[alt-photo] Re: Michael Wesely's work (was reciprocity failure)

[Earl Johnson]

This thread makes me want to try solargraphs with film. There is a big 
difference between a developed out image on photographic paper and the 
printed out image of a solargraph. The coolest part of the paper image 
is that it shows colors on black and white material. A scanned 
solargraph when inverted in Photoshop almost gives realistic colors. My 
guess is that film works the same way, and that a very slow film (like 
the lith film mentioned previously) would work better than something 
faster. It also has the advantage that you could unload the camera under 
a red safelight.

I have not fixed my paper solargraphs, but I have heard that this is 
possible. I always scan right away. With film, you would have to wet 
process to remove the anti-halation layer before scanning. I think that 
I will try two or three cameras at the same time, so I can try scanning 
both before and after fixing.

Earl Johnson

On 1/20/2012 4:32 PM, Charles Ryberg wrote:
> Folks:  Till this thread I had not known of Wesely's photos.  Google 
> got me to some very nice images.  I have to say that to me, these 
> can't possibly be straight one-year-exposure pinholes.  While I'm 
> hardly an expert on pinhole photos, I get exposures of a few seconds 
> with 400 ISO film.  Even with enlarging paper a few hours is enough.
>
> We have all seen scans of solar exposures where the sun prints out its 
> path on paper over a year burning a black, printed out image.  It just 
> seems impossible that film won't do the same.
>
> Perhaps Wesely had some kind of time-lapse on his pinhole?  Perhaps he 
> used a very strong filter?????
>
> Anyway, great photos.
>
> As for trying the same thing, I think I'd advise three or four 
> cameras. Pull one in a week and if the film is nearly solid black you 
> don't have to continue with the other two.  If the one week image is 
> pale pull the next in a month.  Etc.
>
> By all means, keep us updated.
>
> Good luck   Charles, Portland Oregon
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