John Melanson (john@audiologic.com)
Mon, 04 Oct 1999 23:12:42 -0600
Confessions of a mud pie cook who never grew up:
I have a rather perverse reason for brewing my own photo chemicals - because
I like to. It fascinates me. I always played with chemicals as a kid, I
had a sympathetic chemistry Prof. for a neighbor. I should probably state
that I do chemistry to make prints, but I fear that sometimes it's the other
way around. There is a powerful attraction to mixing up potions. It also
give me fine control, which I convince myself I need.
I made my first alt print at 6 years old. POP silver, under father's
guidance. I would not let him off the hook for not finding a way to keep
the fixer from weakening the print. I learned to read, not because my
school wanted me to, but to be able to read a stack of chemistry and photo
text books in the basement.
In silver photography, I mix my own developers and toners. I have worked at
it long enough that I can get any tone I want by changing the mix. My love
of alchemy and art serve each other in a very synergistic way.
Pt/Pd printing, as Jeffrey notes, is maybe the simplest to start, and one of
the hardest to master. A Pt print always wants to be made better. It's a
combination of frustration/reward that I enjoy.
I am a photo control freak. I have never been able to let go and leave
things to chance. I feel this need to make a "perfect" print. I also
understand how limiting this attitude is. I freely admit that I'm narrowing
my avenues of expression because of this anal attitude. Somehow brewing
your own is part and parcel of this.
Maybe gum is the place where my inner child can be satisfied with mixing and
brewing, and the control freak will have to let go, if only a little.
John Melanson
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Fri Nov 05 1999 - 21:26:27