Category: A Symbol Life

1.13.23 :overnotes

Posted on Posted in A Symbol Life, the Lab

sometimes we break ground to bury something.

until the 70s, photographic processing was an evolving effort, having more myths than method. Not saying that those who hold to myths aren’t ardent. Indeed, they are probably more committed than those prepared to believe beyond their own observation; their method doesn’t stand up under the washing of myth.

modulation transfer is a Kodak term for “sine-wave response”, or “contrast transmission function.”

the emulsion is 3-d … it has depth. developer constituents and agitation methods control exchange of chemistry with the emulstion

Fixing bath capacity. a bath near exhaustion will apparently clear the negative but some of the not-easily soluble salts will remain in the emulsion. Procedure: mix fresh fixer; record time to clear a piece of film; mark that on the processing board for that chemistry. When the time to clear that film approaches double, dump the fixer and remix new.

FT-1 fixer test (hypo check). RST: residual silver test. RHT: residual hypo test.

Tanning developers work by hardening emulsion gelatin more in the exposed areas than in the unexposed, lesser exposed areas. The highlight of the negative hardens more than the shadow. This hardening limits the developing action. Chemicals don’t penetrate as well. There can also be a stain, though the stain isn’t a part of the hardening process. Many developing agents will tan and stain. D175 is an example formula of a generic developer formula that can be used for experiment.

monetary theory. freshwater economics. friedman monetary theory. all need a baseline of start and stop. they fail more times than Greenspan could explain. The internet xboyz use money to further their bullying. they are gingerbread cowards living beyond their meanings.

Photographers Today

Posted on Posted in A Symbol Life, art biz, art school, Criticism

 Martine Syms (b. 1988, Los Angeles. Lives and works in LA.)

 Joshua Citarella (b. 1987 New York. Lives and works in New York.)

 Artie Vierkant (b. 1986, Breinerd, MN. Lives and works in New York.)

 Sara Cwynar (b. 1985, Ottawa. Lives and works in New York.)

Ryan Foerster (b. Newmarket, Canada, 1983. Lives and works in New York.)

Lucas Blalock (b. 1978, Asheville, NC. Lives and works in New York.)

Ryan McGinley (1977 – )

Chris McCaw (1971 – )

 Hendrik Kerstens (1956 – )

Andreas Gursky (1955 – )

 Philip-Lorca diCorcia (1951 – )

Hiroshi Sugimoto (1948 – )

Spend time with each of these photographers. They have books, exhibits, critical reviews. Why them and not you?

How Groups Grow

Posted on Posted in A Symbol Life, art biz, Criticism, dye transfer2 Comments

learning means doing.

Two groups; both about dye transfer, imbibition printing — that stuff value formed from mythic difficulty, and quite a bit of obscurity.

One group supports each other.

The other group gossips.

  • the new group. smaller. more engaged
  • the old group. hoping for recovery

The older group is the one inherited from the Jim Browning Yahoo group. At one time it held possible growth. There were fans, fanatics and some accomplished practitioners. It was steeped in conservative aesthetics. that of an industrial age. steeped in Kodakery. Over time, it ossified; became pedantic or pedestrian. And died. No hope. It was revived, but not revitalized by an earnest but ineffective dabbler. He fell into the same trap as all fall. Aiming to get it all. He hasn’t gotten anything. Okay, he has Ctein’s newsletter as a regular post. This consists of “what I’m selling this month” to eat.

The other group is much smaller but has criteria for membership. You must be printing. You must not be boring. You are probably younger and practicing wider imagery. If anything, this was always the way imbibition printing was grown in the last century. Kodak never understood that. Frank and crew were too slow to learn that the Klutes had the clue.