ALTERNATIVE PROCESSES

All of the following images were produced by contact printing large format negatives onto a range of acid free watercolour papers.

Depending on which alternative photographic process is to be used the choice of paper is very important. Firstly to allow the selected

process to work successfully and secondly to introduce to each image a subtle tone, hew and texture to enhance the subject.

All were produced using one or more of the following watercolour papers:

Fabriano, Fabriano 50/50, Bockingford, Saunders Waterford and Langton HP.

The Contact negatives used range from original large format 5”x4” & 10”x8” sheet film to digital negatives produced from scanned 35mm and 120 films.

The very nature of alternative processes introduces a element of unpredictability requiring a degree of experimentation sometimes resulting in

“a happy accident” final image. Far more so that in traditional silver printing, in order to be capable of achieving a reasonable level of reputability

it is wise to keep accurate records, and work in a clean and methodical manner, even so each image produced is unique.

*

Although the Sun is a natural source of ultra-violet light, here in the U.K. it is both inconsistent in output and unreliable in supply due to frequent cloud cover.

In tests the average exposure time ranged between 30 minutes and 2 hours in full sunlight.

As an alternative a sun bed is used which provides a consistent and powerful UV source resulting in exposures ranging between 5 and 20 minutes.

 

 

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