Historic Photographic Processes: A Guide to Creating Handmade Photographic Images (Paperback)

by Richard Farber (Author) "Probably the most asked question about the processes described in this book, and related processes, concerns the permanence of the image..." (more)
Key Phrases: bromoil paper, new cyanotype, salting solution, Richard Farber, Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent, Michael Ware (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Historic Photographic Processes is a comprehensive user's guide to the historical processes that have become popular alternatives to modern and digital technology. Though many of the techniques, applications, and equipment were first developed in the nineteenth century, these same methods can be used today to create hand-crafted images that are more attractive and permanent than conventional prints or digital outputs. Fine-art photographer Richard Farber incorporates extensive research with clearly-written directions and resource lists to provide in-depth information on eight of the most enduring processes in photographic history, including salted paper, albumen, cyanotype, kallitype, platinum/palladium, carbon/carbro, gum bichromate, and bromoil. He guides the reader through each step, from selecting the appropriate paper and sensitizing it to exposing, developing, and toning the final print. Each method is accompanied by a short explanation of how it was originally used and its significance in the evolution of photography.

Historic Photographic Processes contains more than fifty color and ten black-and-white images that beautifully illustrate each of the processes described. Chapters include an introduction to photographic techniques and applications, such as useful safelights, sizing paper, measuring solutions, exposure controls, ultraviolet light sources, and making enlarged negatives, as well as an extensive section on safety in- and outside of the darkroom. The appendix provides important information on the chemicals discussed, as well as health-and-safety references, supply sources in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and a complete catalog of Internet resources.

About the Author
Richard Farber is a teacher, writer, and fine-art photographer. His work has been internationally exhibited and can be found in museums and private collections in both Europe and the United States. He lives in The Hague, Netherlands.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press; 1st edition (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880559935
• ISBN-13: 978-1880559932
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #729,672 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate alt-photo book, January 17, 2000

By	Richard S. Sullivan (Santa Fe, New Mexico) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First a disclaimer: I am the inventor of the Ziatype process described in the book.

The title is a little misleading since it says "historical processes." The book focuses on photo processes that are used largely in art photography and do not involve the normally used silver paper or color paper. Yes, many of these processes were used for photography in its earlier years and are "historical," but these processes are most often referred to as "alternative photography" now. If you are a photographer and are looking for a respite from the ordinary, this is your book.

This book replaces the now quite dated Keepers of Light first published in 1979. Since that time, and to the credit of Keepers of Light, alternative photography has grown considerably. This book is excellent and takes in much of the later developments and knowledge of the field.

Farber's treatment is lucid, well illustrated, and takes a hands-on approach. Despite the advances in alternative photography, many of the materials previously available have disappeared from the marketplace. Farber takes this into account and I particularly found his chapters on bromoil and carbon printing to be valuable as he discusses the use of modern bromide papers for making bromoil prints and also how to make your own carbon tissue.

This book belongs on the shelf of every serious darkroom photographer. If you are a photographic collector, I would also advise buying a copy even if you never intend to make an alternative photo print. There is a wealth of succinct information here that would be valuable for any collector wanting to understand the nature of many earlier photographic print-making processes.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable for the serious Alternative Photographer., November 25, 1998

By	Dan Donovan ([e-mail]) (Mar Vista, California) - See all my reviews

I'm suprised it's taken so long for someone to write this book. The author takes the reader through the various hand-coated photographic processes step by step. The instructions are consise and easy to follow. This book should find a place on the bookshelf next to Crawford's "Keepers of Light".

Another plus is that Farber covers some of the lesser known processes, such as the Ware cyanotype, argyrotype and printing-out platinum/palladium process. There is also an extensive section on safety, sources for materials and photographic resources on the Web. "Historic Photographic Processes" is worth every penny.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A useful guide, July 6, 2002

By	"f-arnold" (Skokie, IL United States) - See all my reviews

For the budding alternative practitioner, this book is an invaluable resource. It is clearly and engagingly written, and covers the gamut of processes from simple salted-paper calotypes, through platinum/palladium and bromoil. Safety is emphasized, with an overview in the second chapter, and a chemical index with hazards in the back. A thorough list of sources for materials, other references, online resources, etc, is in the back.

One of the best features of the book is that it is not limited merely to the historic processes, but also to modern variants. Therefore, not only classic cyanotype or kallitype is presented, but also modern formulations, with a discussion of how they differ and the advantages/disadvantages of each. The section on carbon printing includes recommendations for 3-color, and for 'overpigmenting' the gelatin base to produce grainy 'mezzotint' pictures. Illustrations include modern prints by the author and british photographer/chemist Michael Ware, as well as classic prints from the days when the techniques were in vogue. Each technique also has a discussion of the proper negative contrast which is required, which is important since most of these processes require contact printing and a denser negative than modern practitioners are used to.

If there is a problem, it's that the design of the book appears to be meant to get a practitioner started in the process, and then point them elsewhere for other sources. It is also clear that some processes (gum bichromate/bromoil) seem to get more attention than others (cyanotype), probably reflecting the author's personal interests in his work. This is a minor quibble, since the cyanotype chapter is still more thorough than most I've read elsewhere, and the formulations for image-color control in the kallitype chapter is invaluable to allow one to explore the range of the process.

In short, this is a well-written, thorough, text which will allow an interested party to get started, and then go to more specialized sources if they decide to delve deeper into one of the processes. It is also an enjoyable read in its own right. I bought it initially to get started in cyanotype, and have no regrets as a result.