Contact prints are universally valued for their remarkable qualities of optical sharpness, fine detail, and sensual textures. Contact printing has evolved to a forceful aesthetic today, one of purity and perfection that is actively practiced by Guild members. The decision to make hand-made contact prints reflects a method of working that necessitates contemplation. It is a time-consuming process that records each detail in the print quality to achieve the unsurpassed graphic and textural form present in each print.

To the left you see "Bow Summit," an 8x10 gold-toned print on POP by Susan Huber. Because we understand the difficulty of seeing the true beauty of a contact print from a scanned image on your computer, we offer an unconditional guarantee. If you are not satisfied with any photograph you have purchased from the online Store, you can return it for a refund. We currently have well over 300 photographs available for sale. Just click on the link below to quickly and easily view our catalog. The Store is a secure site that allows you to purchase using your credit card or PayPal account.

Click here to visit our Store.

It seems strange to talk about the "decisive moment" with relationship to the landscape, but anyone who seeks to express himself using the landscape does work in that concept. "I think you spend time honing technical skills," Gerald has said, "so that you are ready for those moments when everything seems to click. It's not luck; it's a matter of being there at the 'decisive moment.'"

Mostly self-taught, Gerald is constantly searching out images that speak both to him personally, and also, hopefully, to the viewer. He has said that a successful image is one that involves the viewer, one that makes you stop and take a second look. To achieve this quality, he has been drawn to the platinum/palladium process for its unique abilities to add feeling and depth to the scene.

Above you see Gerald's 8x10 platinum/palladium print entitled "Scott's Falls, Ontario." To see this and other works available in our Store, please click here.

Be sure to check out the changing gallery of specially priced prints offered by Guild members through this newsletter. Using this link, you can buy selected photographs that Guild members have discounted for a limited time.

Here you see Ray Bidegain's serene image "Sauvie Island Field," a 5x7 platinum/palladium print and just one of our special offers this month. Some of the prints are also featured in the current B&W Magazine advertisement. Please visit this issue's special-offer prints on our website.

Viewpoint Photographic Art Center in Sacramento is hosting the Contact Printers Guild's first-ever group show. It runs from August 10 through the first of September.

Our Artists' Reception is from 5:30 to 8:30 pm on Saturday, August 11, and we hope to see many of our friends and collectors there. The Center is located at 551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd in Sacramento. For more information about Viewpoint, please visit their web site.

Guild Group Show in Portland, OR

If you can't make it to Sacramento, we hope to see you at the Guild's second group show this year, between October 20 and November 23 at Portland's Camerawork Gallery. The Artists' Reception will take place on Sunday, October 21.

John Wimberley

The Paul Paletti Gallery will exhibit John's work during September, October, and November this year. The gallery is located at 713 E Market St., Suite 100, in Louisville, Kentucky. You may call 502.589.9254 for hours and directions. From November 24 - December 31, John will have a solo show at Camerawork Gallery in Portland, Oregon. The Gallery is located in the lower level of Peterson Hall, 2255 NW Northrup. Phone 503.245.1784 for hours and directions.

Ray Bidegain and Patrick Kolb: Platinum Printing Workshop, October 12-14

Platinum/palladium prints are valued by photographers, collectors, galleries, and museums for their inherent beauty and archival stability. This workshop will demystify this process and give students the basic skills necessary to produce very fine platinum/palladium prints at a reasonable cost.

Ray Bidegain: The Art of the Studio Nude, October 6-7

We're pleased to announce Ray's first classes focusing on his expertise in capturing the beauty of the human figure. His next workshop this year is set for October 6-7 in Portland, Oregon. With small class size, you'll be guaranteed one-on-one time with the instructor and the model. Space is very limited; please sign up soon to be assured a spot.

Tuition is $395, with a discount to $325 for those also enrolled in the October plantinum printing workshop above. To sign up or get more information, visit his workshop page.

John Wimberley

John's next workshop will be September 21-23, Medford, OR. "Sight and Insight" is a workshop that examines seeing from a number of perspectives, including peripheral vision and the intuitive "third eye." It is open to anyone with a camera, film or digital. October 3-8, Virginia City, NV An expanded five-day "Sight and Insight" workshop will be held at the St. Mary's Art Center. The center has lodging available for workshop participants in newly renovated rooms. In addition, a darkroom with eight enlargers and a print-finishing room will be at the disposal of students. The workshop will include both classroom instruction and field trips to beautiful and fascinating locations in the area.

Michael A. Smith and Paula Chamlee: "Vision and Technique"

Alfred Stieglitz once said the hardest thing about photography was learning to see, and that is one of the major topics of these workshops. Both Michael and Paula freely share their talents with each participant and create an environment conducive to learning to see.

These weekend workshops are offered several times a year in varying locales and are open to intermediate and advanced photographers. Their next scheduled workshop is August 31-September 2 in Bucks County, PA; another is set for October 12-14 in Tuscany. Please check their web site for the latest updates to their schedule and for further information. To enroll, call them at 610.847.2005 or email them at workshops@michaelandpaula.com.