This is the latest position on the Spring Meeting. A version of this note
is being distributed to Journals and magazines.
"Alternative Photography International Symposium
June 6,7 & 8 at the Royal Photographic Society, Bath.
The purpose of this symposium is to bring together people of like mind from
around the world who have an interest in alternative photography.
Many of the people attending will have shared their interest on the
alternative photography list on the Internet. They will meet each other
for the first time at the meeting in Bath. Photographers, printers and
academics from eleven countries are coming to the meeting. They will show
and discuss their work and listen to expert speakers who will provide a
focus for discussion.
One does not have to be on the Internet to be welcome.
The last time the Royal held a meeting on alternative processes was in
1978.
The The full meeting will take place in the RPS Lecture Theatre at Bath on
Friday 6 and Saturday 7 June. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
There will be a dinner in the evening on Saturday 7 June.
On Sunday 8 June the group will travel to Lacock for coffee at the Fox
Talbot museum followed by a visit to Lacock Abbey where the first positive
negative photographs were taken.
While at Lacock, Richard Morris will make a large Calotype of the group.
This will be followed by lunch at the Red Lion and then a visit to the
Avebury stone circle.
The symposium will be free but the cost of lunch and refreshments, the
dinner, the double decker bus and entrance fees will be about eighty
pounds.
The programme will include the following sessions:
1.An introduction to alternative photography with examples from the Royal's
own collection which is unrivalled in this field.
2.Archival digital imaging and digital negatives with a presentation by Sil
Horvitz FPSA and a discussion, with Sil and Barny Cox in the lead, on the
preparation of digital negatives suitable for platinum printing and other
alternative processes.
3. New approaches to the chemistry of alternative processes.
a A presentation by Mike Ware Hon FRPS on the chemistry of the
iron processes in photography, platinum and gold for example, and his
new cyanotype and argyrotype processes.
b A discussion on the alternative photographer's approach to
photographic chemistry during which Dick Sullivan of Bostick and
Sullivan will present his new ziatype process. The discussion will be led
by Sil Horvitz, Dick Sullivan and Peter Marshall.
3. Platinum and palladium printing and cyanotype and kallitype with
examples from those attending and discussion of methods and materials.
4. Gum bichromate printing and variations with discussion of gum oil with
Karl Koenig. Terry King FRPS and Peter Frederick FRPS will lead the
discussion.
5. Tools and Materials. Large format film is obsolescent. What is still
available. What are the best sources for brushes, cotton rag papers, inks,
bromoil papers, chemicals and so on. It is likely that representatives
from Kentmere, Polaroid, Bostick and Sullivan and Silverprint and French
and German suppliers will be present.
6. Polaroid Lifts and Transfers and the alternative approach to silver
gelatine printing. Alistair Laidlaw and Christine Marsden will show their
20 x24 combination platinum and Polaroid lift prints. Roy Snell and Mike
Crawford of Lighthouse will talk about the approach of the professional
dark room to alternative processes and toning.
7. Bromoil and Carbon printing.
8. Conservation matters. It is hoped that there will bespeakers from the
Netherlands, Germany and France.
9. Salt printing and the calotype.
10. Ultrastable and archival polymer processes.
11. The practical approach to the History of Photography.
12. Aquatint and polymer gravure printing including four colour gravures
from France, with Jean-Daniel Lemoines, and Sweden.
13. Reports on alternativeprocess meetings in France and the United States.
We are limited to 100 people. A fair proportion have already made their
intention kown that they will attend.
If you would care for more information write to Terry King at 12 Napoleon
Road, Twickenham, TW 1 3EP enclosing a stamped self addressed envelope. Or
e mail him at 101522.2625@compuserve.com."
Terry King