[alt-photo] Re: Gum over platinum article?

[Keith Gerling]

I tried to read this article again before sending it off to the OP and all I
have to say is: Thank God I was already doing this work before I picked up
this article!  I'm sure Stuart is a meticulous and careful researcher, but
darn if he doesn't go and make a really simple process sound excruciatingly
difficult.  Ten years ago things were much different, I suppose.

Keith

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 10:25 PM, Don Bryant <donsbryant at gmail.com> wrote:

> Okay everyone,
>
> In regard to my offer to distribute a PDF file copy of the article
> published
> by Stuart and VC magazine I received an e-mail from a party that shall go
> un-named reminding me that distribution of that article could be regarded
> as
> infringement of copyrighted material. Specifically an infringement of View
> Camera's published material and infringement of Stuart Melvin's
> intellectual
> property.
>
> When I made my offer I wasn't thinking clearly about the consequences of
> distributing that material. And since I don't have an A-List legal team on
> speed dial available I am very reticent to provoke the possibilities of a
> law suit, nor do I wish to blatantly infringe upon the rights of those
> parties that authored and published the article.
>
> Now if someone wishes to contact View Camera and Stuart Melvin and get
> their
> permission in writing to distribute the article I'll be happy to create a
> PDF and forward it to the requesting parties here on the list.
>
> On the other hand there probably isn't anything to stop discussion of the
> article in general terms publically.
>
> I attended the APIS meeting where Stuart performed his gum-over
> demonstration and also attended a gathering later at his home one evening
> the same week for a show and tell by palladium printers that showcased some
> very amazing work, including  gum over palladium.
> Currently I don't know the status of Stuart's involvement with alternative
> processes, nor how to contact him but we certainly need to give him
> recognition for re-igniting the flame of interest in the antiquarian
> practice of gum over palladium.
>
> Since that time, the gum over method that Stuart demo'ed has undergone
> refinements by several people (such as Kerik Kouklis and Clay Harmon) who
> helped redefine the technique using modern materials and so forth.
>
> For example, no one uses Miracle Muck as an additive to reduce or prevent
> flaking which is what Stuart recommended at the time. Nor as I recall, was
> there wide use of digital negatives for palladium printing and/or
> gum-overs.
> So things have really changed. A lot of details were discussed on the old
> alt. list where Stuart joined the discussion for a while. At one time some
> of his gum-overs and gum prints were posted on the web. Now, I don't know
> what has come of the images and if the discussion threads are still
> available for review.
>
> On the other hand there are still quite a few aspects about making
> gum-overs
> (and gum prints) that still hold true to regardless of the source of the
> negative, be it in camera, enlarged film negative, or digital negatives.
>
> For the curious I would recommend visiting Ed Buffalo's web site, 'The
> Unblinking Eye' and reading the articles found there on gum printing and
> gum
> over palladium. In those articles you will discover all of the fundamental
> information needed to do gum-overs and to make gum prints.
>
> And once read, if folks have questions about gum printing and gum-over
> palladium printing just ask your questions here.
>
> Finally I do apologize for my inappropriate offer. Hopefully though we can
> go forward and exchange information about this technique here on the list.
>
> Best regards to all,
>
> Don Bryant
>
>
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