Re: (Gum) Multi prints???

Dave,

I thought I used the "(almost) a waist of time" for the same reason you
mention below. Anyway, I write this just after spending the last half hour
looking at your work at alternativephotography.com combined with reading in
your own words about the technique you used to produce these results. Maybe
I'll never be able to produce result like yours but I appreciate the effort
you and others have made to convince me about gum but I must say that "I am
convinced" that gum is what I want to do.

A while back I would have been satisfied with any dark brownish capable
process (dull) but I understand now that gum is like flying a F-46 (just to
say it's not invented yet) compare to riding as a passenger in a bus, I mean
there is no comparison possible. I mean most other process can be visualized
as 2-dimentional process but gum well that's like if a third dimention as
been added and we all know what that means. I think what bothers me the most
with gum is that I'm to old and I'll never be able to explore but a tiny bit
of the huge potential it offers.

Every time I see a little bit on what can be done with gum, I'm just amazed,
it's like entering a very large and very dark cavern where your flashlight
can only illuminate but a tiny portion of it such that I can't figure out
where I'm going to go. I'd like to have a very powerful flash that could
show me the hole thing all at ounce for long enough that I can decide where
I want to go.

I don't know if I was able to give you an idea of how I feel about this gum
stuff but it's both euphoria and misery at the same time.

Regards
Yves

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Rose" <cactuscowboy@bresnan.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: (Gum) Multi prints???

> Yves,
>
> Welcome to the exciting world of gum printing!
>
> Despite your admitted lack of experience with, I've enjoyed reading your
> comments, questions and observations.
>
> I started gum printing many years ago, long before the internet as we know
> it existed. I was self taught, using gum printing instructions in
> Crawford's The Keepers of Light. I found gum printing to be relatively
easy
> to learn and quickly produced very nice prints. With practice and
testing,
> I learned how to manipulate the process and achieve consistent results.
> There's nothing like 'hands on' experience to learn the process. Be sure
to
> measure accurately and keep extensive notes.
>
> Thanks for the comment regarding Ansel Adams. My formal training in
> photography included learning and mastering the Zone System. I strongly
> believe that good technical skills and attention to detail are essential,
in
> addition to a having a creative eye.
>
> I understand your concern that your single coat tests may have been a
waste
> of time. Please consider that even failures or poor results are a
valuable
> learning experience.
>
> Best regards,
> Dave Rose
> Powell, Wyoming
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Yves Gauvreau" <gauvreau-yves@sympatico.ca>
> To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 9:56 AM
> Subject: Re: (Gum) Multi prints???
>
>
> Loris,
>
> I haven't made any gum prints to speak of at this time, only test. If you
> think this puts me in the category of those who should shut up and listen
> and maybe get their hand dirty a bit more, well I can understand that for
> you it may be the right thing to do. For me it obviously isn't a good
> approach mainly for the following reason, most other processes, excluding
> maybe all other colloid dichromate processes, have a large theorical
> knowledge base or lots of maps with well defined roads and you know where
> you'll get well in advance. Another thing most these process have in
common
> is they have just enough variability that one as to test for his specific
> set of circonstance, I would call this fine tuning if you like but at
least
> you know basically where you are at all time. I see this TEST, TEST, TEST
> all over the place but I know what to test for.
>
> Ansel Adams said good technical skills and knowledge doesn't make a good
> photograph but he never saw an excellent photograph having soso skills and
> knowledge. The where all masters of their craft. (these words are from
> memory, I could find the page if you need)
>
> Now for gum well there are some maps of course but I see many areas
labeled
> "unexplored territory" and I ask the questions I ask because I want to
know
> if it is just because the maps I've found are not up to date or if they
are
> still unexplored areas. Doing whatever test you can think of when you
don't
> know what to expect well I think it's a waist of time.
>
> As I said earlier about Tom reply on this question of multiple exposure, I
> have a satisfactory understanding of why I have to do this, it is logical
> and rational for me and you can be sure I wont ask any more question about
> this. (Most if not all the single coat test I've made so far where
(almost)
> a waist of time)
>
> Thanks
> Yves
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Loris Medici" <loris_medici@mynet.com>
> To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 10:05 AM
> Subject: RE: (Gum) Multi prints???
>
>
> Hi Yves. Being just a beginner (practice-wise, not theory.. And I say
> this knowing practice is the very best gum-instructor) in gum dichromate
> printing, I wait with great enthusiasm the results of your tests and the
> description of the new roadmaps you will provide someday (hope soon).
> Also, you can be sure it would be a great treat to me very if you'd
> share some prints...
>
> Regards,
> Loris.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Yves Gauvreau [mailto:gauvreau-yves@sympatico.ca]
> Sent: 14 Aralık 2005 Çarşamba 16:28
> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
> Subject: Re: (Gum) Multi prints???
>
>
> ...One last thing I could add, I not convinced that using a single
> exposure with a negative of a relatively low density range (0.7-0.9)
> automatically mean it is "not going to produce a very exciting image" to
> use your own words. If one is using a pigment that is just "right",
> meaning optimal for both the UV and the visual spectrum it is quite
> reasonable to think, that with the Dmax and gradation we can get from
> this mix, we can very well produce an exiting image, I wouldn't be
> surprise if there where quite a few pigment that could be used in single
> coat prints. As I said above, the gum process as a wide envelope or a
> wide gamut if you prefer, I would be the one to seek what those limits
> are and update the maps accordingly instead of being satisfied with the
> already explored territory...
>
>
>
>
Received on Wed Dec 14 14:13:55 2005