Farah Mahbub (fmahbub@cyber.net.pk)
Wed, 10 Nov 1999 21:28:27 +0500
----- Original Message -----
From: Judy Seigel <jseigel@panix.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Cc: <alt-photo-process-error@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 1999 12:51 PM
Subject: Welcome Farah !
................But you must answer those questions yourself, since
naturally we are full
> of curiosity about how you found the list, and what your own life in
> photography is like. Have you done these processes, any or all? Can you
> get supplies? Books? To us provincial Americans, of course, it seems like
> you are living on the back of the moon -- but your English is so
> colloquial, somehow I have the thought you have lived in an
> English-speaking country, or...?
>
> Judy
Dear Judy my new distant faraway friend Salaam ( a short version of a muslim
greeting in my country )
that is quite a nice list of questions you send
.....funnily only recently Lukas ( our friend from the *list* ) asked
similar questions ...........so i am going to do a cutting & pasteing for
only some answers ( moments when i love the machine ) here goes .........
found the list while surfing ( search engine ) was doing a little research
work for myself needed to see as much as i could of Cyanotype , & Vandyke
Prints for exposure and encouragement since the only stuff had seen was my
own or in some of the books and magazines i have collected over the years .
In fact if possible do email some of your work (off list) am really keen on
seeing it , their is a silly sense of joy to be suddenly in touch with so
many Alt - Process users , that on this side of the moon i am beaming .
Got into photography in 1988
self taught ( no living abroad thank you love Pakistan too much Although i
do travel for work and vacation ) with
books, magazines and liberties found locally & asked friends , relatives
to get a Varity from abroad . In those days early 90 's came across an
amazing American magazine Camera & Darkroom ( also called darkroom
photography earlier ) Which not only encouraged me to have my own little
Darkroom one day but it was where for the first time was seeing Alt -
Process images which left me wondering how in the world am i going to be
able to this in Pakistan .(Allah be praised ) slowly first learned
photography then moved on to B/W possessing and printing and now after all
these years with the notes saved from those magazines, tech books and
finally the internet am able to print the alt images , ( Cyanotype / Van
dykes / Salted Paper / Polaroid image transfer & learning the Gum Process )
sadly the magazine
stopped publication in Sep 1995 . Line film is available in Karachi in
rolls ( varies sizes ) Agfa and Fuji import it , which is quite painful to
use as compared to sheet film . Although must admit i use the local film for
experiments and testing of various images and for the final work get sheet
film from the US .These days working on my third solo photo
exhibition( excuse me for sounding so vain ) so am trying to use the best
material possible when ever i can . The Chemicals are also available in the
local market ( no ready to use kits ) you mix everything yourself from
scratch be it for B/W or Alternative . Phew ! i think have just about
covered it .
hmmm yes maybe i should also share some of the things realized were
common between us ....have a fine art background too which is why was drawn
to the Alt -Processes am 34 years old now but started photography young .
By the way Judy i think you have a great sense of humor do you write
for this magazine you are an editor of ?
Happy printing
Take Care
Farah
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