Folios and Lith print…

Digital enlarger

Over the last few weeks I have restarted an ongoing portfolio. This current body of work has spanned well over a decade and the images have been used for book publications as well as exhibitions both here in Australia and internationally. The set below was printed using the Devere Digital Enlarger. The machine ensures consistency throughout this body of work, regardless if the images were shot on film or digital.
Reproduced courtesy T. Wilkinson

The folio

Portfolio printing goes back to the beginnings of photography. Think Anna Atkins  & Fox Talbolt who created one of the earliest photographic books / folios.
I recently embarked on a new photographic journey, the plan was to create a new folio, my  previous being made over twenty years ago.
Working as a  darkroom professional for the last twenty six years left little time for self development. Pun intended. But a constant niggling over the last few years forced me to MAKE the time. A few months ago I began, and a set of test images and prints were created. These were just for me, no commissions and not for profit, but purely for the thrill of making something new, for me.
Below is another of my tests, made using the Lith printing technique, a processed I first learned back in 98-99 thanks to Tim Rudmans iconic book on the process, “The Master Photographer’s Lith Printing Course” 

The Lith print

Although most of the Lith materials are no longer with us, the specialised chemistry is still being produced by Wolfgang Moersch and Foma warmtone papers remain to work beautifully.

 
Next week I’ll be reshooting using Fomapan 5″/4″ films, which will be dev’d in D-23, PMK Pyro and Foma’s Retropan developer. Then to print using Liquid Emulsion and Cyanotype and even possibly onto Salted paper. Fingers well and truly crossed…
Dragonfly printed on Fomatone 131, dev’d in Kodalith. Untoned
Chris Reid, Laguna NSW

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