hang it out to dry.

step 5: Place the dry gelatin coat paper into a bath of 5% formaldehyde for 20-30mins.

step 6: Remove the paper from the formaldehyde and place into a running water wash bath for 30-60mins

Then hang to out to dry and when the paper is completely dry it ready to use.

Book Making

2011-07-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

Here is some links to websites that make artist book

Lulu
http://www.lulu.com

Blurb
http://www.blurb.com/

Supplies

2011-07-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

Australia

Goldstreet Studio
http://www.goldstreetstudios.com.au/
Ace chemicals
http://www.acechem.com.au

International

Bostik and Sullivan
http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/
Freestyle Photographic supplies
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/
Rockaloid
http://www.rockaloid.com/

People of Inspiration

2011-07-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

Mike and Doug Starn
The Attracted to light is one of the most clever ideas I have across.

http://www.starnstudio.com/

Monika Fabijanczyk
All of Monika's wet plate landscapes very beautiful images and are timeless. The plates themselves have a beautiful rawness to them while still producing a clear image.

http://www.monikafabijanczyk.com
http://handmadephotographica.blogspot.com

Ricky Maynard
All Ricky Maynard works to me is good from Pictures from a distant land and No more than you see through his last work Returning to places that name us. These works for me are quite powerful as well as
just beautiful images. I had the chance to see Returning to places that name us in Art+Soul at NSW Art Gallery in Sydney and I think if series came to Adelaide I would see it again.

Rocky Schenck
This image by Rocky Schenck has given me an idea for a series that I want make in the future.I have heard that he creates these soft dream like images by putting tracing paper over his prints when he exposing it under an enlarger. I would like try to get a similar result by using Calotype negative. All Rocky's work is extremely good and I hope one day I will get to see sometime in the real world.

http://rockyschenck.com

Melvyn Bishop
Melvyn Bishop is the first professional Aboriginal photographer and during career he has taken many great and historic photos of Lionel Rose to Prime Minister Gough Whitlam Pours Soil Into The Hand Of Traditional Land Owner Vincent Linginari, but I think this photo is many favourite may because i know it was shot on a box brownie or just cause it a great photo.

Sally Man
I have never really warmed to Sally Mann's photographs but have to say her series deep south is amazing. I love photos like this one that looks beautiful on face valve but tell a true dark story about the past.

Technical Links

2011-07-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

Mike Ware
The Man !!! I think it is safe to say Mike Ware is a genius. He has redeveloped many of the old alternative photographic processes which has given them new life.I have tried two of his processes New Cyanotype and Argyrotype. New cyanotype has a longer shelf life aswell as having larger tonal range then it older formula. Argyrotype is probably the best UV process I have used to date, It has a great tonal range and you don't need to buy expensive toner to great tones in your images.
http://www.mikeware.co.uk

Christopher James
Christopher's book Alternative Photographic Process has some what become my alternative processes bible. For me it is a great reference point when I start to learn a new process, but it doesn't always have the answers when a problem comes up.When a problem does rear it ugly head and Christopher's book can't solve the problem I think that when the fun really begins.
http://www.christopherjames-studio.com

Alternativephotography.com
This website is a great online resource for anyone starting or looking at new processes or trying to solve problems or just experimenting with new things.
http://www.alternativephotography.com

handmade photgraphica
This blog has great handy tips for making glass plate and cyanotype at home.
http://handmadephotographica.blogspot.com

Heavy Arts
Heavy Arts is a great website by Alex Bishop-Thorpe with lots of techical advice aswell as nice photos.
http://www.heavy-arts.com

the Centre for Alternative Photography online journal
http://capjournal.wordpress.com

The Lightfarm
http://thelightfarm.com

F295
http://www.f295.org