"As I became aware that all things have unique spatial and temporal qualities which visually define and relate them, I began to perceive the things I was photographing not as objects but as events. Working to develop my skills of perceiving and symbolizing these event qualities, I discovered the principle of opposites. When, for example, I photographed the smooth, luminous body of a woman behind a dirty cobwebbed window, I found that the qualities of each event were enhanced and the universal forces which they manifested were more powerfully evoked." --Wynn Bullock

This month we are delighted to introduce to you new Guild member Ian Leake. London based, Ian has been crafting handmade platinum prints for some time, and we are very pleased with his addition to our group. This month's IN FOCUS article has Matt Magruder sharing with us his thoughts on his photographic vision. Ray Bidegain shares a recent experience of a visit with Kim Weston at Wildcat Hill, near Carmel and the Big Sur coast of California. And Susan Huber tells how she keeps busy with her photography, even when it's only in her own backyard. Be sure to check the Shows and Workshops sections as well, so you'll know if there is a Guild event that you'd like to take part in.

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 handmade 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.

At right is Jason Miguel Russell's "Green River #5," an 8x10 selenium-toned silver gelatin contact print currently available through our Online Gallery. 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 Gallery, you can return it for a refund. We currently have nearly 400 photographs available for sale. Just click on the link below to quickly and easily view our catalog. The Gallery is a secure site that allows you to purchase using your credit card or PayPal account.

Click here to visit our Online Gallery.

New Member: Ian Leake

Using very traditional cameras, processes, and materials, Ian Leake focuses on the human form as his chosen subject matter. Crafting smooth, rich prints, he works exclusively with the body and all the emotional stimuli and nuances needed to make his eloquent images.

Growing out of the gift of a camera at an early age, Ian's love of photography has evolved from a simple recording of his surroundings to an appreciation and interpretation of the beauty of the people around him. In his own words, "I practice photography as a means of self expression, so it should therefore be no surprise that I consider photography to be an artistic medium and my photographs to be art."

Ian chooses to celebrate humanity with his nudes, showing beauty, emotion, strength, grace, or whatever trait he aims to honor through his images. August Rodin and Ruth Bernhard are two artists whose work exemplifies these qualities for him.

"The nude as an art form was invented in Ancient Greece, discovered again in Renaissance Italy, and then recast for the modern era by artists such as Rodin and (Edward) Weston. In more recent times, I think the nude has often been swamped (even shouted down) by commercial sexuality and establishment art.

"I believe that the human body is inherently beautiful, and I seek to celebrate this beauty through my photography. That is my purpose. Some people won't like what I do. That's fine, but I hope that most people viewing my work will join me in celebrating the wonderful people I work with, and the wider circle of humanity that they represent."

Above you see "Neve," an 8x10 platinum/palladium contact print by Ian Leake. To view other images he has available in our Online Gallery, please click here.

"Why do you take pictures with a camera that's so old and so big? You do know they make them smaller nowadays? They're even digital!"

There I was in the small town of Eagle Lake, Texas, with a herd of cyclists riding by. One of them stopped and inquired with this polite yet somewhat sarcastic comment.

Without skipping a beat, I instinctively replied, "Why are you riding that bike? You do know they make cars that will get you there faster?" He glared at me, then he said "Touché!" and smiled, at which point I replied with a smile of my own and he rode off. I then proceeded to go about the business of setting up my camera for a photograph.

With that subtle smile he gave me, I could tell he understood the meaning. He rides a bike because of the process, because it fuels him, because the expenditure of energy has the contradictory side effect of being energizing to his body.

Photography is equally energizing to my soul. Over recent years, it has become an expenditure of emotional and creative energy that simultaneously fills my creative, emotional, and spiritual "tank." Photography has been interesting, fascinating, terrifying, and ultimately an enthralling endeavor for me. While the path sometimes has felt tortuous, at the same time I realize that I am merely at the beginning of my artistic journey. I continue to be amazed at the seemingly endless photographs that fill this world. They are everywhere; and no matter where I might be, I can't help but see the diverse and immense photographic possibilities that perpetually surround me, every photograph an entirely distinct moment in time. The wonder is they are all mine for the capturing, and whatever I photograph will, as for every photographer, be my unique vision.

(Above you see Matt Magruder's 12x20 platinum/palladium print "Eagle Lake, TX, Rice Mill," which he is offering now at an introductory price. To see his more of his work available through the Guild, please visit our Online Gallery).

Gerald Pisarzowski--Platinum Print-Making Services

Photographers and collectors have long admired platinum prints for their long, rich, and delicate tonal scale and unmatched archival quality. Platinum prints are not only the most permanent and stable of any medium on paper, but they are also one of the most exquisite as well. Their ethereal luminosity and three-dimensional appearance is due to an exceptionally long tonal scale which far surpasses that of a silver gelatin print. Nothing else looks or lasts like a platinum image.

About 20 years ago, Guild member Gerald Pisarzowski was introduced to platinum/ palladium print making and found that working in platinum best achieved the "feeling" that he is trying to express in his work. Platinum printing is a contact-printing process, requiring a negative the same size as the final print. Recent advances in digital technology have made platinum prints more accessible to artists working in a variety of formats in both film and digital media.

Over the last few years, Gerald has been providing custom platinum print-making services for other photographers and has printed for such artists as Christine Davis, Ronald Hurwitz, and David McKenney and for the estate of the internationally acclaimed Canadian photographer Richard Harrington. He makes each print individually, hand coating a mixture of platinum and palladium to control the warmth of the final image on archival paper, mostly Arches Platine or Bergger Cot 320. When printing a portfolio, Gerald works with his clients to select the paper that best reflects their vision. Since platinum printing is a contact-printing process, Gerald also offers negative-enlarging services for his clients.

If you would like to learn more about these services or discuss your custom print-making requirements, please contact Gerald at 416-626-5866 or info@geraldpisarzowski.com.

Ray Bidegain: A Day at Wildcat Hill

The last weekend in January, Guild members Gerhard Bock and Ray Bidegain, along with photographer friend David Peterson, went on a road trip to Monterey, California. Ray recounts their adventures for our readers.

"The primary purpose of our trip was to keep an appointment I had with photo dealer and gallery owner Russell Levin to show my work. I was interested in selling some photographs and making arrangements to work with him in the future. Levin has been selling photographs from both his Monterey gallery and his website for years. I am happy to announce that the Levin Gallery will be showing some Ray Bidegain platinum prints, both online and in his Monterey venue.

"Following the meeting with Levin, we toured several other fine local galleries that specialize in photography, including Willem Photographic, the Weston Gallery, and Photography West. Each of these fine settings offered a wide range of beautiful images. Much of the work we viewed was traditional black and white prints, in both silver and platinum; clearly this is my favorite genre, so I was very pleased.

"One of the highlights of the trip was being invited to visit Kim and Gina Weston at their home on Wildcat Hill. It was a pleasure to meet them and get a first-hand look at some of Kim's work, including his most recent hand-painted gelatin silver and platinum prints. These are very interesting and unlike anything I have ever seen.

"For me, it was especially nice to sit and visit in the house where Kim's grandfather Edward Weston had lived. Because Edward Weston has been an important influence in my work, I have read a lot and seen plenty of photographs of the house over the years. It was very moving for me to be there. After a lively conversation with Kim and Gina, we all piled into Edward's old darkroom and Gina snapped a group photo of us (above, left to right, Kim Weston, Gerhard, Ray, Winston Boyer, and Dave).

"We couldn't end the trip without a bit of photographing on the way home. Stopping at the Mission San Juan Bautista, we photographed there for an hour or so before being chased off by a California winter rainstorm. It was a weekend I'll never forget. "

To see Ray Bidegain's work in our Online Gallery, please click here.

Susan Huber: Projects Close to Home

Susan Huber writes about her latest photographic projects, focusing on the landscapes in her own backyard.

"I recently decided to work on a photographic study of the lands I know best, my own five acres on British Columbia's Salt Spring Island. This project, 'My Land, My Home,' centers on that property, much of it accessible only on foot.

"Walking provides a treat for the senses, and I felt immersed in the tradition of my favorite 19th century photographers who traveled by tram, horse, or foot. The beauty of the gray-green colors of the trees amidst soft light encouraged me to continue this project almost daily. I picked late autumn to photograph just as the big leaf maples start to drop their leaves, the alders reveal abnormal growths from parasitic vines, and the stately red cedars show the effects of climate change from lack of water in the summer. I wanted to document my observations of the Pacific Northwest's subtle seasonal changes, compared with those of the rest of Canada.

"Salt Spring Island is on the verge of rampant development driven by people oblivious to the island's finite amount of water and the disappearing wildlife threatened by human habitation. I have joined other island artists in an effort to save the Creekside Rain Forest, a tiny, rare, and little-known riparian rain forest that was due to be developed for illegal vacation homes. It has a salmon-bearing stream inhabited by endangered red-legged frogs and other wildlife. My second recent project is photographing this unique ecosystem to capture its fragile, threatened beauty, including some 18x12 posters that you can see on my website.

"In conjunction with The Land Conservancy, we have been raising funds to acquire the land, and we are now three quarters of the way towards our goal. We are hopeful that the province of B.C. and perhaps even the federal government will help towards financial support to preserve this magical area."

To learn more about Susan Huber's projects, please visit her website. To see her images in our Online Gallery, please click here.

by Robert Finley

With great sadness, I have discovered that two more traditional photographers I know have crossed over to the virtual dark side. I know, it's just two more out of thousands of other large-format photographers that have done so over the last decade. My one-time heroes have slid into the satin sheets with that sweet young thing.

Who knows how it starts? You see a petite, tiny film camera. So lean, so light, why not? It's not like I don't love my view camera. She's always been there for me. I still wear my platinum ring to prove my love for the traditional. I will have to use some digital Viagra to enlarge my new little negative. I might massage the scanned image, too, but only just a little. It's not really cheating; and besides, my palladium prints have been getting a little soft. This will just give that little extra "pop."

As long as I'm at it, shouldn't I fully utilize this new software knowledge? Film has been with me a long time, but what if something happens and she's gone? With all we've been through, who would have thought she might consider leaving?

Nobody ever has to get his hands wet in the digital darkroom; you can't scratch a negative that doesn't exist. Hmmm--didn't I see an ad somewhere, a company offering Photoshop filters that "convert my digital color image and render it as if it were shot with Tri-X" or one of 17 other virtual B&W film emulsions they have available?

That's it, time to dump that little tramp of a film camera, too. I need something I'm not ashamed to be seen with on the street, something classy, more sophisticated. You know what I'm talking about: a camera with a set of mega pixels and a European bloodline, type M8. Expensive? Of course, but look, "Only diamond is harder than the sapphire glass LCD screen cover. The electronically controlled metal-blade slotted shutter offers the benefit of a more discreet sound and involves less kinetic force, resulting in more sharply defined hand-held exposures." I could go on.

It's all so easy. No missed opportunities from dragging around the old large-format ball and chain. To feel young again, with spontaneity and impassioned creativity at my fingertips! Free at last, free at last, from the cumbersome weight of the wooden camera and the dank, toxic darkroom. No cross to bear. All sins are just a "delete" away.

But wait, without the cross there can be no Passion. Without the baptismal waters no Spirit can descend. How could Saint Ansel invoke his blessing? Pain is the touchstone of all spirituality. Let us pray:

Oh God, protect me from succumbing to the seduction of the virtual harlot. Keep me strong so that I might bear the burden of the old wooden camera. Give me eyes to see a vision and light to put it on film. Wash away my difficulties in the darkroom of creation. AMEN.

(To see Robert Finley's 8x10 hand-coated platinum/palladium contact prints crafted from pyro-developed in-camera negatives, like his "Le Caveau du Palais" above, please visit our Online Gallery.)

We are offering specially priced prints by Guild members through this newsletter. Using this link, you can buy selected photographs that we have discounted for a limited time.

At left is "Door Knob" by Gerhard Bock, an 8x10 hand-crafted platinum/palladium print. This is just one of nearly a dozen images available in our Special Offers section 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.

Linda Elvira Piedra: Open Studio, Berkeley CA

Linda Elvira Piedra is hosting the first of several regular "open studio" afternoons at her new darkroom and studio in Berkeley. Open hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the location is the Annex, Grace North Church, 2138 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA. For more information, please call 510-725-5141. Also be sure to check future newsletters for announcements of further events. Elvira hopes to offer an open studio each quarter, so if you miss this one, there will be other chances later in the year.

At right is "White Flowers, Lama 2003," an 8x10 selenium-toned silver gelatin contact print made from pyro-developed negative. You can see more of her work available in the Guild's Online Gallery by clicking here.

Gerald Pisarzowski

Several of Gerald Pisarzowski's 16x20 platinum/palladium prints have been selected for a group show entitled "Eiszeit" ("Ice Age") at Galerie Wild in Frankfurt. At left is his image "Pine River #2, Ontario," one of the images chosen for in this show.

"Eiszeit" runs through February 13. The gallery is located at Kirchnerstrasse 2 / 1st (at the corner of Kaiserplatz, across from Hotel Frankfurter Hof) in Frankfurt and is open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information, please visit their website.

To see this and more of Gerald's work available in our Online Gallery, you may click here.

Scott Peters and John Wimberley: Phoenix, AZ

The 422 Gallery is holding a two-person exhibit by Scott Peters and John Wimberley during February and March. The gallery is located at 4115 N 44th Street in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, please contact Scott by sending him an email at scott@contactprintersguild.com.

To see the contact prints John Wimberley has available through the Guild, please visit our Online Gallery. If you would like to see Scott Peters' images available in our Online Gallery, please click here.

Gerald Pisarzowski is teaching a two-day platinum-printing workshop April 19-20 at Big Camera Workshops in Burlington, Ontario. This workshop is limited to a maximum of eight students, allowing all participants hands-on experience with mixing emulsions, coating paper and exposing and developing the image. Other topics to be covered include negative development, selecting paper, scanning negatives and making inkjet negatives. Please go to Big Camera Workshops for more details.

John Wimberley is offering "Sight and Insight: A Workshop on Seeing in Photography" from May 16-18. Classes will be held at the Bainbridge Island Creativity Center, Bainbridge Island, WA. You can email John at tjwimberley@charter.net to sign up for his class.

Ray Bidegain and Patrick Kolb will be teaming up with workshop veteran Jeanette Altman July 10-13 for a four-day platinum/palladium workshop. This is an expansion of the popular three-day workshop series by Ray and Patrick. Additions to the agenda will be the study of tailoring a film negative to the platinum/palladium process, crafting a film negative for scanning, the scanning of the negative for platinum/palladium, and tailoring a digital negative to platinum/palladium printing. Their workshop will encompass all of this, as well as spending two days demystifying the platinum/palladium process. This very hands-on workshop will again be on the Washington State University campus in Vancouver, WA. Look for additional information in future newsletters and on Ray's workshop page.

Patrick Kolb's 5x7 platinum/palladium print "Carmel Mission" is an illustration of the processes this class will focus on. It is also available now for a limited time at a special price. Please click here to see more of Patrick's work in our Online Gallery.

Michael Smith and Paula Chamlee currently have a workshop scheduled for Iceland this year. Please consult their Workshop Page from time to time to learn more or sign up for one of their "Vision and Technique" weekend workshops for intermediate and advanced photographers.