Digital BW, The Print

Dear Phil and Group,

Bruce Barnbaum is an exceptional image maker and image taker...

I have the pleasure of knowing Bruce for many years, and the person that
introduced Bruce to this technique of using ferricyanide, was Jay Dussard.
Bruce is extremely passionate about this technique, since Jay showed Bruce
how the procedure was done.

Jay would periodically use this chemical to enhance the ³buttons² on his
Cowboy shirts, present in his images.

If anyone has ever tried this technique, it is quite marvellous, but
extremely, 
extremely reactive.  Practice. practice, and practice again, using lots of
H2O 
from the end of a small nozzle hose allowing for a focused pour of H2O on
the subject area, and the use of a fine, fine brush, is essential. :)

Bruce introduced me to this technique, more the 20 years ago, and I have
not for gotten the moment I called him ³Captain Ferricyanide,² during a
darkroom workshop.  He has not forgotten that moment as well...

Bruce will probably disown me, but Photoshop and the use of specific layers,
is probably less harmful to the environment.

That said, I do not know if Ansel was privy to this technique or the author
of this technique, but achieving a pre-visualized image from an image that
possibly missed the mark at the time of initial exposure, with tools unknown
to most of us, is a wonderful sightful gift.

Just my two pennies...


jim k




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