Category: labnotes

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.