Re: Daguerreotypes again-mercury

Ryuji: I agree with you. Being very new to the alt scene, I can say
that my experience has been that people are looking for something fresh
and unique. Maybe silver gelatin prints are wearing thin on some of the
public so they seek out alternatives: the more risky the better.

I have to say that that seems a bit sad when potential buyers seek out
your work *because* it is alternative versus just being outstanding work.

As for the topic of Daguerrian safety, I think that Robert's very wise
to point out the risks. I would hope that people would have enough
common sense as to avoid the casual use of Mercury but there are those
out there that just don't care.

Personally, I've been researching and reading about Daguerreotypes for
almost a year. My new year's resolution was "Make one Daguerreotype by
the end of 2004" and I will have accomplished that goal by the end of
next week. This process is so very far from picking up the latest Canon
whiz-bang dSLR and snapping off a few hundred pictures of your Honda car
key or your cell phone. Due dilligence will pay off.

My five-year plan includes erecting a proper workshop with appropriate
facilities to handle mercury, bromine, iodine, etc. To protect myself,
my family, and the environment, it is absolutely necessary to install an
adequate fume hood, have and know how to use a mercury spill kit, and
use a mercury certified respirator, etc.

Is anyone even debating that? It's late. I'm zonked.

-Jon
PS: Check out my website of awesomeness (see signature). There's not
much there but I'm getting there. The last time I wrote a website,
<blink> was the pinnacle of web programming. Now I've had to teach
myself PHP, CSS, XHTML, and more. Sheesh.

-- 
Jonathan Danforth Photography
http://photographs.danforthsource.com