Selenium Toning B&W Prints

While putting the finishing touches on some 8x10's for next month's show, I decided to do a quick-n-dirty rundown of selenium toning B&W fiber prints.

Darkroom Daze

Whew! Another day, another step closer to getting the upcoming show ready.

One thing that separates darkroom printing from any modern inkjet equivalent is the extra calibration and control needed to achieve a consistent, cohesive series of images. "Dapper", being my largest solo exhibition to date, I was even surprised just how unprepared I was, for hand printing 30 images of varying size and exposure. In the end, it'll be the quality of the prints that will count, and boy will they have it! All prints are being made on double-weight fiber base silver gealtin paper. After exposure, some requiring some intense dodging and burning, the paper is developed in Kodak Dektol, fixed, washed, selenium toned, and washed again for archival permanence. Another one-up on digital, these prints should see their way through to my nineties, assuming they're cared for reasonably.

When I've got the last round of 8x10's printed and dried, I'll be posting a quick how-to video on selenium toning prints for aesthetic appeal and archival permanence.

P.S. Silver gelatin papers aren't cheap, just check out what they're going for right now! >__<

Announcing "Dapper", Coming April 14th 2012

Hey folks! It's been many months in the making, many sheets of film, and a whole slew of paper, I'm now proud to annouce to you my latest show, "Dapper - A Distinct Photography Show".

Graphic Design by Anthony ZartDapper – A Distinct Photography Show - opens at Aperture on April 14th.

This outstanding show will feature the work of Mat Marrash, who you may know from the Film Photography Podcast. Mat’s show at Aperture is a documentary exhibit on the world’s second oldest profession, barbering. Mat toured the Northeast and Midwest in search of old-school barbershops, and shot his images with an Eastman Commercial B 8×10″ camera. He then meticulously processed and printed each image in the darkroom, by hand. He used Ilford HP5+ film, and all the prints were made on silver gelatin fiber paper, then selenium toned for archival permanence.

This are some of the most unbelievable images we have seen in a very long time. Mat even made a special trip to the Barber College in Ohio City!

Dapper will run from April 14th to April 28th, with an opening reception/party on April 14th. Aperture’s opening receptions are always a blast!
The Facebook event page can be found here.