> I think "alternative processes" is but a modest approximation to what we
> mean by the term. And non-silver is even worse. Only for those who go
> from a digital camera chip to a non-silver negative to non-silver print
> material, is it non-silver. Most of us still have a bit of silver nitrate
> in there, somewhere. Instead of alternative, perhaps another word would be
> better. Here are some nominations: different, unusual, peculiar,
> non-traditional, atypical. I prefer terms such as hand-coated or
> hand-worked to describe what I do in the field, once I have first specified
> the appropriate nominative term; gumoil, cyanotype, gum bichromate, etc.>
We had this discussion for weeks and weeks about two years ago... Many
terms were tried, none was chosen... such names as x photography, noble
photography, classic photography and handcoated photography were proposed
and rejected, because each is at best only partial, or editorializes in
some way or other, or is too bland, or too broad, or too narrow. For
instance, (to quote myself), "academia likes the term non-silver
photography.... although some of the processes use silver, which maddens
the literal minded." (The World Journal of Post-Factory Photography, issue
#1, page 1.)
I did, however, after ardent consideration of the problem, come up with
the term "post-factory photography," which, permit me to suggest, works on
several levels, among them the fact that "the large corporations in
faraway places whose factories have kept us in film, paper and data sheets
these 100 years have clearly pledged their troth to digital ...pushing
even laggards into the hand-made or post-factory era..." (page 2).
(You didn't expect me to pass up an opening like that, did you? )
Judy