Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. This post got me all excited, as many of your posts do. I was taught to develop photos 40 years ago in a makeshift darkroom in Denmark by a Dutch woman I became friends with at an international school we were both attending. I was in my early twenties, and I think my friend's style influenced what kind of photos I've been attracted to ever since. Maybe not quite as rough as what you're after, haha, but close. I still have an enlarger and all the trays etc, but I haven't developed photos in many years--maybe 25 or 30--because I went to art school and started painting and have been doing that ever since (along with making collages). Anyhoo, I sure enjoy your newsletter---it is such a breath of fresh air.
That’s wonderful to hear! It sounds like we’ve had similar journeys. I took photography in high school and learned the basics using pinhole cameras (which I loved) but I became more interested in painting, collage, and eventually animation. Only recently, has it occurred to me, that with alternative processes, photography can be quite painterly. Do you think there’s a chance you’ll set up that enlarger and give it a go again?
Yes, photography can indeed be quite painterly. Seems like there are a number of things that need to be painterly in order for me to like them. I'm not even sure what that means 😅. I would like to think that I'll pull the enlarger out again some day, but I never seem to have time to do half the things I want to do that I *am* engaged with at the moment, so it's kind of low on the list at the moment.
Tichý, yeah that’s a unique story, and not a happy one in what happened to him that he lived as he did, nor how he felt about the guy who “discovered” him and started showing and selling his work to collectors without his permission… a fine line there with “outsider art.” On the more relevant subject on diy and analog though, a fascinating world that has been given new life and attention after digital brought ever more people into photography and moving pictures. Have you ever used a Lomokino 35 mm camera? It’s fun and you can process what you shoot yourself if you have the equipment (I took mine to a developer tho, don’t the space nor setup for a dark room or chemicals, lots of chemicals for analog…) One last, there’s a great resource for diy analog processing that you may already know about:
It’s true, so often “outsider artists” are exploited. Tichý’s is a sad story for sure.
I had never heard of the Lomokino but it looks very cool. I have an old Super 8 camera that I’m looking forward to testing out.
And thanks so much for that alternative processes resource, this is exactly what I’m interested in right now. Looking forward to digging in. Many thanks!
You’re very welcome - the founder of the Alternative Processes school is fearlessly experimental. I’m on the same vibe as you in terms of taking things and using them in new ways, not following the rules, and seeking my own path. Looking forward to seeing what you do with these off the beaten path methods!
Yes! Absolutely! It’s so exciting to get away from a computer, and manipulate these images by hand. Even slight variations in the process can yield wildly different results. There’s a whole universe to explore with these alternative processes.
I’ve found that I have to put blinders on when I discover these worlds in order to focus, because it all looks so interesting and I want to try almost all of it. My head starts to explode just thinking about the number of ways someone can convey their thoughts visually, all the methods lost and found again over centuries…🤯 But then, I have to remember that there are probably only a few which I actually get to learn in this lifetime that I will go back to over and over, and of course, that I ain’t getting any younger. If there ever were a reason to live eternally, it’d be to delight in discovery. Sigh…. but now focus, dammit, focus!
Wow amazing! I am in love with that goat animation/film. You're reminding me how much I adore stop motion. Those circle patterns on the stop sign image are really intriguing too
Welcome to the world of analog film! As someone with a lot of darkroom experience back in the day—wear gloves and carefully follow the best practices on ventilation. For real.
Absolutely! That’s great advice. I have a healthy fear of those chemicals. I’m actually looking into some nontoxic alternatives as well like caffenol and variations on cyanotypes. Apparently spinach juice can be used as an emulsion!
I love that goat! He lives right down the road from us and has appeared in a bunch of my work. I think you’re right about the movement—if he were still it would have been hard to make out what you were looking at.
Love it! Can’t wait to see what you make in the darkroom :)
Love the last two cyanotypes! they remind me Robert Breer's animation
i lovee cyanotype prints!! its so cool how much goes into photography even after you've initially 'captured' the image
Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. This post got me all excited, as many of your posts do. I was taught to develop photos 40 years ago in a makeshift darkroom in Denmark by a Dutch woman I became friends with at an international school we were both attending. I was in my early twenties, and I think my friend's style influenced what kind of photos I've been attracted to ever since. Maybe not quite as rough as what you're after, haha, but close. I still have an enlarger and all the trays etc, but I haven't developed photos in many years--maybe 25 or 30--because I went to art school and started painting and have been doing that ever since (along with making collages). Anyhoo, I sure enjoy your newsletter---it is such a breath of fresh air.
That’s wonderful to hear! It sounds like we’ve had similar journeys. I took photography in high school and learned the basics using pinhole cameras (which I loved) but I became more interested in painting, collage, and eventually animation. Only recently, has it occurred to me, that with alternative processes, photography can be quite painterly. Do you think there’s a chance you’ll set up that enlarger and give it a go again?
Yes, photography can indeed be quite painterly. Seems like there are a number of things that need to be painterly in order for me to like them. I'm not even sure what that means 😅. I would like to think that I'll pull the enlarger out again some day, but I never seem to have time to do half the things I want to do that I *am* engaged with at the moment, so it's kind of low on the list at the moment.
Haha! I love all things “painterly”. I also have way too many things are calling for my attention these days.
I love the cyano goats!
Can't wait to see what you make in your darkroom!
Thanks Rich!
Tichý, yeah that’s a unique story, and not a happy one in what happened to him that he lived as he did, nor how he felt about the guy who “discovered” him and started showing and selling his work to collectors without his permission… a fine line there with “outsider art.” On the more relevant subject on diy and analog though, a fascinating world that has been given new life and attention after digital brought ever more people into photography and moving pictures. Have you ever used a Lomokino 35 mm camera? It’s fun and you can process what you shoot yourself if you have the equipment (I took mine to a developer tho, don’t the space nor setup for a dark room or chemicals, lots of chemicals for analog…) One last, there’s a great resource for diy analog processing that you may already know about:
https://alternative-processes-s-school1.teachable.com/
It’s true, so often “outsider artists” are exploited. Tichý’s is a sad story for sure.
I had never heard of the Lomokino but it looks very cool. I have an old Super 8 camera that I’m looking forward to testing out.
And thanks so much for that alternative processes resource, this is exactly what I’m interested in right now. Looking forward to digging in. Many thanks!
You’re very welcome - the founder of the Alternative Processes school is fearlessly experimental. I’m on the same vibe as you in terms of taking things and using them in new ways, not following the rules, and seeking my own path. Looking forward to seeing what you do with these off the beaten path methods!
Yes! Absolutely! It’s so exciting to get away from a computer, and manipulate these images by hand. Even slight variations in the process can yield wildly different results. There’s a whole universe to explore with these alternative processes.
I’ve found that I have to put blinders on when I discover these worlds in order to focus, because it all looks so interesting and I want to try almost all of it. My head starts to explode just thinking about the number of ways someone can convey their thoughts visually, all the methods lost and found again over centuries…🤯 But then, I have to remember that there are probably only a few which I actually get to learn in this lifetime that I will go back to over and over, and of course, that I ain’t getting any younger. If there ever were a reason to live eternally, it’d be to delight in discovery. Sigh…. but now focus, dammit, focus!
I relate to this 100%.
Wow amazing! I am in love with that goat animation/film. You're reminding me how much I adore stop motion. Those circle patterns on the stop sign image are really intriguing too
Thanks Kristen, I’m really excited to experiment more with animation once I get my darkroom up and running.
Welcome to the world of analog film! As someone with a lot of darkroom experience back in the day—wear gloves and carefully follow the best practices on ventilation. For real.
Absolutely! That’s great advice. I have a healthy fear of those chemicals. I’m actually looking into some nontoxic alternatives as well like caffenol and variations on cyanotypes. Apparently spinach juice can be used as an emulsion!
I love that goat! He lives right down the road from us and has appeared in a bunch of my work. I think you’re right about the movement—if he were still it would have been hard to make out what you were looking at.
Haha! Agreed.