The DSI Portfolio Awards is a shared platform providing three recent graduates of photography with financial assistance in printing a professional portfolio. This year’s awardees share a strikingly sophisticated and nuanced eye with a keen awareness of their concept and its context. Collectively each crystalizes their unique finds of specific investigations. Their discerning and original choice of final output formats complement and underscore their work’s intent. My appreciation to my fellow jurors, Debra Clomp Ching and Stephen Marc for their thoughtful and engaged contributions to the selection process.
Dylan Everett recently graduated from Brown University and is now completing an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. Structural Photography, is his series of aerial topographies. Seductively these engaging abstractions are at first a pleasing amalgam of color, form and texture. With time the viewer comprehends the actual residential housing mazes, agricultural industries and strip-mines within the capture. Everett concretizes our complicity in the development of this humanly altered landscape. Stephen reflects on this compelling work; “A strong and unique concept, containing a mystery, consistent vision, and bold use of white space.”
Michelle Rogers Prtizl has studied photography and earned three art degrees, most recently as a MFA graduate of Lesley University College of Art and Design. She is widely exhibited and known for her use of alternate and historical processes. In Not Waving But Drowning, whose title references Stevie Smith’s poem of the same name, Pritzl explores Fundamentalist Christianity’s tenets that serve to control and manipulate women. Her image titles reference Kate Chopin’sThe Awakening, and are a tribute to the artist’s autobiographical freedom from this restrictive belief system. The combination of the collodion process and an oval frame in collaboration with contemporary digital media practices mirrors her conscious choice to evolve, taking some aspects of the past while exercising her self-determination and embrace of the modern.
It was an insightful honor being one of the jurors for the DSI competition, and congratulations to the three award recipients. The process was challenging and rewarding due to the range and depth of the images submitted. I wish all the best to each of the entrants, and I hope that our paths cross again. – Stephen Marc
Emily Schiffer is a mixed media artist and photographer interested in art’s ability to initiate community engagement and foster social change. Kin is an intimate portrayal of family life. These unposed portraits capture moments in her interracial and cross-culturally blended family. Her images hold a space between documentary narrative and documenting feeling. Stephen’s comments: “Each could stand alone but tie in an intimate narrative. I was impressed with these documentary style portraits because of the alternating interactions, environmental details, and dynamic lighting that project a mood of domestic warmth.”
Award winners will receive $1250 in printing services from Digital Silver Imaging. The Jurors and Digital Silver Imaging would like to thank everyone who submitted work. Although we had our lowest number of entries for the 2017 award, we feel that the quality of the work was exceptional. In this slideshow, we’d like to recognize a few of the photographers who made excellent work, but unfortunately, did not win
The question How long will my print last? is one that we at Digital Silver Imaging get asked a lot. How long a print will last? is an important question because as a fine art lab many of the prints we make end up in museums, galleries and private collections. We need to provide our customers with prints that are archival and will retain the fidelity of the image for the longest possible time.
The Research
To answer the How long will my print last? question we’ve done our best research and compiled data from reputable sources like Wilhelm Research, University of Illinois, and the Getty. We also took information published by Fujifilm and Kodak on their own products as well. The chart we’ve created compares the archival life of our DSI Digital Silver Prints and our Museum Quality Pigment Inkjet Prints to other popular printing media, most notably Kodak Endura and Fuji Crystal Archive prints, home and office dye-based inkjet printers, and HP Indigo Prints which are primarily used to produce photo books. In our chart, link below, we’ve also compared the life of the print when stored and displayed in different conditions.
The Method
Eric Luden and Henry Wilhelm in the lab at Digital Silver Imaging.
The only way to accurately asses the archival life of specific type of print is through an accelerated aging test. These tests seek to replicate the effects of a variety of environmental factors on a print over time. For our chart we have primarily drawn on data provided by Wilhelm Research as it is produced with the highest scientific standards, and Henry Wilhelm has been at the forefront of this research for decades. The data sited is all public and footnoted in the chart accompanying this article and on this post.
Please note that our DSI Digital Silver Prints® are almost identical to traditional silver gelatin /silver halide black & white photo prints. In fact the Ilford Galerie Digital Paper that we use in our trademark process is a traditional black & white silver halide black & white photo paper. The only substantive difference is that the Ilford Digital Galerie Paper we use is panchromatic.
We found no accelerated aging data on traditional silver halide/silver gelatin black & white prints. However as this product has been in continuous use for 140 years and there are many examples of those prints in existence, the lack of accelerated aging testing seems inconsequential as actual data exists.
What about “Big Box’” Photo Prints and Photo Services like Shutterfly
Most big box retailers either don’t specify what the media and/or type of print they are providing. Some use mini labs made by companies like Noritsu. These mini labs are usually Digital C-Prints (Kodak Endura or Fuji Crystal Archive Paper) and operation and maintenance of these units depends on the persons in the location running the machine. A variety of other methods are also employed. Not an option that inspires much confidence for a photographer serious about quality.
At the time of this posting, photo services websites like Shutterfly make their “paper prints” using Digital C-Print equipment on Fuji Crystal Archive paper. Websites that offer a variety of services, websites, storage, prints, like Smug Mug also make Digital C-Prints, because they contract with several labs those could be on either Endura of Crystal Archive.
What is the best looking print?
In this post we are doing our very best not to be subjective and “best” is a subjective term. When measuring color gamut it is clear, color prints produced on a professional inkjet printer like the Canon Prograf 6000, 4000 and 1000 used by Digital Silver Imaging can reproduce a wider range of colors than a digital C-Print on Kodak Endura or Fuji Crystal Archive. However inkjet prints are not, in the strict technical sense, continuous tone. Continuous ton prints have a different look than inkjet or transfer media.
Conversely a DSI Digital Silver Print is a continuous tone true black & white print. There are no dyes or ink in a DSI Digital Silver Print and the image is made of silver salts that have been exposed to light. Both types of prints have a distinct look. However, the archival life and stability of both the DSI Digital Silver Print and our Museum Quality Pigment Inkjet Prints make them the most archival print available for black & white and color prints.
So How Long Will My Print Last?
Two types of prints standout as far as longevity, a photo print made with either professional brand name high quality pigment inks, and silver gelatin black & white prints. They show distinct advantages, especially when the print is intended for more than just dark storage. On display these types of prints will maintain their image fidelity much longer than either a Kodak Endura or Fuji Crystal Archive print, although the Fuji Crystal Archive print is far superior to the Kodak product. Professional high quality pigment prints also have the advantage that if you know what printer and ink is used, and the paper the image is printed on, you are virtually guaranteed that you are getting an archival product. A digital C Print depends on how well the equipment to process the print is maintained and the freshness and type of chemistry. HP Indigo prints are intended for mass production printing and do not meet the standards that a museum, gallery or collector should accept. Office and home inkjet prints are fine for documents but should not be used for photo printing.
What’s not included
At the time of this post we feel that there is not enough data to determine the archival life of professional quality dye sublimation prints, such as our Prints on Metal. From the quality of the pigments used, and the substrates they should be very stable but we ae waiting for more testing to be completed. In addition, we have not included Cibachrome prints as those products have not been manufactured in decades. Also not included are analog C Prints, those color prints produced in a darkroom. Analog C Prints should have an archival life similar to digital C prints as the basic paper technology is the same.
Sources 2.Wilhelm Research, The Permanence and care of analog and digital photographs – FotoCoservacion 2011, June 20-23, 2011 3. Deterioration risk as determined by the University of Illinois, https://psap.library.illinois.edu/collection-id-guide/photoprint 4. https://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/atlas_silver_gelatin.pdf , Wilhelm Research – HP Indigo Digital Presses – Print and Photobook Page Permanence 5. & 6. A Survey of Print Permanence in 4×6-Inch Consumer Digital Print Market 2004-2007, www.wilhelm-research.com, http://www.wilhelm-research.com/Collected_Papers/The_Wilhelm_Research_Archives_Volume_1_Technnical_Publications_1968-2015_(v4.5_2015-02-15).pdf 7. http://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/prod/files/files/resources/paper-endura-techpub-e4070.pdf 7. http://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/prod/files/files/resources/paper-endura-techpub-e4070.pdf 8. Kodak uses different permanence testing standards than Wilhelm Research 9. ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/printers/HP_Exstream/Shutterfly_4AA0-1195ENWrr.pdf, https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/08/16/1086575/0/en/HP-wins-five-year-Shutterfly-deal-accelerates-digital-print-momentum.html
Why shoot film? With a new full frame digital camera hitting the market every couple of months, this is a good question. Photography has become a ubiquitous part of our lives with smart phones, iPads and Instagram. Arguably the ease and quality of producing the quotidian photographic image has also improved with the digital age, so what’s the appeal of the archaic image technology of film?
Film Forces You to Think
Ansel Adams stated that previsualization is, ”the ability to anticipate a finished image before making the exposure.” Shooting film makes the photographer think about exposure, composition and point of view before depressing the shutter release. In many ways film can make photography a more contemplative process. Slowing down and concentrating is both transformative and rewarding.
Film is a long lasting hard copy of your image. Unlike a digital file, one bad keystroke can’t delete your negative. Properly stored color negative film should last for decades and b&w is expected to last as long as 500 years if properly processed and stored. A good CD’s archival life is 25 years. And who knows what electronic media will be supported in the next 10 years.* BTW does anyone have a driver for a Jazz Drive that works with High Sierra?
Many of us have at least one old film camera laying around. If you compare the cost of a full frame digital camera and lens with a used/free film camera the difference could pay for a lot of film and processing. This claim has to come with a caveat, I have a friend who “binge shoots” film. She says that for her film is “like crack!” She is currently looking for a 12 step program.
Film is Fun
The hands on nature of film, the “magic” of seeing your negatives for the first time, big sturdy cameras made of metal, wood and leather, using a mechanical device that maybe older than yourself, the randomness that can occur, all this makes film an experience that is rich and multifaceted. Film is fun!
Is film photography going away?
In a recent conversation with KEH Camera, they state that film camera sales remain strong and a substantial portion of their business. Both Ilford and Fuji Film report strong film sales. Shooting film has become hip, and millennials are the largest consumers of film. With all this evidence I think that film will be around for a little while longer.
Gum bichromate is a 19th century photographic process using gum arabic, photo-sensitive dichromate, and watercolor pigments to create monochromatic, duotone, or full color images. The results are each unique and 100% archival. This workshop will take participants through the steps from generating large format color separation negatives to final printing. All the materials needed for this workshop will be provided.
Date: Saturday July 29, 2017 Time: 10:00-6:00 with a break for lunch Place: Digital Silver Imaging, 9 Brighton Street, Belmont, MA Fee: 249.00
Student Discount: Currently enrolled students can receive a 10% discount. Use promo code: Student10 at checkout. You will be asked to present your valid student ID at the workshop, if you do not have a valid ID you will be charged the full $249.
Images produced at a previous Ziatype Workshop
Ziatype Workshop
Ziatypes have the look of platinum/palladium prints but are not as difficult or expensive to produce. This beautiful alternative processes maybe the perfect match for your photographic imagery. The Ziatype Workshop is for beginners and photographers with basic knowledge of the ziatype process. Expert instructor, Anne Eder, will take participants through the complete process of making ziatypes from digital image to finished ziatype print.
Anne will step participants through the entire process, starting with making a contact negative on an inkjet printer, coating of light sensitive paper, exposure with sunlight, and the final archival wash.
During the course of this day-long workshop participants will focus on:
• Perfecting negative conversion curves for better print results
• Creating a negative to express your vision
• Understanding ziatype chemistry
• Creating additional color and tone in your ziatype
If you are curious about the advantages of ziatype printing here is a brief list:
• Ziatypes utilize a printing out process (POP), images can be evaluated as they print, resulting in far fewer underexposed or overexposed prints.
• Greater contrast control without graining
• Greater paper acceptance, prints well on most papers.
• Greater color control. You can “dial in” various shades of brown to red brown, purple to neutral grays.
• No developer needed.
• Excellent blacks (dmax)
All materials needed will be provided, prints will be made on Hahnmühle Platinum Rag paper. Participants need to bring 3 to 4 images on a flash drive, CD, or their laptop. Images should have good tonal scale in both the highlight and shadow areas. Two negatives will be made, one larger and one smaller, so a larger size file is better as it can always be reduced without image degradation. Files should be 300ppi, actual size. Participants will be able to keep, the prints , negatives, and custom curves made during the workshop.
Date: Saturday August 19, 2017 Time: 10:00-6:00 with a break for lunch Place: Digital Silver Imaging, 9 Brighton Street, Belmont, MA Fee: 249.00 Zia Workshop Student Discount: Currently enrolled students can receive a 10% discount. Use promo code: Student10 at checkout. You will be asked to present your valid student ID at the workshop, if you do not have a valid ID you will be charged the full $249.
Instructor Bio: Anne Eder, holds a masters degree in Photography and Integrated Media, and has studied with Christopher James, author of the Book of Alternative Processes. Her gum bichromate images and studio practice are featured in Gum Printing: A Step-By-Step Manual Highlighting Artists And Their Creative Practiceby Christina Z. Anderson, published by Focal Press/Routledge 2017. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in both public and private collections.
Optimum Permanence means that Digital Silver Imaging’s Digital Silver Fiber Prints® meet the highest archival print standards. Our custom built black and white print processor produces consistent high quality results every time. We don’t take terms like “Museum Quality” and “Archival” lightly. At Digital Silver Imaging we are constantly evaluating our processes and materials for quality and performance.
When you make a DSI Digital Silver Fiber Print® you can rest easy that “Optimum Permanence” is our standard every day.
What is a “Certificate of Performance ?” To obtain the certificate we submit print samples to the labs at Ilford Photo Harman Technology Ltd. in Great Britain. The lab tests our prints to see how they have been processed and how they will perform over time. Receiving an “Optimum Permanence” rating is simply as good as it gets.
Digital Silver Imaging’s Canon Prograf 1000 printer at work
B&H Photo & Video profiles our switch to Canon Prograf Printers from Epson printers. B&H’s Jill Waterman interviewed our own Eric Luden about the advantages of the Canon Prograf 1000 and Canon Prograf 4000 printers. Jill did a great job in providing B&H readers with real life reasons why the new Canon printers outperform their Epson counterparts.
If you want to know more about why Digital Silver Imaging switched to Canon Prograf printers or are thinking of switching yourself Jill Waterman’s interview is great source material.
