on 11/28/03 8:16 PM, PhotoGecko Austin at gecko@photogecko.com wrote:
> Greetings all,
>
> I've just stumbled upon a remarkable image from the Eastman archives, a
> self portrait by one Alvin Langdon Coburn
> (http://www.eastman.org/9_colphoto/9_coll/9ninetw/9n07.htm) entitled
> The Copper Plate Press. The image is characterized as a gum platinum
> print.
>
> I have a constellation of questions about this image, and trust the
> list to clue me in, to wit:
>
> -- who was Alvin Langdon Coburn?
A very good American photographer at the turn of the century who hung out
with Steichen, Steiglitz et al. Move to the UK, was influenced by Japanese
wood block print imagery and Ezra Pound. Primarily known for his portraits
he was an interesting landscape photographer also. He died in the mid 1960's
> -- what is (was. . . ?) a copper plate press?
For gravure printing
> -- do we have recipes for "gum platinum" prints, and are any of us
> doing them?
A lot of this info is in the archives
> -- what's with the garb Alvin is wearing? (i.e., do the hood,
> drawstring, and forearm pad bear significance to the printing process?).
I don't think so but he was into mystic thinking and perhaps that could be
related, However, I don't see anything unusal about his clothing.
> -- was the backdrop paper, canvas, muslin. . . or a precursory
> Photoshop plug-in, perhaps? (:~>)
Huh, what? Looks just like a clean environment.
> -- would this print have been toned, and if so, how?
Received on Fri Nov 28 22:35:12 2003
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