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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Return to Wonder

Holga Image ~ Lith Process




After thirty years in the darkroom I still experience excitement when I take a roll of film out of the tank, unrolling a bit of it as I hold it up to the light to see if there are images there. Though I understand the science of silver based photography, I am still amazed when I look at each roll of film, fresh from the fixer. I still believe it is magic. My love of this process is why I stubbornly cling to film, the wet darkroom and alternative processes. Each time I walk into my darkroom I never know where I will go that day and it is that not knowing, that process of discovery that preserves my childlike excitement about my art.
Several years ago I had become complacent in the darkroom and that spark of excitement had dimmed a bit. Everything seemed very predictable to me with the chemistry and camera equipment that I was using. I had left the newspaper business to raise my children and though I had no desire to return to the pressure of deadlines, I craved more unpredictability and a return to wonder.
Then I bought a Holga, a cheap plastic camera with many flaws. I fell in love with the unassuming toy and the resulting images that are always a surprise. Shortly after my Holga discovery, I took an excellent lith printing workshop from Tim Rudman. Between the unpredictability of the Holga and the many variations in the lith process the excitement in the darkroom was reignited.
The lith process involves greatly overexposing a print and then only partially developing it in special lith chemistry. The resulting images vary in tone and texture, often with smooth highlights adjacent to gritty shadow areas. The variations in tone and texture are a result of the paper choice, initial exposure, and the temperature and maturity of the chemicals. There are enough variables in each darkroom session to guarantee surprise, frustration and hopefully, delight.

Lily Pads Holga Image~Lith Process

I have a degree in psychology in addition to my photography degree and studied reinforcement as part of my psychology curriculum. I learned that the most powerful effect on human behavior is achieved by random positive reinforcement. Never knowing when you are going to get the result you want keeps you coming back for more. It becomes addictive and the behavior is difficult to extinguish. Needless to say, the Holga and lith printing are perfect vehicles for creating this phenomenon and I fully admit that I have become addicted to this powerful combo. Some days I come out of the darkroom with little to show for my work and I am very frustrated. However, the knowledge that the next session may be a magical one makes me look forward to the next journey into the dark.
I have widened my camera inventory to include other plastic cameras and vintage cameras that I often find at local flea markets or antique shops. Some of the vintage cameras take film that I no longer can buy but some will take slightly modified spools of 120 film. If I can get a roll of film into a camera, I will give it a try.

Favorite Holga/toy camera links:
Holgamods
Lomography
Freestyle
Square Frog

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