Grafist@aol.com
Date: 03/09/03-12:01:22 PM Z
Hi again Sandy and all those listening in,
I came into photography back in the early fifties when, in the field of
''fine art'', at least there was still a strong demarcation between what
people were doing by combining photography with graphic design and what was
acceptable to show at the Royal Academy.
Interestingly, in photo image making for commercial use, at that time, there
was already a well used tool box of methods for making innovative work. The
work of Lillian Bassman, for example was not considered, then, as gallery art
but was striking in its individuality when viewed in high quality magazines.
Apparently, Lillian used ferricyanide bleach with brushes to highten her
print images of the world of fashion. This was not called ''alternative
photography'' ; it was classified as a form of ''photography'' enabling the
making of pictures drawn from ''reality'' but remarkable because they had
been altered by an artist.
The methods you mention of making photos, Carbon Transfer, Kallitype and
other ''straight'' non alternative processes, like Silver Gelatine and
Platinum were restrictive to those who wished to manipulate their photo
images and so moves were made to develop processes which would allow this,
Gum, Bromoil, Oil printing. These are processes that some regard as truly
alternative photography. The point I was trying to raise was that inspite of
the obvious problems involved there seems to have been a movement to prove
that ''alternative'' photo processes can be made to produce ''straight''
results as you describe in your own work. It has been proved to the
assessment of many that this is, in fact, possible but there are still some
who think that Gum, for instance, cannot, if required, give fine detail from
a negative. Maybe this brings up the old discussion on the title of this list
and what the list represents accurately in relation to what artists are doing
with the camera's product ie. the capturing of the personal visual reality of
the physical environment and its enhancement or its alteration to make
pictures.
This list is great in its amazing flexibility of concepts in the discussion
of picture making with photography as the common denominator and also
because of the, mostly, good natured way we act as auditors to the more
vociferous ''off topic'' postings we sometimes see.
Has anyone else seen the early ''photo like'' pencil drawings made by Willem
De Kooning before his complete turn to abstraction? I feel that its almost
as if his own personal alt-photo-process was using the graphite pencil to
make prints with himself as the camera and processing equipment. Tenuously,
following on from that digression it may be interesting to note that Robert
Demachy gave up photography and took up pencil sketching towards the end of
his life. Likewise, Henri Cartier Bresson concentrated on making drawings at
the end of a long career with a camera. Are there any other names who fit
this syndrome?
Still wondering. John-Photographist-
London
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