Large Format Photography Australia

The greatest motivation for me about 8x10 is the contact print. Devoid of Callier effect and shown exactly as seen and perceived, there is a purity and beauty to the contact print that can never be replicated by the enlargement or the ink-jet.

My preferred paper for contact printing in recent years is Ilford Warmtone but nothing has the rich enchantment of the old Agfa chloro-bromide papers. if I remember correctly it was Portriga-Rapid or Record-Rapid that first taught my eyes to sing.

I can't say that I am a huge fan of the current results I see of platinum printing but I marvel at the prints of guys from the pre-silver gelatine era such as Frederick H Evans.

We must be from the same era, I can remember nearly weeping when I realised Agfa took the cadmium out of Record-Rapid and ruined the best paper ever (in my mind anyway).
Frederick Evans is a hero of mine and in the flesh his prints are astonishing, saw them years ago when I lived in the old dart, I was introduced to his grandson and got to look at a portfolio of unmounted prints, they were absolutely beautiful.
I only bought an 8x10 for contact prints, love them to death, no comparison to an enlargement, must admit I've often wondered about platinum, but I've always developed for silver, not sure my negs have the "guts" needed for platinum. I reckon I would have to do a project specifically for platinum and expose and process the negs accordingly, maybe when I've retired and have more time on my hands.

I'm getting very tempted to learn Carbon Transfer for my 7x17" images...

I would love to see a 7x17 contact print... Or, if by chance you do win powerball and get some 7x17 velvia, I would pay a viewing fee just to see it on a light table!!

Mate,

If I win Powerball, I'll buy you your own (Shen Hao) 7x17" and give you more Velvia than you can poke a stick at!!

Deal

I have recently become intrigued by the contact print... How its done, what is required...

The intrigue also has me looking at 8x10 stuido cameras for portrait work... Obviously a 4x5 contact print would be a little silly.. but 8x10 or bigger would be fantastic...

alexn wrote:Obviously a 4x5 contact print would be a little silly..

It ain't necessarily so Alex,

Tina Modotti, muse. love and disciple of Edward Weston, built an enormous reputation and here work was all 6x9 cm contacts (or whatever the 'Plate' size equivalent was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g29CCS_kuaQ

Facile means of producing large prints (and possibly the competition for attention on the computer screen) has relegated the charms of the small print to the dust-bin of art, but to see gorgeous small prints and contacts can be a great delight and the prints take on a gem-like quality.

There are all sorts of things for us photographers to express and all sorts of ways for us to express them.

alexn wrote:I have recently become intrigued by the contact print... How its done, what is required...

I watched a video by Jim Fitzgerald on carbon transfer the other day. I think I have the itch. Whilst I have yet to see on in the carbon (its version of in the flesh), my understanding is that they are something to behold as they have a slight 3D look due to the raised carbon in the shadows.

alexn wrote:Deal

I have recently become intrigued by the contact print... How its done, what is required...

The intrigue also has me looking at 8x10 stuido cameras for portrait work... Obviously a 4x5 contact print would be a little silly.. but 8x10 or bigger would be fantastic...

5x4" contact prints are not silly, if well presented they can work very well - By well presented I don't mean waste of mat board by putting them in 16x20 frames as has been done - We use 10x8" frames for my wife Rae's 5x4" CPs - Rae exclusively works with 5x4" contact prints from her PH camera and they sell - However, as they are made by me, her prints are utterly exquisite - Bugger false modesty, I am good

What paper do you contact print 5x4s on? On 8x10 paper or smaller and then mount them on 8x10 mat board? Would love to see some of those!