U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: lumenprints not chromo?

Re: lumenprints not chromo?



Gregg, here it is:
http://christinaanderson.visualserver.com/Text_page.cfm?pID=2448
and I left you a message there :) Apparently I had removed the image already and didn't remember.

What I find with lumenprints is when the students first do them, they assume that the process moves faster than it does and then end up fixing it way before it is exposed enough. That first try, there will be students whose prints "disappear". Then they put the next print outside in the morning and leave it (incredulously to them) all day, go to school, come home, eat dinner, watch TV, take a bath, and that's when it is successful.

How this time amount translates to pinhole is the big question. No matter what you do, the fix changes the colors. But if exposed long enough, the image doesn't disappear. But to equate an all day exposure outside full sun to get the same color that stays for a pinhole exposure, that is the question. How does one compute an equivalent exposure to a 6 hr no focal length to a 90 day huge focal length??? And then add to that using warmtone paper which gives the wonderful pinks and terracottas, and that is even slower....although Ilford warmtone is pretty fast.

One of my students did a 2 week indoors exposure which was faint yellow only....after fixing.

This really is the incredible benefit to teaching is having 18 "testees" at one time on a process. This week was Blurb book critique and I have 15 blurb books awaiting me with all KINDS of problems (and successes!) to learn from!
Chris

__________________

Christina Z. Anderson
http://christinaZanderson.com/
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----- Original Message ----- From: "Gregg Kemp" <gregg.kemp@gmail.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 3:44 PM
Subject: Re: lumenprints not chromo?


My attempts at using fixer with similar multi-day pinhole exposures resulted in the image pretty much disappearing off the paper. I used Arista fixer at normal strength and diluted as much as 1:20, but always lost most of the image. Perhaps a different fixer would work better?

I also had problems scanning at first, but that may just be my scanner (an Epson 3200). I found that if I scanned a 5x7 negative at more than 600 dpi, the scanner would pause during the scan. And the scan would show a slight darkening after the pause. So I now scan at 600 dpi. But perhaps a scanner with more memory or more memory on my computer would not do this. My suggestion is to scan a plain piece of paper at the resolution you plan to use before scanning the actual negative, just to be safe. I also put a piece of black felt behind the negative before scanning, in hopes of keeping down the amount of light bouncing around - just superstition perhaps.

Chris - I looked for the student work on your website that you mentioned, but didn't find it. Would you please post the URL?

Gregg


On May 6, 2009, at 3:03 PM, Christina Z. Anderson wrote:

Scott,
I always fix mine. There is a noticeable loss of density and color shift in the fix. I also know that Jerry Burchfield who does all those Amazon exposures brings all images back in a black plastic bag to the States and fixes at one time. Unless he has changed his process in the last couple years, all of his previous lumenprints were fixed and I have never heard of not fixing before...however, the idea to scan before fixing is a great one and then you get a two- for-the-price-of-one special.

My prints do not fade once fixed and archivally washed and treated as if a normal BW print. You can see student examples on my website, and see how brilliant they are--with fixing.

Re: scanning. I would find it shocking that a 90 day pinhole exposure lumenprint (chromo is a different process entirely because it uses darkroom chemistry, developer, activator, stabilizer) that will never touch the developer but go straight into the fix, would be affected by a one minute scan.

You will also notice a distinct color shift when dry prints are rewetted. But then it reverts again when dry.
Chris

__________________

Christina Z. Anderson
http://christinaZanderson.com/
__________________
----- Original Message ----- From: "Weber, Scott B" <sweber@mail.barry.edu
>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 12:06 PM


Just completed a 90 day pinhole exposure on gelatin silver paper. Chromoscedasic print. The image looks good, but do I fix this? Maybe some thiosulfate? Or should I leave it? My plan is to scan it but will the light in the scanner affect the image?


Scott B. Weber
Associate Professor of Photography
Department of Fine Arts
Barry University
Miami Shores, Florida
305 899 4922
sweber@mail.barry.edu