In the Darkroom: An Illustrated Guide to Photographic Processes Before the Digital Age

by Sarah Kennel, Diane Waggoner, Alice Carver-Kubik

A concise introduction to the twenty-seven most common photographic and photomechanical processes, from albumen print to Woodburytype. Since the announcement of photography’s invention in 1839, various methods of making photographs have been practiced. Until the advent of digital photography at the end of the twentieth century, all of these methods required three light-sensitive materials that behave predictably in response to light; chemicals that control and fix the action of light to create an image; and a support upon which the image rests. Photographers and others have continually explored and refined these basic requirements in their quest to expand the artistic and technological possibilities of photography.

This book describes in a clear, accessible manner the main photographic and photomechanical processes (some still in practice) from the origins of the medium up to the time when the use of chemicals and a darkened room in which to process photographs was gradually superseded by the advent of digital photography.

This elegant guide will prove invaluable to students, photographers, museum visitors, collectors, and anyone interested in the rich and fascinating history of photography.

The book includes work by Euge`ne Atget, Robert Frank, Laura Gilpin, Andre´ Kerte´sz, Helen Levitt, Robert Mapplethorpe, Eadweard Muybridge, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, William Henry Fox Talbot, Andy Warhol, Edward Weston. 84 color photographs and illustrations

Genres: Photography

104 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2010

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference. The registrar at the museum I work for lent me this book for helping identify the exact processes of the prints that I work with and it's invaluable! The information is supplemented with examples of photographs, so if you aren't sure, you can use your item and compare it to the examples of each within the book. Really helpful when trying to technically describe images within a collection.

[Jemma Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good reference/history on the main photographic processes. This isn't an instruction manual. A must for all photographers who really want to understand the mechanics of their craft.