Category: labnotes

Gibson: Rodinal + Tri-X

Posted on Posted in art stuff, book shelf, labnotes, on photographers

Venerable members of the silver brigade. Marched photography from the hallways to the white walls; from the basement to the main gallery. Art words began to be understood, and refined by photographers during the 60s and 70s. Ralph Gibson was a promoter, a vagabond, a troubadour for photography. Mainly the book, that area he mastered, and mentored through his Lustrum Press.

A mix of techniques, craft skill along with image skills. The walkway and the walk. Path and walker.

“The reason I publish under Lustrum is the same as my attitude towards the frame,” Gibson says. “I want all the credit, all the blame, complete and total autonomy.”

Ralph Gibson’s early method was using Tri-X shot at 100 to 400, processed in Rodinal 1:25 for 11 minutes, agitation by rolling tank on its side 10 seconds every 90 seconds. He printed using Brovira 111, Nos. 4 and 5 in Dektol 1:1 for 2 to 3 minutes. No toning. Dry between blotters.

That was then. These days digital. Lustrum thrives as does Ralph Gibson (at 83, b.1939 – ).

“Digital Color— at Leica Gallery Los Angeles on January 17 (2019), the day after his 80th birthday—features images created entirely with digital cameras”

“Digital responded to the way my eye sees the world in a very emphatic, ineluctable way,” Gibson says. “Very few people get a chance to reinvent themselves when they’re 75.”

Losing Photography

Posted on Posted in A Symbol Life, da net, labnotes, the fora

What would we lose if school darkrooms closed? A question from early 21st century. Would photography end? What type of knowledge would be lost; why?

At that time we just had ideas of what would happen; however, after 20 years we know what was lost; more, we can see why.

As academic art programs shifted to provide useful current procedures, they began replacing darkroom space with lightroom systems. This was in response to anticipated growth of art practices which have always relied upon industry — as a source of material, and as a destination of graduates.

In 2002, a group of teachers wondered, and worried about the loss of darkrooms along with the knowledge of those processes. It was considered that we would lose the industrial secrets. The industrial lab system would also decline. Would it be useful to record some of that material?

As knowledge domain moved from the weekday world to the weekend hobby layer, we certainly lost information; about process along with details and depth of experiences. What would be forgotten?

Instead, that transition from work-horse to hobby-horse knowledge keepers was used as a banner, actually more a sash for craft badges by the internet forum folk. Could they be counted on to examine or expand claims, keeping the craft knowledge alive, healthy? Not really

gossip rules the hobby shop

It wasn’t forgotten, it was covered over in gossip. The hobbyists are more concerned that they’re losing influence not that knowledge is being lost.

In an effort to shout each other down, they’ve lost the ability to talk.

Dye Transfer Supplies

Posted on Posted in dye transfer, labnotes, the Lab

Old processes weren’t static — they changed, often rapidly. I say old, but they weren’t old then, they were new; at their early stage. That is the stage when much of the work was being done without big industrial support. It so happens, that is the point we get to after the process has been abandoned by its industrial supporters. We go back to the mechanical age of photography.

The loss of dye transfer matrix film is the obvious gap to cross; however, the bigger loss, partly since it is little discussed, is the mordanted paper. It wasn’t just glossy, it was very smooth gloss with multiple coatings of mordanting. This is the high reflection density giving a Dye Transfer its look of saturation. The dyes were never special, really, not that pure; the yellow being very impure. This, in part, explains the “red” of Eggleston’s prints.

Process is a life-style thing at the beginning, and at the ending. The Cycle of ….

The equipment needed listing from two different issues of the Kodak Dye Transfer guide. These are from the 50s, as the process went from a maybe to the main way of printing from color. Dye Transfer rapidly replaced Carbro, becoming the preferred way for print publishing — advertising, in fact all media.

By the time Dye Transfer entered the 60s, Kodak had already introduced its replacement: Type C, the process now called RA-4, after the chemistry used. Fujifilm and Kodak have color paper for the process. The process of printing color this century doesn’t involve anywhere near the amount of supplies of last century.

These days: No Assembly Required. Unbox. Mix. Print.