From: Joe Portale (jportale@gci-net.com)
Date: 01/01/01-07:01:04 PM Z
Hello eveyone,
Happy new year!
Judy the reason one would use salt prints over any other process is academic
in the fact that the media is a means to an end. This could spiral into a
debat like those god aweful, "What's better Tri-X or Goofy Pan developed in
cherry juice". To state oit simply, some images look better made with salt
prints. When I was printing conventional silver paper, I would have boxes of
three or four different makes on hand. Each of these different papers have
its own particular feel, color and texture that could make or break an
image. Why would this not be the case with alternative (why do we call it
alternative?) processes. I submit, the difference between a "picture" and a
"meaningful image" is contained within the subtlties of the printing. Why
not try to see which process would make the image sing? Of course the image
has to be worth something or it doesn't matter what process you print, it is
still a bad image. To quote St. Ansel, "There is nothing worse than a sharp
picture of a fuzzy concept."
Salt is just as easy as VDB and one hundred times harder. It is very easy
to pull a image. It can be very difficult to tweek it that extra bit that
adds that "something extra". For me, I like the pallet of colors. I am
particulary found of the purple grey that one can get when using an alkylen
gold toner. My preference for salt is purely personal and subjective.
As stated, there are beautiful salt prints and there are not so good looking
salt prints. Could this not be said for every process? I have seen early
platinum, kallitypes and others that were as plain as home made soap. There
is no fine line between those who simply make a picture and the person
dedicated to craftsmanship. There were hacks in the 1800's making images,
just as there are today.
> >On Sunday, 31 Dec 2000, Judy Seigel wrote:
> >
> >Well, Joe, since you seem familiar with the several processes perhaps you
> >can answer the question (first of the new millennium?) I've asked several
> >times & not really had answered: What is the advantage of a salt print?
> >
> >I've never done it, but know it's more difficult than plain VDB, for
> >instance, and also know that many people do it. I've seen some that were
> >extremely beautiful, but those were early prints, when there were fewer
> >options. And maybe these survived because they were exceptionally
> >beautiful. I've seen only a few contemporary salt prints; at least
> >to my eye, they were NOT special.
> >
> >So, why do you do salt prints?
>
> I am not Joe but I will try to answe your question. First, since you use
> the VDB as an object of comparison I am going to assume that your question
> is, "what is the advantage of salt prints over the plain VDB?" I am not an
> expert on either salt printing or VDB but I have made a few nice prints
> with both processes. For me the violet umber (untoned) or purple-violet
> black (gold-toned) of color (either untoned or gold-toned) of the salted
> paper print is a more beautiful and interesting color than the almost
> lifeless brown of the VDB.Some VDBs seem to pick up a little maroon and I
> like these more but I have not been able to get any color with VDB but
dead
> brown.
>
> No doubt salted paoer is more complicated than VDB and I have had a lot of
> trouble getting it right but the result, when you do get it right salted
> paper is quite captivating. In fact I like the color so much that I have a
> special pigment formula for carbon that to some extent imitates the
> appearance of gold-toned salted paper (and albumens for that matter).
>
> I must also say that the historical nature of salted paper makes it an
> intriguing process to work, almost as if one is transported back to the
> studio od Fox Talbot. Of course there is something fascinating about all
of
> the hand-made processes, even VDB, but salted paper, and then carbon of
> course, are especially exciting for me because of their very long history
> of use.
>
> Sandy
>
> Sandy
>
>
>
>
>
>
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