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AltPhoto Source Update

Printed From: Collodion Photography
Category: Workshops & Events
Forum Name: Workshops & Demonstrations
Forum Discription: Announcements and information for wet plate Collodion training and demonstrations.
URL: http://www.collodion.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=369
Printed Date: 28 March 2024 at 23:07


Topic: AltPhoto Source Update
Posted By: admin
Subject: AltPhoto Source Update
Date Posted: 13 January 2006 at 13:25

Friday January 13, 2006

I wanted to post an update (for those interested) about AltPhoto Source ( http://www.altphotosource.com - altphotosource.com ).

I wanted to open January 1, 2006, obviously that didn't happen. There is a lot of legal stuff to deal with, but I am wrapping it all up now. I have a planning commision meeting to attend in my city (for running this business) on January 24th and should have everything signed off, paid for and completed by the 27th of January!

I'm determined to open February 1, 2006 and have the first process date February 11, 2006. That means the first shipment of chemistry will go out the week of February 13, 2006.

In the beginning, I'm only mixing, processing and shipping chemistry once a month. This is how it will work:

FEBRUARY 2006
TAKE ORDERS: February 1 - 10, 2006
PROCESS DATES: February 11 & 12, 2006 
SHIP DATE: February 13, 2006

MARCH 2006
TAKE ORDERS: February 11 - March 17, 2006
PROCESS DATES: March 18 & 19, 2006 
SHIP DATE: March 20, 2006

APRIL 2006
TAKE ORDERS: March 18 - April 21, 2006
PROCESS DATES: April 22 & 23, 2006 
SHIP DATE: April 24, 2006

MAY 2006
TAKE ORDERS: April 22 - May 19, 2006
PROCESS DATES: May 20 & 21, 2006 
SHIP DATE: May 22, 2006

ADDRESSING SOME EMAIL QUESTIONS I'VE RECEIVED:

Who Owns AltPhoto Source? AltPhoto Source is a wholly owned subsidiary of Studio Q, LLC. All payments for products will be made to, or billed by, Studio Q, LLC.  

How will the chemicals be shipped? FedEx or UPS, depending on the size of order.

Did you have to get special permits to do this business? Yes, many of them. In fact, I'm lucky to live where I do so I can even do this type of business!

Why are you doing this business? If you were to look at my inbox (email) you would know why - there are many artists out there that want to (at very least) try this process but don't want to invest the amount of money, time and training it takes to get up and going. This is the prefect solution for them.

Are you working with ArtCraft Chemical? Yes. Mike Jacobson and I are working together. He offers great "raw" chemicals and is a great guy. I'm specializing in pre-made, ready to use, wet plate (for now) chemicals. If you order chemicals from AltPhoto Source, you'll see his catalog in the shipment and vice versa. Should you want to buy raw product and make your own, I recommend purchasing chemistry from him.

Please bear in mind, it will not all be perfect (the product will be) so I'll need input on what people want (what size, quantity, etc.) and what they don't want. I may have product in the store that's a waste of time and maybe have overlooked a product that needs to be there. I hope you'll let me know.

Thanks for your patient! I'm looking forward to doing this!!
Q




Replies:
Posted By: autochrome
Date Posted: 17 January 2006 at 10:37
What chemistry is going to be offered?

john



Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 17 January 2006 at 10:54

Originally posted by autochrome

What chemistry is going to be offered?

john

Everything to do positives and negatives in wet plate.



-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: MikeCovington
Date Posted: 17 January 2006 at 11:53

Will you be offering japaned tintype plates? If so, do you have your prices set yet? I'm looking forward to doing business with you.



-------------
Mike Covington


Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 17 January 2006 at 16:12
Originally posted by MikeCovington

Will you be offering japaned tintype plates? If so, do you have your prices set yet? I'm looking forward to doing business with you.

Yes, there will (jappaned) tintypes as well as Albumen paper and kits for both. Prices will look something like this (subject to change):

12 each Quarter Plates: $25
12 each Half Plates: $35
12 each 5x7: $45
12 each 8x10: $90



-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: J0B00
Date Posted: 17 January 2006 at 17:31
Wow! Are you going to be making the plates or do you mean that you will be selling the trophy aluminum?


Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 17 January 2006 at 17:44

These will be jappaned/authentic tintypes/ferrotypes (coated and baked). The trophy aluminum is ready to go and gives a very different look and feel than the original tintype/ferrotype and you can get it precut from Trophy. What I'm offering is the authentic, handmade tintype.

The size will depend on the demand. I can go as large as 11x14 right now and bigger if there is a demand.



-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: ambropoetica
Date Posted: 17 January 2006 at 22:43
sweet!!!


Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 24 January 2006 at 19:54

For those interested:

I just returned from a planning commission meeting in my city where I have applied to do the chemistry business. It was disheartening to me; I have to go through ANOTHER inspection and more red tape! The fire department's haz mat people have to come over and inspect my storage facilities, chemicals and quantities (if I store over a certain limit, it's another license and more fees for that).

I NO LONGER wonder why someone is doing this business. I know from time, money and effort why they haven't. I feel like a fool trying and I think some days I'm wasting my time and money.

Bottom line: I don't know when I'll be opening - it depends on the haz mat people's schedule and if I pass.



-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: zmanphoto
Date Posted: 24 January 2006 at 21:23
That stinks Quinn. Sorry you are going through all of this.
Good luck and hopefully things work out.

Mark


Posted By: spirit-catcher
Date Posted: 24 January 2006 at 23:51
Don't give up. Although it seems like a lot of nonsence. It really is the way things have to go. You wouldn't want just anyone setting up something like this without some sort of checks in place. It will protect you in the long run. It get's really expensive if you don't play by the rules. It's not that bad really. I'm sure you know the drill. It's kinda like........."Yes,Dear."


Posted By: Kerik
Date Posted: 25 January 2006 at 00:03
Quinn,

My day job is in the environmental field. I'm not surprised at the amount of red tape they're putting you through. Imagine what it's like working on one of the largest EPA Superfund sites in the country...

Anyway, I feel your pain. I hope you'll stick with it and pass the inspection.

-------------
Kerik Kouklis
Platinum/Gum/Collodion
www.kerik.com


Posted By: james munoz
Date Posted: 25 January 2006 at 08:10
Quinn,

Hang in there buddy!

-------------
James Munoz


Posted By: autochrome
Date Posted: 25 January 2006 at 10:05
Hope everything works out as you have a customer base out here.

I am posting this link without comment - Sally Mann's new wet plate
work -

http://www.houkgallery.com/mann-lastmeasure/lastmeasure.html

john


Posted By: autochrome
Date Posted: 25 January 2006 at 10:53
Regarding super fund sites for clean up -
When I moved to Houston, TX in 1970 I called on a chemical company
(I sell graphics) and noticed yellow and green streams running through
their parking lot.
Their business was disposing of chemicals from industrial processing
companies.
The company shut down and the land was used for a subdivision.
They later discovered their method of disposing was to spray the
chemicals over their land with a road wetting water truck.
The EPS has spend millions and they finally decided just to cover the
surface with dirt.
Good luck on getting your permits -

john


Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 25 January 2006 at 11:28

Thanks for the positive and encouraging feedback, I appreciate it and I do respect what they are doing and why.

I want to be safe (and I want my neighbors safe too) so I completely understand and will capitulate - fees and all.



-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: ambropoetica
Date Posted: 25 January 2006 at 18:37
Originally posted by autochrome

Hope everything works out as you have a
customer base out here.

I am posting this link without comment - Sally Mann's new wet plate
work -

http://www.houkgallery.com/mann-lastmeasure/lastmeasure.html

john


this probably belongs in another forum, but I'll reply after visiting the site
and reading the glowing gallery press article from the Houk...

"Unique among her contemporaries, Mann has enjoyed a reputation for
technical virtuosity; with this body of work, she’s continued to challenge
barriers and reinvent her approach with aplomb. Gone are the warmth,
and romantic Southern light - hallmarks of her earlier series; instead,
viewers will encounter a radical shift to cool, moody, ashen tones.
Unconventionally made from collodion wet-plate glass negatives (a
process developed in the 1850s), the images are at once painterly and
photographic, some approximating charcoal drawings or etchings.
Adding yet another layer to the effects of the laborious developing and
printing methods".

Ooohhhh...... Excuse me, but I think that's a total sack of "s h i t" !!! The
only virtuosity on display is smoke and mirrors disguised as art.
Apologies if I offend anyone.

Steve


Posted By: smieglitz
Date Posted: 25 January 2006 at 21:18
Originally posted by quinn

...It was disheartening to me; I have to go through ANOTHER inspection and more red tape! ...


"But guarding fumes and making haste,
It ain't my cup of meat.
Ev'rybody's 'neath the trees,
Feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here,
All the pigeons gonna run to him."

-Bob Dylan



Hang in there buddy.

Joe
      


Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 25 January 2006 at 21:44
Thanks Joe, awesome quote... my theme song -

-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: rknewcomb
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 08:04
Quinn, I appreciate the effort!!  Please don't give up.


Posted By: autochrome
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 08:47
In regard to the post of Steve on the Sally Mann collodion images -
I don't think Steve comments went far enough - I would double the sack.
Another case of "the King has no cloths" but the art community
operates on the premise that if we don't see the beauty we must be
ignorant . Some child needs to speak up and say the oblivious -
Bad images are not good art.


john


Posted By: colrehogan
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 10:38
Originally posted by autochrome

Hope everything works out as you have a customer base out here.

I am posting this link without comment - Sally Mann's new wet plate
work -

http://www.houkgallery.com/mann-lastmeasure/lastmeasure.html

john


Yuck!  Okay, maybe I don't get it right in the camera every time, but I certainly wouldn't want my name associated with something that you couldn't even tell what it was because of poor exposure, poor processing or whatever.  Hope she doesn't get a book put together of this exhibition!   Is all her work like this?


-------------
Diane :)


Posted By: james munoz
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 10:50
Why is it that there is always someone willing to trash another artist (that's if
your an artist and not a hobbiest)?
First of all I've worked (assisted) for Sally in the past and have nothing but
good things to say about her and her work. If you had a chance to view the
work (Last measure) in person I bet you all would think different! And last,
Steve the show was three years ago, do your homework.

-------------
James Munoz


Posted By: autochrome
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 10:52
Sally Mann got her fame for images of her children in somewhat
provocative poses.

Her work prior to this was a book and gallery show on decaying bodies.

My point is that there are beautiful images out there that galleries won't
show but they mount a show like this because of her name. I hope
people don't come away with the impression all collodion work is like
this.

john


Posted By: james munoz
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 11:07
John
So tell us what's your inpression of collodion work should be or look like?

-------------
James Munoz


Posted By: autochrome
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 11:11
I believe you should at least be able to see the image.

john


Posted By: Kerik
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 11:13
James - I'm with you on this. Seems like many artists are all-too-eager to bash the work of others who are successful. I've been a Mann fan since her earliest Immediate Family work. To me, calling those images "provocative" says more about the viewer than the maker.

No, I don't love everything she does. These Last Measure images don't do it for me - although I'm sure they would have a different impact as large prints in person rather than small web images.

The images in the book What Remains (the decaying bodies) at first horrified me. I bought the book, looked at it once and put it on the shelf for a year. When I brought it out for a second viewing, I became facinated and now find the work very compelling. Art is not always pretty.

Her Motherland series has some images in film and collodion that practically bring tears to my eyes. There are others that just make me shrug.

The bottom line for me is that she is a true and original artist following her own voice. Her commercial success has made that easier for her, but I have a lot of respect that she has moved on and is not endlessly repeating the same formula - a trap that many successful artists have fallen into. Maybe trap isn't the right word...

But, for me, Sally rocks!!

-------------
Kerik Kouklis
Platinum/Gum/Collodion
www.kerik.com


Posted By: james munoz
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 11:14
John,
Did you see the show? Or just images on a the web?

-------------
James Munoz


Posted By: james munoz
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 11:20
Kerik,
You being an artist (an I love your work) couldn't have said it better, So
true...

James

-------------
James Munoz


Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 11:25

I've always respected and admired Sally Mann's work. I have mixed emotions about her wet plate work. Conceptually, I understand where she's going with the photographs (I think) and the images of her dog (well, the dug up bones) in her book, " http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0821228439/sr=1-5/qid=1138299527/ref=pd_bbs_5/102-5320339-8975308?%5Fencoding=UTF8 - What Remains " are powerful. Her whole approach to that work is powerful and I have great respect for her insight and her ability to contextualize and express on that topic.

As far as her technical abilities in wet plate, I think she'll even admit they aren't the best. In her defense, I think she wants it that way. She is saying something with that approach and that "style" of wet plate work. I think it's valid. As James said, you probably would have had to been there to fully appreciate/understand this body of work.

On the other side of the coin, I do think there is a lot of political and marketing bullsh*t swirling around known names and their work. It puts them, and in essence, their work at risk (in my opinion).

For example, some of our small group here has already dismissed this work because of that bullsh*t (there is some validity there too). If you were to stumble across this work on a web site of an unknown artist, like one of us, you may give it a chance. You may still not like it, but you would be more apt to give it a chance. The "write-off" factor would be less of an influence with an unknown artist. Work needs to be seen and understood in context. A lot of viewers, because of the name and the marketing hype, will immediately dismiss work like this.

 

I think it's unfortunate that people get "famous" in the art world. I believe in the long run, they loose a lot of their audience because of the notion that anything they do is great. Some of the work they do, like this work, is very difficult for a lot of people to get their head around and the “hype” makes it even more difficult.

With that said, there is a lot of art out there, the question is; is it good art? I leave that for each person to decide.



-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: Kerik
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 11:43
(Thank you, James).

Yes, Sally's wetplate techniques are 'bad' by traditional standards. But, you can bet she wants it that way. These are not mistakes, even if they look like it to the casual observer.

You can't blame the bullshiite hype on Sally. It's part and parcel of the gallery business. Most serious collectors and admirers of art see right through that crap. I could care less what the guy in the black turtleneck with too much mousse in his hair has to say about the work (sorry for stereotyping 'gallerists'). I just roll my eyes and then look at the pictures and make my own decisions.

-------------
Kerik Kouklis
Platinum/Gum/Collodion
www.kerik.com


Posted By: colrehogan
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 11:52
Originally posted by james munoz

Why is it that there is always someone willing to trash another artist (that's if your an artist and not a hobbiest)?
First of all I've worked (assisted) for Sally in the past and have nothing but good things to say about her and her work. If you had a chance to view the work (Last measure) in person I bet you all would think different! And last, Steve the show was three years ago, do your homework.


I'm not trying to trash her as a person, but this Last measure work of hers just doesn't cut it with me at all.  Would it change if I saw the work in person? I don't know.  I have not seen any of her other work.  Could I do better? No, since I've never tried the process (though I would like to at some point).


-------------
Diane :)


Posted By: james munoz
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 12:04
Kerik,
Can't remember who said it about critics:

"Critics are the ones who go out on the battle field after the fighting is over
and shoot the wounded"

-------------
James Munoz


Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 12:51

Originally posted by Kerik


You can't blame the bullshiite hype on Sally. It's part and parcel of the gallery business.


That's exactly my point.

I (and I hope) think Mann's intention(s) are solid and real, it's the inherent sh*te that surrounds people like her (created mostly by others) that viewers can't get through, nor do they want to.

All artists are not genuine in that sense; some help create and even encourage the esoteric hype to see if people will buy into it. It's hard to tell the difference sometimes.

Regardless of the "product", intention and context are king for me.



-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: autochrome
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 12:58
I like Sally Mann's previous work - I agree that it is powerful
and that she marches to a different drummer. When I said her
work was provocative I was referring to reviews at the time not my
personal opinion.

Her last images just did not do it for me.

In regard to the question previous of what images I like -
Many of the images on this site I consider well done - I especially
like the portraits and the combination gum images.

Enough said of this topic - lets get back to collodion.

john




Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 12:59

Not exactly sure how the chemical red tape theme shifted to Mann, then on to gallery culture bashing. ha ha!

However, Quinn... I sincerely hope you can cut through the red stuff and get those kits going. I've never made a wet plate exposure, but I will this year...and I hope to do it with one of your kits.



Posted By: ambropoetica
Date Posted: 26 January 2006 at 18:03
Gee whiz..... I guess I forgot to set my sack 'o' you know what on fire so I
could stamp it out.

Since we're getting all creamy regarding Ms. Mann's work may I
comment??? It's just my opinion folks, a tale of sound and fury, signifying
nothing... I'm not a great critic walking along shooting the dead, (book
idea?); nor am I a great artist, now apparently hobbist, trashing the work
of a famous person that somehow needs the protection of adoring fans
that have had the priviledge so as to comment on work experience.

Do my homework??? So I may gush more forthrightly??? I use my heart
and my little mind thank you very much. To me, the only thing missing
was that the plate wasn't dropped for "effect".

Is the work about transition of time... loss... unconscious memory...???

Am I envious??? Certainly! Who wouldn't be???

My personal and obiviously un-art/hobbist informed opinion is that the
work presented whenever... was done so in a calculated manner to
precede the resurgance of Wet Plate. I feel success earned has
responsibility; I just don't see it. She no doubt deserves it all and has
earned such through hard work; great for her. I'm not attacking the
person.

I   just don't like it. It feels hollow and disingenuous. But then it's just
an opinion... and I didn't even get to the marketing.

cheers,
s.


Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 27 January 2006 at 10:17
Originally posted by james munoz

Why is it that there is always someone willing to
trash another artist (that's if your an artist and not a hobbiest)?


I find the distinction between "artist" and "hobbyist" distasteful. What are
their distinguishing characteristics? This sounds like critic-speak to me;
categorizing the newly-fallen. Can we disregard the work and opinions of
others because they are "just hobbyists"?

I am a huge fan of Mann, although I was not so moved by "Last
Measure" as her other work. That said, I don't think it a
bad thing to criticize the work of others. It can be constructive...

Quinn, sorry to hear about your red-tape, I am sure it will all be over
soon enough.


Posted By: smieglitz
Date Posted: 27 January 2006 at 19:01
I'll put in a plug here for the Alt Photo Source chemistry. I just used some Keystone positive collodion today for the first time since I obtained it from Gerald a few months ago. It was really nice, a bit thicker than what I've used previously, and the image color was redder than I've had result before, but these were all plusses as far as I'm concerned. I managed to do a few ruby ambrotypes on black glass today and will post some scans tomorrow if possible.

I'll be ordering some more of this stuff as soon as you guys formally launch the business.

As far as Sally Mann, I'm a big fan although I'll say many of the recent images from that series didn't do anything for me and, like others, I question the critical response to them. However, I found a few very moving and suspect the albumen prints in person would have a much greater appeal than the small web pics.

I suspect a great deal of intent is present in what appears to be haphazard. She knows what she is doing, is very talented, and she is playing her cards well.

I wonder what her favorite images are from her very diverse evolution?

Just yesterday I found this link in another forum to an image of her by Karen Kuehn. I got a grin out of it.

http://www.karenkuehn.com/people/peopleCL03_Sally_Mann_1992.html - Portrait of Sally Mann on Karen Kuehn's website

Joe


Posted By: quinn
Date Posted: 27 January 2006 at 19:27
Originally posted by smieglitz

I'll put in a plug here for the Alt Photo Source chemistry. I just used some Keystone positive collodion today for the first time since I obtained it from Gerald a few months ago. It was really nice, a bit thicker than what I've used previously, and the image color was redder than I've had result before, but these were all plusses as far as I'm concerned. I managed to do a few ruby ambrotypes on black glass today and will post some scans tomorrow if possible.

I'll be ordering some more of this stuff as soon as you guys formally launch the business.


Thanks Joe, I appreciate that plug, moreover, I'm happy that you like the Collodion.

My plan is to offer different "flavors" of Collodion depending on what people like. That happens to be the "Q" formula that you're using. It's what I use about 90% of the time. I go for warmer tones (reds/yellow) and the Collodion plays a big role in that.

Also, viscosity... I mentioned that I'm playing with the solvents, I'll be curious to know if others like how that flavor "flows" on a plate... did you find you had more control? Did you get better pours? What about the set point difference from what you have used before?

Looking forward to seeing your images!!



-------------
Regards,
Quinn Jacobson


Posted By: ambropoetica
Date Posted: 27 January 2006 at 20:11
To all... I wish to apologize for the tenor of some of my remarks
regarding my recent posts, especially the feces attributions. I will admit to
being a hot head of sorts... that being said, I remain unmoved by most of
the works discussed. My comments are meant to improve and contribute
to discourse of the art and craft we persue.

My thanks to Quinn for providing the forum from which we all have the
opportunity to learn.

best,
steve



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