Photo Quote of the Day

"I began to wonder – I knew I was an artist or wanted to be one – but I was wondering whether I really was an artist. I was doing such ordinary things that I could feel the difference. Most people would look at those things and say, “Well, that’s nothing. What did you do that for? That’s just a wreck of a car or a wreck of a man. That’s nothing. That isn’t art.” They don’t say that anymore." 

                                                                                                          - Walker Evans

Split Grade Printing Examples

While souping some 16x20's in the darkroom this evening, I was reminded of a question friend and fellow film photographer Dan Domme (Flickr) asked a few days ago about split grade printing. He was basically wondering how one can print two different grades onto silver paper, and why one would print like that. So, in lazy, not wanting to write up a long blog post, fashion, here's a quick video detailing what split grade printing is, what negatives you should use it on, and some examples. Enjoy!

If you've never tried split grade printing before, all you need is some: variable contrast papers (graded won't work), a contrasty negative, B&W filter set (00-5 preferred), and a little bit of darkroom time, and you're all set. It's very easy to do, and the results are not too shabby! If used with negatives that don't require too much dodging and burning, it's a very easy way to get consistent, contrasty results with silver gelatin printing. Thanks for looking, and hope you can try out this helpful darkroom hint for yourself.

Now Selling Prints!

Washing a fiber print in the Univeristy of Findlay darkroom. Photo by Dan Domme, 2011.Keeping the new features coming (the best still to come!), I'm now offering fine art B&W, alternative process, and color prints of any work you see here in the Gallery or my Flickr account.

All B&W and alternative process prints are hand printed by me in the darkroom, while color prints are digital c-prints professionally managed by one of the top remaining labs in the U.S. Standard B&W enlarged prints are all made on double-weight, fiber-based paper, hand spotted, and selenium toned to provide the most archivally stable, brilliantly toned images possible. Cyanotype and Van Dyke Brown prints are made on 250lb. hot pressed, smooth watercolor papers, they'll be around for a long while. ;) Carbon prints have almost as much archival stability as platinum/palladium prints, and as a bonus have very noticeable relief to them!

As one additional offer, I'm creating a limited edition portfolio for my body of work in 2011. Portfolios will ship in their own 11x14" black leatherette, museum quality storage box, and will contain 10, 8x10" images all hand printed, spotted, toned, signed, and matted 11x14", ready for showing. The silver gelatin printed edition will be limited to 9, while the very special carbon transfer portfolio will be one-of-a-kind, much like the carbon prints themselves.

That's pretty much it, folks. If you're interested in getting some fine art prints, head on over to the Prints section of the website for more information. Prints can quickly and conveniently be purchased directly through the website, via Paypal, or you can email me for more options. Thanks and continue to have Happy Holidays!