Photo Technique 2010-11-12

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variations on the photographic arts Nov/ Dec 2010
Call for Entries

The Photographic
Experience Exhibition
Mark Dubovoy’s
ANTARCTICA:
David Vestal A Voyage to the
Dover’s History Part II Bottom of the Earth
Alan Ross FERNANDO SOUTO
Selective Masking: The End of the Trail
Dodging & Burning COLE BARASH
Dan Moughamian Snow Silho
CS5: HDR COREY ARNOLD
Fish-Work
JOHN SEXTON
The Alchemy of Silver
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THE WORLD’S NEWSSTAND®
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pg. 30
Contents Portfolios
Feature 14 Snow Silho
Silhouette photographs
18 Mark Dubovoy’s of action sports
ANTARCTICA: A Voyage Cole Barash
to the Bottom of the Earth
Breathtaking images of a 26 The End of the Trail
summer in ice B&W ranching documentary
on location in Uraguay, Australia
Perspectives and Wyoming
Fernando Souto
4 Dover’s History Trip-Part II
Insight into photo history from 30 Fish-Work
Great Photographs from Daguerre On the job images from
to the Great Depression the Deadliest Catch’s
David Vestal fisherman/photographer
Corey Arnold
News
43 The Alchemy of Silver
7 What’s important and Exciting Never-before-published
in the Field of Photography silver-based landscapes
Wendy Erickson John Sexton
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Emerging Photographers
8 Moments in Between
Nico Chiapperini
9 Faerieland
Ashley Lebedev
Tech
34 Adobe Photoshop CS5:
Merge to HDR Pro
Dan Moughamian
38 An Introduction to pg. 13
Selective Masking Part I Kamera Imago- Susanna Kraus, owner of the Imago 1:1 stands in front of the camera.
Photo © Annegret Kohlmayer.
A method for total control of dodging
and burning in analog printing
pg. 38
Alan Ross
Innovations
13 HDR Workflow Toolkit from
Nik Software
Nik HDR Efex Pro, the all-in-one
approach to realistic and
artistic effects
Direct Positive Paper from

Harman Technology
Three new B&W silver-gelatin papers with
positive emulsions
Correction:
pg. 18 The Sony NEX-5 was listed
as a 4/3 rd size sensor in the
last issue. The actual size of
the NEX-5 sensor is actually
50% larger.
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Nov./Dec. 2010 Vol. 31 No. 6
Formerly PHOTO Techniques Magazine Call for Entries

Publisher S. Tinsley Preston III
Editor Paul R. Schranz The Photographic
Creative Director Lisa Cordova
Copy Editor Bonnie Schranz Experience
Production Roberta Knight International Juried Exhibition
Marketing Manager Janice Gordon
Online Content Coordinator Bree Lamb
Project Manager Norma Vechot
Enter for a chance to have your work published in photo technique
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PERSPECTIVES:
037. Petersburg, Virginia, 1865, Unknown. Wet-collodion. The spiky obstacles

didn’t save the Confederate soldier. To my eye this is a very good modern
photograph, though made by a very different method than we use today.
Dover’s History Trip–

Part II
David Vestal
This is the second installment of a series in which David Vestal gives

insight into historic photographs selected from Great Photographs from
Daguerre to the Great Depression, published by Dover Publications
and used with their permission.
Skip to the 1860s. Photography had changed. The daguerreotype

had largely given way to the ambrotype, in which the silver of a
very thin negative on glass was seen as light tones against black
velvet. Like the daguerreotype, it was a one-of-a-kind photo deliv-
ered in a little frame. Dover didn’t identify the methods used for its
photographs, but I saw no ambrotypes among the ones I printed.
The tintype used the same principle as the ambrotype: a thin

silver image on black-enameled iron. Tintypes were small, cheap
and quickly made. Many tintypes of Civil War soldiers survive
and are prized by collectors. Tintypes were made until about 1950,
when itinerant street photographers switched to Polaroid.
4 photo technique N/D 2010
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DOVER’S HISTORY TRIP PART II DAVID VESTAL
The main photographic medium from the 1860s through

the 1880s was the wet collodion process. A glass plate
coated on one side with collodion was sensitized in a silver
bromide bath, then placed in a light-tight holder with a
removable dark slide and a draining groove, then placed
in the back of an aimed and focused camera and exposed
at an aperture and time guessed at by the photographer.
The exposed plate had to be developed, fixed and washed
before the collodion could dry and become waterproof.
Every exposure was also an exposure test, so photographers
tended to become good guessers. They also coated their
own printing paper with its sensitive emulsion, and their
contact prints were the same size as their negatives.
Photographers could be recognized by their stained hands
and clothes. The plates were still sensitive only to blue light
and ultraviolet. No one knew about the electromagnetic
spectrum. When the photographers guessed right, wet-
collodion photos could have superb photographic quality.
Now back to the pictures. And here’s a curiosity. In Dover’s

2007 book and CD-ROM of Civil War photographs,
another photo of the same scene, in Petersburg, VA, 1865,
taken from a different camera position, shows changed
details. In the Civil War book’s photo, the square box
near the corpse is gone, and three rifles, not in this picture, 061. Charles Baudelaire, 1878, Étienne Carjat
were either placed artistically in the trench for that photo,
or removed before taking this one. I’d bet on artistic of Photography says it’s 1862. Newhall’s excellent repro-
placement. There is no drama to the box, and the rifles duction of the photo is from a Woodburytype print dated
are placed just so, to make a nice picture. So at least one 1870. I think 1878 isn’t accurate for the picture, but only for
photographer was rearranging war photos in 1865, and the a publication it appeared in, Galerie Contemporaine. Charles
truthfulness of photography was already in some doubt. I Baudelaire was a−perhaps the−hero poet of French deca-
believe in this photo and I doubt that one. To be exact, dence and the author of a famous work, Les Fleurs du mal
I believe in the corpse and the cheveaux-de-frise and the (The Flowers of Evil). The little I’ve read of his work has
seemingly unimportant box, but not in the photo with the been in English translation and, therefore, dubious. He
rifles. That one, more dramatic, shows me that although it loved French words, and that doesn’t translate easily. This
is just a little white lie, it’s still a lie. is a wet-collodion photo, and a beauty.
In general it seems best not to lie, not even a little: if we’re Carjat was a satirical cartoonist longer than he was a
caught, the truth can be denied and we can be called liars. photographer, and his great rival in the celebrity photo
This happened with an FSA photo in the 1930s: Arthur portrait field was Nadar (Gaspard–Félix Tournachon), who
Rothstein moved a cow skull a few feet to make his point also built and flew balloons. Both were very good indeed,
more clearly, and that was found out. Big uproar! Some and I can’t say that either one was better. Carjat was noted
congressperson called his photo fraudulent and tried to for the plainness of his portraits−no fancy furniture or
shut the whole project down. It survived, but barely. You backgrounds. As for Baudelaire, he faced the camera
ask, what’s an FSA? Well, that’s another story. Meanwhile, boldly, not trying to look good, but apparently just being
Dover 037 is a very good war photo, but I don’t think the himself. In front of a big camera, that is rare. This is a very
other one is quite as good−not that I’d know it if I hadn’t fine photograph. Carjat is known for it, and so, to some
seen both. extent, is Baudelaire.
061. Charles Baudelaire, portrait by Étienne Carjat, 1878. 062. Brooklyn Bridge Under Construction, Unknown, 1878.
That’s funny, because the ICP Encyclopedia of Photography Medium uncertain: either late wet-collodion or very
and Peter Pollack’s Picture History of Photography date this early dry-plate photography. Wet-collodion seems likely.
photo to 1863, Beaumont Newhall’s History of Photography In the late 1870s there was a good deal of trouble with
dates it to 1863, and Helmut Gernsheim’s Concise History the first dry plates, and photographers were slow to adopt
phototechmag.com 5
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PERSPECTIVES:
062. Brooklyn Bridge Under Construction, 1878, 065. Four Young Blacksmiths, 1881,
Unknown Heinrich Tönnies
them. Here’s another essentially modern photograph. The and holding their tools. Why would they do that, except to
way space is defined by a complex of diagonal forms was help make the picture? The light from the left is strong but
unusual then. The sign in front of the men in hats standing diffuse, from a big window or open door. It’s the kind of
on the bridge cable reads: light we see in 17th-century Dutch paintings. There is also
some soft light from the front, probably another window
Safe For Only 25 Men At One Time.
or door, unless it comes from a magnesium flare. The gray
Do Not Walk Close Together, Nor Run,
wall behind the men seems to be part of their work place.
Jump or Trot. Break Step!
— W.A. Roebling Eng’r in Chief What gets my attention, besides the technical mastery of
this photo, is that each man is shown as a distinct person,
In their situation, would you be tempted to run, jump or trot?
quite different from the other three. Each one gets due
Nor would I. Note that time makes things funny. To see men
respect. This picture also reminds us that some little-known
dressed like that on a major construction site may have been
photographers perform as well as famous ones.
perfectly normal then; somehow it’s comical now. It’s still a
great bridge, and I can get it for you at a good price.
Great Photographs from Daguerre to the Great Depression presents “139 Royalty-
Free Designs” in jpeg format in a “CD-ROM & Book” as part of its large
065. Four Young Blacksmiths, by Heinrich Tönnies, 1881. series, “Dover Electronic Clip Art for Macintosh® and Windows ®.” System
Medium unknown. It could be wet-collodion, or it could requirements: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista OR Macintosh,
be a dry plate, which would have needed less exposure. I all versions; CD-ROM drive. The price of the book and CD-ROM is
$16.95. To use more than ten of these photos in one project requires special
know nothing about Tönnies beyond what this photo shows permission from Dover.
me. From the name, maybe German. Wait, there’s a note:
“Tonnies [sic], Johan Goerg [sic] Heinrich Ludwig, German,
David Vestal is a photographer and teacher whose publications include The
1825-1903, porcelain painter, glass grinder, photographer, Art of Black & White Enlarging (1984) and The Craft of Photography. His
topographical studies” in Appendix 1 of the ICP Encyclopedia photographs are exhibited internationally and are found in numerous private
and public collections. A selection of his early New York photographs will be
of Photography. Very likely our man: varied skills and inter- exhibited at the Robert Mann Gallery, NYC, in October and November 2010.
ests, and a cultivated touch. Let’s look at the picture. Vestal's wit and wisdom have long earned him a strong following among
photo technique readers who can look forward to additional installments of
this Dover History article series.
Tönnies, or someone, rounded up these young workmen To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online Forum:
and had them stand together dressed in their work clothes www.phototechforum.com
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NEWS: Wendy Erickson
ON VIEW
Is there any excuse not to look at
photographs? Especially of interest
are photographs that may be radically
different than those you make.
Although looking at photographs in a
a museum or gallery is usually the
desired way to appreciate subtle tonal
ranges and important details in a print,
armchair traveling using your com-
puter screen is another way to get a
feel for photographic work, new or old.
With the promise of colder weather
soon on the horizon, it might be a
good time to start bookmarking some
sites to study photographs made by
other people.
One of my favorites is the Smithsonian

Photography Initiative, entitled “click
photography changes everything.” The
site is divided up into sections, with
a large collection of essays by invited
contributors. Be patient while the var-
ious sections load and you will be
rewarded with some very engaging
reading. Here is the link: http://click.si.
Alex Prager (American, born 1979) Desiree from the series The Big Valley. 2008. Chromogenic color print,
36" x 48 1/2" (91.4 x 123.2 cm) The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Acquired through the generosity of edu/. The Smithsonian collection has
___
the Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art, Linda and Gregory Fischbach, and William more than 13 million images! Their on-
S. Susman and Emily Glasser 2010 Alex Prager, courtesy Yancey Richardson Gallery. line exhibit will immerse you in the
history of photography: ____
http://
photography.si.edu/online.aspx.
_____________________
For a contemporary photography ex-

hibit, visit New Photography 2010,
which runs through January 10, 2011
at the Museum of Modern Art in New
York City. Curated by Roxana Marcoci
of MOMA, and presented in the
Edward Steichen Photography Gallery
on the third floor, it features the work
of four photographers: Roe Ethridge,
Elad Lassry, Alex Prager and Amanda
Ross-Ho.
The artists included in this edition of

Elad Lassry (Israeli, New Photography all explore image
born 1977) Woman
(Camera). 2010. and picture. Ethridge borrows from
Chromogenic color commercial imagery, Lassry makes
print, 8 1/2" x 10 1/2" brightly colored collages with color-
(21.6 x 26.7 cm) coordinated frames, Prager constructs
The Museum of
Modern Art, New film narratives with wigged and dram-
York. Fund for the atically made-up women, and Ross-
Twenty-First Century Ho offers the viewer installation that
2010 Elad Lassry, combine textile designs and re-define
courtesy David
Kordansky Gallery. craft in art. It is different and will give
you new insight on what other photo-
graphers are doing now.
phototechmag.com 7
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EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHERS
"Underexposed" is an ongoing, free call for entries

to emerging photographers around the world, open
to any photographic medium, any aesthetic, any
technique. Portfolios are selected monthly to present
on the website www.phototechmag.com. Go to the
website for submission information.
Faerieland
Ashley Lebedev
I’ve always been very interested in aspects of fantasy, as I find them incredibly youthful and inspiring. With Faerieland,
I’ve tried to find a balance between that part of me and my seemingly endless love affairs with natural light, on location
portraiture, vintage everything and elements found within nature. I’ve melded my favorite things into (what I intend to
be) a very authentic and atmospheric storyboard, in which I’ve written and designed a world of magical places and
characters wherein we all might see aspects of ourselves.
This is the largest project I’ve ever taken on that took this amount of planning, conceptualizing, studying, networking,
design, collaboration and commitment. I wandered my 12-acre property. I took notes. I slept outside underneath
briars. I sat on the forest floor looking up at the canopy. I wanted to understand nature, as well as how far we stray
from it and how I was going to visually relay what it meant to come back to it, metaphorically. As I continue this
storyboard, I hope that children will be able to see an amazing dream world of magic, and adults looking at the same
pieces see the symbolism and intention.
I’m a 27 year-old conceptual photographer and writer based in the Twin Cities, MN. After studying commercial photo-
graphy, I decided to venture from conventional photographic style and developed a very specific taste for telling
stories through the lens. I want each piece to evoke an emotional response or relay a lingering message.
www.BottleBellPhotography.com
http:// flickr.com/photos/thebottlebellphotography
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ASHLEY LEBEDEV | NICO CHIAPPERINI
Moments in Between
Nico Chiapperini
Street photography is often a stage where people

uncon-sciously are actors of their own comedies.
The real world becomes a choreography for stories
or allegories, subject to different interpretations.
Moments in Between is a col-lection of pictures that
somehow make me think about life as a theatre: joy,
sweetness, drama or oddness come on the scene.
My first contact with photography was strong, nice

and short. I was 10 years old when I brought my
father’s camera with me during a school trip. I took
pictures of fake dinosaurs in a Jurassic Park for
children. I ran out two rolls of film; I was so proud
and happy. The day after, my dad told me I could
have bought nice postcards instead of wasting
money and film.
In 2005 I graduated in Aerospace Engineering, and

I received a compact digital camera as a present.
I started taking pictures again. Except for two
photographic workshops, I am self-taught. My cur-
rent work is a culmination of swear-ing, tears,
countless mistakes, lots of passion and even some
good advice from my dad.
Photography is the place where my soul has eyes

full of wonder and mystery, where my thoughts see
themselves reflected in a kaleidoscope of memories
and future visions; often they are questions, some-
imes answers, but always emotions. I was born in
Italy; I now live in Den Bosch, The Netherlands.
www.nictures.com/en/info.php
phototechmag.com 9
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Carefully trained women inspectors check and inspect cargo Malaria poster in small hotel, San Juan, Shepherd with his horse and dog on
ransport innerwings before they are assembled on the fuselage, Puerto Rico, December 1941. Photograph Gravelly Range, Montana. August,1942.
Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, Calif. Photograph by by Jack Delano. (Photograph from the Photograph by Russell Lee. (Photograph
Alfred T. Palmer, 1942. Library of Congress). from the Library of Congress).
THOSE NICE BRIGHT COLORS

It’s been mentioned before, you have surely heard Flickr site for The Library of Congress—they have an
about it, but it is significant: on December 30, look outstanding collection of vintage color images, made on
around you, stop for a moment of silence while you early Kodachrome film and they also invite comments,
are having your morning brew and reflect on the fact tags and seek new identifying information on each of
that the photo world will be losing a very old friend. the photographs: http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_
While you are reflecting, think of the significance of of_congress/sets/72157603671370361/.
__________________________
Kodachrome, the countless amateur slides that still
exist because of its technology, the inventors of the Brilliant and sharp color images from the great de-
process who got it to work—now in some little way part pression and World War II are available for viewing and
of your own history of photography. Still have a roll of downloading. You may only be familiar with similar im-
Kodachrome to expose and process? You have until ages from this time period made on black and white film.
12 Noon on that date to get your last roll to Dwayne’s Spend some time looking at these remarkably detailed
Photo in Parsons, Kansas: http://dwaynesphoto.com/. photos and you will notice some treasures. Many were
There are still rolls of Kodachrome film listed on eBay. made with 4x5 size Kodachrome film. There are 1,600
If you have never shot a roll of this legendary film, and photographs from the Farm Security Administration and
still want to claim that you’ve done so, get clicking. the Office of War Information available to view online.
Dwayne’s charges $10 to process a roll, plus a $4.50 Photographs were made between 1939-1944 in the US,
shipping and handling charge—you can download an Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
order form off their website.
Photographers such as Marion Post Wolcott, Russell
Kodak has a nice tribute to Kodachrome on its Pro Lee and Jack Delano are credited, as well as some
website, featuring the work of Eric Meola, Steve who are lesser known. Not only will you get a short but
McCurry and Peter Guttman at http://www.kodak. intensive course in the history of color photography,
com/global/en/professional/cpq/features/kodachrome. you may also download the high quality images for your
jhtml. Kodachrome film captured colorful and faraway
____ personal use. All of the photographs are in the public
scenes for National Geographic readers starting back domain and have no known restrictions on publication
in the 1930’s. Upcoming from National Geographic is or distribution.Try printing a few out—they are lovely.
a documentary about photographer Steve McCurry
exposing the very last roll of the film. McCurry is shown Flickr also has a ‘vintage’ Kodachrome group site with
shooting the last roll of Kodachrome during a six-week over 300 members with more than 3,000 photographs
trek around the globe. The one-hour documentary will made on the film. You can share your own images,
air on the National Geographic Channel early in 2011. and if you are a student of the snapshot aesthetic in
photography, here is a great place to do it—the nicest
For new photographers who have just started their own part is these are all real vintage snaps. The link is: ____
http://
journey making photographs, direct your browser to the www.flickr.com/groups/574185@N20/
_________________________
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BRUCE BARNBAUM’S REVISED

ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY
The classic The Art of Photography, an Approach to
Personal Expression, by Bruce Barnbaum has been
in continuous publication since the late 1990’s—with
updated material and expanded coverage in each
new edition. Rocky Nook Publishing Co. of Heidelberg,
Germany and Santa Barbara, CA have teamed up with
Photographic Arts Editions to publish a completely
revised edition of the book, which includes over 140
photographs woven throughout the text. As much an art
book as it is a textbook, the new edition is completely
rewritten and includes a new chapter on digital
photography, clearly explaining how to best exposure
digital captures (the digital zone system) and optimum
methods of translating a single exposure or multiple
exposures of the same scene (high dynamic range)
to the best possible final image. The traditional film/
darkroom photographic information is also still included,
along with some of Barnbaum’s best-known work and
new, never published photographs. Sized at 10"x10"
and 360 pages in length, the cost is $44.95.
For ordering information, contact

PhotoArtEditions@aol.com
__________________
_________________
phototechmag.com 11
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INNOVATIONS:
NEW HDR WORKFLOW TOOLKIT

FROM NIK SOFTWARE
Even if you are a traditional film and darkroom user, you have seen HDR
images everywhere—technically crisp and sometimes surreal, HDR stands
for High Dynamic Range. Several images are usually combined to create
wider color, and greater highlight and shadow range in a single image.
Depending on the photographer and the intent of the photograph, some
images may look realistic while others seem more graphic and (some say)
harder to digest. Whatever your take on HDR, it is a useful tool that
photographers may choose to enhance their creative take on the world.
Nik Software’s HDR Efex ProTM, is a completely new software that offers an
all-in-one approach to HDR−it enables both realistic and artistic effects to
be applied within a single tool. The new software offers single-click HDR
imaging with categorized style presets, precise selective fine-tuning using
Nik Software’s proprietary UPoint® Technology. Photographers can also
create HDR effects using a single image.
HDR Efex Pro works with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Lightroom and Apple
Aperture. Visit www.niksoftware.com/hdr and sign up for free webinars on
using their software products.
A NEW DIRECT POSITIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC

PAPER FROM HARMAN TECHNOLOGY
Just when you thought no one was developing new

photographic papers, Harman Technology Limited
announced they are making three new B&W silver
gelatin photographic papers with positive emulsions.
This is great news for pinhole enthusiasts and anyone
interested in making sharp in-camera positive originals.
With a high contrast emulsion (equivalent to a 3 1/2 to 4
paper grade) and available in sizes from 4x5 to 11x14
inches, the paper may also be used in large format
cameras, or any other camera where the photographer
needs a sharp direct positive. It’s available in RC Glossy
and Luster finishes, as well as a traditional glossy fiber
base.
Originally designed for a walk-in room sized camera

called the IMAGO 1:1, the papers are now available for
general release. Susanna Kraus, owner and daughter
of one the giant inventors, finds the paper adds to
the artistic process of making life-size portrait images
directly on the paper.
Things to consider: because of the higher contrast of the

paper, users may want to pre-flash the paper to slightly
lower the contrast. Paper speed is around ISO 4-6. The
paper is processed in conventional black and white
paper processing chemicals with the only difference
being the safelight−the product requires the use of a
deep red Ortho safelight. Oh yes, and since it is a direct
positive paper, writing will be backwards! This is easily To see camera and photographer in action, with commentary in German, watch
fixed if you scan and flip the positive original. The paper the YouTube video at: ______________________________
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0kXhO3dvJA
is available for purchase right now through the Harman
Technology website at www.ilfordphoto.com/dpp and
they have an extensive and well-written technical sheet
on the product on their website.
phototechmag.com 13
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SNOW SILHO COLE BARASH
Snow Silho
Cameron Pierce, Mammoth Mountain 2009
Cole Barash
Typically every snowboard season I like to create some kind of photo-

graphic experiment or concept to execute. Always wanting to push the
envelope, I find it an exercise that refreshes my creative juices.
Challenging oneself is an essential piece to progression in one’s craft.
Last season I created, Snow Silho. The main objective: to feature the true
style of each snowboarder on each obstacle with all the distractions
(backgrounds, trees, snow, sky, colors, etc.) stripped away by making
the portrait a silhouette.
The idea originated when I saw an old snowboard photo that Trevor
Graves had shot of a rider against a red background but lit like it was
shot in the studio. I thought to myself, what if you were able to shoot
snowboarding silhouettes as if they were in the studio, but you incorp-
orated the environment on location into them? Then I got to work,
brainstorming different situations in snowboarding where I could do
this. The key elements I kept in mind were texture, line and shadow.
Once I had the different scenarios of snowboarding mapped out, I
wanted to shoot the silhouettes, but the next step was to figure out how.
phototechmag.com 15
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PORTFOLIO:
Eddie Wall, Mammoth Mountain 2009
I initially tried setting up a white seamless backdrop on trying to execute. Once all the snow was moved and built
top of a quarter pipe, and I had the snowboarder do a for each feature, it was time to bring the background in and
“hand plant” in front of it, a move in skateboarding or the lighting.
snowboarding where the board is held to the feet with
one hand while the skateboarder performs a handstand The setup went as follows on each one: the rail or obstacle
on a ramp or obstacle with the other. However, bringing was set; on one side was the white 20' x 20' background and
studio tools out into the raw environment such as a windy on the opposite side of the rail/obstacle the camera was set
mountaintop had quite the adverse effect of adding a few up. The lighting consisted of six Profoto heads behind each
more variables to the puzzle, the most challenging one 20ft background. The lights overlapped, so I achieved an
being the wind. The wind kept tearing through the paper, even illumination across the background. Then I opened
so I had to have two guys hold the paper from behind. We up the lens two stops to make it white.
were able to achieve the first shot, but I knew that for the
rest we would need to better prepare. Each setup was a little different, and once I nailed the
main shot, I pushed it even further. On one of the shots
To do that, I went next to grip houses in Hollywood to find I actually pulled back and showed a puddle in the
new tools for the job. There I was educated in the use of foreground to give it a bit more of the essence of the
20' x 20' white canvas backgrounds. I bought two, giving me environment. On a separate shot I pulled way back, so
the option of having 800 square feet of white background to you could see more of the mountain that we were shoot-
shoot against, a definite improvement over paper. The next ing on. To push it even further, I added the effect of light
step was to build frames to hold these canvases, large metal streaks by having my assistant drive my truck through
ones that could withstand the harsh conditions of cold, the frame. Additionally, to push it on one or two shots,
wind and snow. I went to Home Depot for the necessary I added the slightest amount of fill to the rider instead of
materials and built the frames in the parking lot of the shoot making it a full silhouette. I made it my first priority to
in Mammoth Mountain, CA. nail the silhouette shot to add to the series, but I wanted
to add the fill light to give the shot another feel. This
We shot for five nights in a row, each night only focusing made it really seem like a studio shot with a proper white
on one setup, as each one took quite a bit of manpower background and a selected fill on the subject. I also shot in
and labor. I worked tightly with the mountain operations two mediums, both digital and film, allowing me to have
team and the snowboarders to be clear about what we were options in the final selections.
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SNOW SILHO COLE BARASH
Soccer Player, Valencia, CA 2010
I created six different shots involving snowboarding for In soccer, I was able to use the net as I photographed from
Snow Silho. Each one was entirely different than the others, behind it, shooting directly at the striker. The interesting
focusing on different athletes, obstacles, textures and feel. part about this shot was the fall-off from the white back-
However, they all carried the same silhouette theme. ground. It projected enough light to illuminate the grass
just in front of it, creating a vibrantly thin green line, which
After Snow Silho was completed, it ran on the cover ideally made the image a bit different.
and as a photo essay in the January Photo Annual issue
of TransWorld SNOWboarding Magazine. After that I I still want to continue this series with other sports, as there
brainstormed featuring other sports, then specifically are many more possibilities. I hope that someday, when all
certain scenarios for each silhouette with each sport. are completed, I will be able to have the entire Sports Silho
Then I lined up the talent, locations and lighting with portfolio hanging in a gallery space. Then they will be able
Reel Sessions out of LA to push the series further. to be viewed together, large, up close and personal.
We worked with four additional sports (soccer, basketball, Pushing the envelope is something I hope to always have
tennis and fencing). The setup for all the variables was the in my mind when shooting.
same (background, frames, lighting). The only variables
that changed were the sports, environments and people.
Cole Barash’s work is among the most publicized and respected in the
The key factor I kept in mind when making compositions world of snowboarding. In his early 20’s, Barash travels internationally
of each sport was that the images needed to be CLEAN. I making photographs of sports figures and action for both commercial clients
and personal projects. Visit his website, www.colebarash.com, his blog,
wanted each shot to be very sharp and unique. My intent colebarash.blogspot.com and see a behind the scenes video of the creation
was to not allow anything that did not geometrically of the Sports Silho series at www.youtube.comwatch?v=tsDGRdA6BsE.com.
flow. However, on each shot I tried to add an element To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online Forum:
www.phototechforum.com
of texture. For basketball, we shot in an outdoor caged
court, so I was able to use linked fence as a repetitive Product Resources
ingredient. I have always believed that repercussion of Cameras: Hasselblad 501cm, Canon 1DS Mark II; Lenses: Canon
any elements in a photograph will draw the human eye 80mm f/2.8, 120mm f/4, 50mm f/1.4, 70-200mm f/2.8; Film: Kodak
Tri-X 400; Lighting: Pocketwizards 6-12, Profoto heads, Profoto 7a kits,
into the composition more. I wanted to take this theory Profoto 7b kits, C-stands, Light stands; Tripod: Manfrotto; Other: 2-
and add it with some action to produce a combination of 20'x20' white canvas backgrounds, 2-20'x 20' handmade metal frames
out of 10' galvanized pipes.
texture and movement.
phototechmag.com
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Mark Dubovoy’s
ANTARCTICA:
A Voyage to the
Bottom of the Earth
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FEATURE:
A writer and critic for the New York Times once told travelers, I do not believe it is a good way to
me that every landscape picture worth taking had photograph or experience Antarctica.
already been taken. He also claimed that landscape
photographers continued in a futile quest to get Fortunately, the trip I joined was organized by
farther and farther away, to more difficult and in- photographers for photographers. We chartered an
accessible places, only to return with images that double steel hull ship with no stabilizers, similar to
looked basically the same as prior work. I could an icebreaker, but with a keel. As such, we had the
not disagree more with both statements. I person- privilege of exploring places that had been rarely,
ally feel that any notion that all landscape images or never, visited by humans before.
worth capturing have already been captured is
absolutely preposterous. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the concept of
flexibility in Antarctica. The weather can change
I am also a strong believer that in spite of the gross dramatically in a matter of minutes. Temperature
overpopulation and pollution of our planet, there drops of 50 or 60 degrees, or going from no wind
are still spectacular areas that remain in a pristine to 100 MPH winds, can happen in less than 30
state with unparalleled beauty that needs to be pro- minutes. Being nimble and flexible is a necessity in
tected and documented. Furthermore, these areas order to stay out of trouble and in order to be able
still contain precious resources and invaluable to photograph. It is also worth mentioning that to
scientific evidence, materials, plants and animal life visit Antarctica you must cross the Drake Passage.
that are precious and must be saved for posterity. This passage is famous for rough waters and
In view of the above, I jumped at the oppor- extreme wind conditions. Many people consider
tunity to visit Antarctica with a group of experi- the Drake Passage to be the roughest waters in the
enced photographers. world. Therefore, if you decide to go to Antarctica,
make sure that you are well prepared for this.
THE VOYAGE
The trip took place in January, basically peak sum- The advantage of being in an icebreaker is
mer in Antarctica. It never gets dark that time of obvious: one can go places where a regular ship
year; 24 hours of daylight is the rule. There is also might get stuck. The disadvantage, however, is
no local time, as all the time zones intersect at the that a double steel hull ship with no stabilizers
South Pole. This necessitates “picking a time zone” cannot have lateral stabilizers, as they are too
so that at least the members of the group have their wide. The result is that in rough waters the
watches synchronized. We picked our time zone to ship not only moves up and down, but it also
be halfway between GMT and New York time. rolls. We experienced one crossing through the
Drake Passage with 39 hours of winds of around
The lack of darkness plays havoc with your bio- 90 MPH and waves up to 70 feet. Trust me, it is
logical clock. I soon found out that I could not sleep no fun to be strapped to your bunk with three straps,
for what most of us consider normal (6-8 hours) with all the hatches closed, inside a platform that
periods of time. We all functioned on short 1-2 is being violently tossed up and down by huge
hour naps. After I returned to the United States, I waves while simultaneously rolling for more than
found that the darkness of night caused me to get a day and a half.
depressed, and it took me over three weeks before
I was finally able to sleep six hours. It took me EQUIPMENT
about a month to get used to the darkness of night A number of photographers brought 35mm pro-
without getting depressed. fessional DSLR’s, mostly Canon and Nikon. Many
of them also brought lower model back-up bodies.
From a practical point of view, the best way to go It was typical to see someone with a Canon 1Ds
to Antarctica is by ship. The preferred route is to MK III and a 5D II, or a Nikon D3 and a D700.
go to the southern tip of South America, either While all the Pro level DSLR’s survived the trip
Chile or Argentina, and sail south from there. just fine, a very large number of the lower models
There are a number of ships that go to Antarctica, had catastrophic failures. It quickly became evident
what I would classify as “designer tours” luxury that they simply could not tolerate the changes in
cruise ships. While this may be attractive to some temperature and humidity.
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ANTARCTICA MARK DUBOVOY
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FEATURE:
Personally, I like to shoot with medium format digital. SHOOTING CONDITIONS

Although I would have liked to bring my Linhof M679 When I shoot landscapes, my camera is always on a
CS view camera on the trip, I knew that it was go- tripod. So, I brought a couple of tripods with me with-
ing to be too slow and cumbersome. I then thought out even thinking. This was a total waste. It took very
about bringing my ALPA technical camera with my little time to realize that tripods were no good on this
PhaseOne digital back. After having a number of con- trip. The main reasons relate to the shooting conditions
versations with photographers who had been to in Antarctica.
Antarctica before, I was convinced that I really needed
to have a zoom lens, so in the end I took my medium First of all, one is forced to shoot many of the best
format DSLR on the trip. Was this the right decision? scenes either from the ship or from inside a Zodiac
Well, yes and no. While the DSLR worked just fine, I (rubber raft-like boat and landing craft). These are both
did not find a terribly pressing need for a zoom lens. moving platforms with vibrating engines, so using a
I actually believe that the light weight, simplicity and tripod is silly. Tripods are also a nuisance and a serious
better image quality of the ALPA would have served me safety hazard when boarding or getting off the Zodiacs.
better, but I am not complaining. The technical quality
of my Antarctica images is certainly outstanding. On land, there are two basic possibilities:
I would definitely recommend either a technical camera 1. In areas that are not totally inhospitable, penguins
or a medium format DSLR with a medium format digital have found the best landing spots and the safest
back as the ideal camera outfit to shoot landscapes places to walk. In order to be safe, the rule is to
in Antarctica. The image quality is vastly superior to follow the penguin paths. This means that you are
35mm DSLR’s, and all the medium format equipment also following the penguin guano paths. Tripods
that several photographers (myself included) used on are magnets for penguin guano and almost impossible
the trip worked flawlessly. to clean. It is quite disgusting.
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ANTARCTICA MARK DUBOVOY
2. In inhospitable areas, where there is no wildlife of smells, the pure air, the crystalline atmosphere and
on land, the tripod legs have a habit of sinking and the pitch black ocean water. Occasionally the complete
being so unstable that tripods are essentially useless. silence was pierced by the sweet sound of the water
hitting an iceberg or the rumble of a glacier moving,
My recommendation, as strange as it sounds, is to which would only add impact to a most marvelous
not bring a tripod to Antarctica if you travel there experience.
during the Antarctic Summer. I make this recom-
mendation particularly because the light levels are Since I am at a loss for words at this point, I will let the
extremely bright, in fact much brighter than I had images do the rest of the talking.
imagined, so I was able to shoot hand-held at shutter
speeds and lens apertures that were totally comfortable
Dr. Dubovoy is highly regarded as a technical expert in many aspects
for medium format. of photography and printing technology. He is a regular writer of
technical articles for The Luminous Landscape and photo technique
magazine and is a lecturer at various workshops. His photographs are
THE EXPERIENCE included in a number of private collections, as well as the permanent
All I can say is that all the effort and expense in collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Mexico City, the
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Monterey Art Museum, the
making this voyage was well worth it and more. I Berkeley Art Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in Nanao, Japan.
cannot express in simple words the sheer magnitude He is a partner and Board Member of The Luminous Landscape, Inc.,
and holds MS and Ph.D. degrees in Physics from the University of
of the place, let alone the incredible beauty it displays. California, Berkeley.
All senses of scale, time and sensory perceptions are To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online
affected in a manner I had never experienced before. Forum: www.phototechforum.com
The place inspires such awe that we would go out
Product Resources
in a Zodiac periodically and turn off all radios, ship
Cameras: Hasselblad H2 body with a PhaseOne P45+ back,
and Zodiac engines, generators, etc., just so we could PhaseOne AF camera with a PhaseOne P65+ digital back.
experience the natural silence, the complete absence
phototechmag.com 23
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PORTFOLIO:
Fernando Souto’s
The End of the Trail
Cecelia’s mother is the cook on the station and her father does menial jobs for the Patron (boss). Employment in rural Uruguay is
scarce at best, and the remote location of the station makes it impossible for Cecelia, 8, to attend regular classes. The pressure
on her parents to move into town and abandon ranching mounts every year she is not in school. For the moment, she helps
Maneco test wool samples from the sheep. (Dutra Station, Tacuarembo, Uruguay, 2002.)
My parents emigrated from Uruguay to Australia when I was 18 months

old. With my extended family still in Uruguay, I never had the opportunity
to really know my relatives−particularly my grandmother, who always
seemed to be really old to me. The brief, scrambled international phone
calls throughout my childhood did little for me to understand who I was
and where I had come from.
In 2002, I went to Uruguay for my grandmother’s hundredth birthday. She

had grown up in a rural community at the turn of the twentieth century,
and I would always ask her about her childhood whenever possible. She
described the first time she saw a car with her sister and the difficulties
of living without running water or electricity. She showed me my great-
grandfather’s parole photograph. He had killed a man for stealing his horse.
Her stories of her childhood played out in my head like a cinematic black
and white movie and became the catalyst for my decision to shoot in black
and white film. I chose Kodak Tri-X 400 in 35mm format for its extreme
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THE END OF THE TRAIL FERNANDO SOUTO
latitude and paired it with Microdol developer

to tighten up the grain on large prints. There
are many other practical reasons why I chose
to see this project in black and white, but
ultimately both the execution and the choice
of film came from a desire to simplify my ap-
proach to photography.
After my grandmother’s birthday, I headed

north near the Brazilian border. Initially, I
approached people on the side of the road,
at gas stations and in bars. Eventually I was
introduced to a ranch owner who invited me
out to his cattle station. The isolated ranch sat
about 40 miles from the main road. There were
four adults and one child living on the ranch
with no neighbors in sight. The solitude was
intense for an urban dweller, and I could see
how it had defined their character. I followed Norma was born in this house and lives here with her husband Toto and their two daughters,
who have recently moved to town to attend high school. Nothing on the property has changed
them around, randomly photographing their since Norma's ancestors built the house stone by stone from the the river Queguay in the early
day-to-day lives, while trying to stay out of the 1800s. In the future they hope to purchase a generator to power a cell phone charger.
(Barbosa Station, Tacuarembo, Uruguay, 2002.)
way. They were generous people with little
to spare who appreciated my company. It
wasn’t long before I saw a mirror of my own
upbringing and of the values that my parents
had instilled in me. It was a threshold moment
in my life, and this trip would become a model
for the entire series.
Since college I have always performed a

complete test of my equipment before each
trip. I would test anything I wasn’t completely
confident about, so my technical decisions
would be instantaneous in the field. This idea
would also work with digital equipment, but
only quicker. For example, I would shoot a
series of photographs with varying amounts
of diffusion over the fill-flash to obtain the
perfect balance of ambient light and flash. This
test would be done in a similar environment
to the one I’d encounter on the trip, like a
dimly lit room or a campfire. In the image
from Uruguay of Norma and her husband,
you can see the results of planning ahead. I Throughout the spring and summer, approximately 3,200 calves will be branded, tagged,
was standing in the kitchen when I took this vaccinated and castrated. The young calves represent the ranch’s profit for the year, which are
carefully counted and marked. (Arapahoe Reservation, Wyoming, USA, 2005.)
photograph. I quietly rested my Contax T2
on the back of a chair and set the camera
without hesitation. I only shot one frame
before the moment was over. You can see that
the flash adds just enough light to bring up the
shadows without overpowering the direction
of light that comes from the lantern.
phototechmag.com 27
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PORTFOLIO:
From left to right-Jessie 19, Jay 42 and Russell 76, relax after helping a neighbor brand her calves.
(Arapahoe Reservation, Wyoming, USA, 2005.)
During the fall of 2002, I looked over my contact Unfortunately, throughout this trip I constantly
sheets and thought about the possibility of expanding found that my best opportunities to shoot were met
upon my images from Uruguay. That Christmas a with awful lighting conditions, and I continually
friend gave me a book called Trail Dust and Saddle looked for any opportunity to mask the glare of the
Leather by Joseph Mora (1946). Joseph Mora was midday sun. In the image of calves being branded,
born in Uruguay and had immigrated to the US shot with a 24mm lens, I had positioned myself
in 1880. He was known mostly as an illustrator over the shoulder of the foreground subject to
and lived with the Hopi Indians depicting what he maximize the depth of the image. When the stream
had observed. I was immediately drawn in by the of smoke blew over the cowboy from the branding
details in his illustrations and instantly saw a path iron, it created a convenient haze to defuse the
to a long-term photography project that I called bright overhead sun.
“The End of the Trail.” This series will eventually
encompass seven countries where ranching has had On the average, I could expect a seven-stop range
a significant presence in the culture and traditional from the mid-tone to the shadow. Realizing that
working techniques still exist. my situation was not going to improve, I began to
embrace the blaring sunlight and worked with it.
In 2005, I traveled to the Arapahoe Reservation in In the image of Jesse, Jay and Russell, I positioned
Wyoming to work on this series. myself in the shadow and shot into the enveloping
light. The bright sunlight, coupled with their ex-
In Uruguay, I had cropped everything horizontally pression, helped define the image. Although the
to illustrate the vast, flat landscape, but on this trip film had captured more detail than I needed, it
to Wyoming it was intentional. I felt that pairing was still a challenge to balance the highlight in-
the black and white film with a uniform horizontal tensity of the background with the foreground
crop would assist me in creating a bold, visual link. subjects. I struggled to achieve even a satisfactory
Additionally, I hadn’t thought about the impact print in a rental darkroom. By 2006 the cost of out-
my small 35mm camera would have on the over- sourcing film to the lab had become unaffordable
all direction of the project. Its size afforded me for me, so it was an easy step to put together a
mobility and the opportunity to spontaneously cap- darkroom in my apartment. Aside from the cost
ture ranchers’ lives, which I saw as a departure savings, the darkroom afforded me the time to
from the rigid, conventional cowboy portraits of perfect my prints−which in turn helped me piece
the past. together the overall direction of the project.
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THE END OF THE TRAIL FERNANDO SOUTO
Chris, 37, works with his team of stockmen to walk 22,000 head of cattle through the thick dust and soaring temperatures across
the Barkly Tablelands. The stockmen are always watchful to prevent any of the cattle from breaking away from the main herd,
which would start a massive stampede. (Brunchilly Station, Northern Territory, Australia, 2007.)
The next natural step for me was to shoot in of shooting under the blazing Australian sun, my
Australia, where the stockman is as much a part greatest ally was patience.
of folklore as the cowboy is in the United States.
In 2007 I headed to central Australia and to the This project was sparked by the simplest approach
vast expanses of the Barkly Tablelands to join a −which was to look inside myself. I merged that
cattle drive with 22,000 head. From a photographic vision with conventional working methods that
standpoint, the fenceless terrain makes it very were accessible to me and reflected my straight-
difficult to approach the cattle for fear of starting a forward approach. As I have continued to work
massive stampede. This would be an ideal circum- on this long-term series, it has become important
stance to use a telephoto lens, but I’ve always felt to visualize an attainable conclusion. Having clear
that these lenses create a disconnection with the goals has helped me define a path for this story and
environment. I consistently try to encompass as drives me to push forward to the end.
many details as possible in the foreground and
Fernando Souto was born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1972 and
background, which helps build the story and dif- immigrated to Sydney, Australia with his family in 1974. He majored
in photography at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York
ferentiate each culture. City, with the intent of working as a portrait photographer. His
continuing “End of the Trail” project began in 2002. He was selected
to attend the Santa Fe Review in 2008 and was named an emerging
In this image of the cattle drive, which was taken artist by the Photo District News in 2009. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
with a 50mm lens, you can see how the angle
To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our
of coverage gives you a tangible depth that is online Forum: www.phototechforum.com
magnified by the direction of the light. When I
Product Resources
took the photograph, I had positioned myself Cameras: Canon EOS 3, Leica M6 TTL; Lenses: 90mm f/2.8
alongside the herd, which allowed me to get a little Leitz Elmarit-R, 50mm Zeiss Planar f/1.4, 28mm f/2.8 Zeiss
Biogon, Leica 50mm Summicon f/2.0 Contax T2; Meter:
closer than usual. As the rogue cow attempted to Sekonic L-508; Accesories: Heliopan and Leica filters,
break away from the herd, the stockman rode into Lowepro backpack and MC photo pouches; Darkroom: Durst
Laborator with Schneider 50mm lens.
my frame to block its path. Click. After three days
phototechmag.com 29
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PORTFOLIO:
Corey Arnold came across our radar when

he was named one of 30 emerging photo-
graphers to watch in 2009. His under-
standing of the real world elements of
involvement in a project both photographic
and interactive gives Arnold a unique per-
spective. In between seasons, we were
able to pose some questions to him:
PS: Which came first—fishing or photo-

graphy? When and why did you decide to
combine them? How comfortable are you
with leading this “double life?”
CA: I was wearing diapers, no shirt and

pair of awesome red Ray-Ban looking
sunglasses in the earliest picture of me
fishing. So, I’d say that fishing came first.
My dad was obsessed with sportfishing
in Southern California and I joined him
on weekly trips at sea. Every trip was
meticulously documented by my father and
his little 35mm camera. There are hundreds
of pictures of me holding fish throughout
my life.
In the summer of 1995, a friend and I drove

to Alaska in search of commercial fishing
jobs to help pay for college, and after a
month searching and doing shipyard work,
I landed a job as a salmon fisherman in
Bristol Bay, Alaska, and lived with a family
in a remote swath of mosquito and bear-
infested tundra along the mouth of one
of the largest producing sockeye salmon
rivers in the world. This was the beginning
of my commercial fishing career, and
eventually I decided to start documenting
my seasonal life in Alaska.
Financially, commercial fishing helped me

to survive art school and gave me more
time to focus on personal projects, not
having to rely on commercial photo as-
signments to survive. But the real reason
I fish is the lifestyle. It’s a good challenge
for the soul to spend part of the year doing
purely physical labor in a harsh natural
environment. The work satisfies my restless
craving for adventure.
Fish-Work: Dancing between the city slicker art world

and working class Alaska has certainly
given me an identity crisis, but hopefully I
can tell this story from a unique perspective
An Interview that people find inspiring.
PS: Explain the development of your Fish-

Work project. What inspired it? What does
it (will it) include and how has it found its
with Corey Arnold direction?
CA: Fish-Work is the big picture title for my

life's work photographing the commercial
fishing lifestyle around the world. So far,
Paul Schranz I’ve worked as a crab, salmon, halibut and
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FISH-WORK COREY ARNOLD
cod fisherman in Alaska. I’ve documented the fishing my 35mm f/1.4 L, 50mm f/1.2 L, and 24 f/1.4L series
and whaling industry of Northern Norway, and I’m lenses. The durability and waterproof seals of the L
currently covering the state of fishing in the European series lenses are worth the expensive price tag.
Union as part of a PEW Foundation Commission.
PS: Can you discuss the most significant challenges/
There are no strict parameters to the project. I like to techniques of creating any single portfolio or single
research places that I’m curious about or can’t find images that might be included in your images to be
a lot of information on...show up there, and see what published in photo technique?
happens. Maybe I’ll find a job on a boat, or maybe I’ll
just be along for the ride with my camera. The most recent image in this group was shot while
crabbing in the Bering Sea last winter. It’s a picture
This adventurous spirit that led me and most other of my fellow deckhand Matthew throwing a sea gull
fishermen to escape into a life at sea is the same over the side at night. Sea birds land on deck all the
spirit I’m trying to capture in images. time, often blinded by the bright sodium deck lights,
and we find ourselves collecting birds and throwing
PS: Most people would consider what you do them over the side on a regular basis. It’s curious
extremely difficult. What are its most challenging why they can’t just fly off of the deck; they seem to
aspects? get stuck and just hobble around in circles. In this
picture, I wanted to capture a bit of mystery in the Left
CA: The most difficult part of what I do is that act of tossing birds over the side. Is he releasing the
Untitled, 2009
I’m actually trying to photograph my world while bird –or tossing it in the black unforgiving depths of Bristol Bay, Alaska
actually working as a fisherman. Work on a Bering the Bering Sea?
Set Net fisherman
Sea crabber is extremely demanding. Every spare
Ben Thomas holding
moment to grab a bite to eat or take a nap and relax PS: Can you elaborate more on how you control a freshly caught King
is savored like a cigarette in prison. We routinely lighting – have you had to experiment? Salmon during the
work 20-hour days at a furious pace. So, spending summer gillnet fishery in
my few free moments changing film, cleaning salt CA: Much of our work day happens during the Bristol Bay.
off of lenses and wrapping Ziplocs and duct tape long winter nights. For the most part, I wait for the
around my cameras can feel like an immense effort. light. Since I'm out there working anyway, I've got Below
Not to mention the crew can get cranky if I’m not time on my side. I wait until all the conditions are Ocean Hunters, 2010
doing my job. I’ve also broken a fair share of lenses, perfect before pulling out my camera. Almost all my The Bering Sea, Alaska
and been knocked on my ass by waves and crab images are taken using natural light. However, lately The crabbing vessel
pots while looking through the lens. I’ve been experimenting with using high-powered Arctic Hunter crashes
strobes rigged to the mast in order to stop motion through heavy seas with
PS: Can you talk more about the types of equipment during the twilight hours and during the times when an armada of sea birds
off the bow.
you’ve chosen to use for various types of images there are weeks and weeks of murky gray sky with
and how well they operate under the wet and/or cold no definition. It can simulate daylight or the deck
conditions that come along with your job? What lights of a boat nicely.
about specific lenses? You work both with digital
and film – when and why? PS: What has been your most exciting project?
What’s next?
CA: When I first started shooting aboard fishing
boats, I brought along a Mamiya 645 and shot
mostly Kodak Portra film. I would use 1 or 2-gallon
Ziploc® bags and duct tape them to the lens hood
and around the viewfinder. The layout of that camera
made it ideal for waterproofing. I tried to use a plastic
bag style housing for my 35mm camera, but all that
is too bulky and expensive. That said, I've recently
purchased an underwater housing and will start to
experiment with over/under shots, and shooting into
the most extreme weather.
A Mamiya 7II is my field camera of choice. I've

always been most fond of the feel of color negative
medium format film, so film is my go-to medium if
the circumstances allow. Nowadays, though, I shoot
a lot more digital (Canon 1Ds Mark III) using all
prime lenses. On a boat in low light with a ton of
movement, it has been to my advantage to shoot
fast and with A LOT of exposures, so digital makes
more sense in the action situations. I'm a sucker for
super quality and have recently been making huge
prints. I've been amazed with how well the Canon
digital images are turning out, massive on the wall
of a gallery when using prime lenses. I mostly use
phototechmag.com 31
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PORTFOLIO:
CA: Recently, I’ve revisited my early commercial two dogs, seven rabbits, or pet water snake (not so
salmon fishing roots, and bought a skiff and permit much snuggling with the snake). I loved animals, but
in Bristol Bay, Alaska. I’ve started a new project here, my hunting instincts were strong. I’d usually feel bad
which may span my entire life. Every summer for after killing something, but later forget and do it all
about five weeks, I and about 100 other fishermen over again.
squat in a remote, abandoned cannery at the mouth
of one of the largest sockeye salmon producing It’s a curious relationship we have with animals in the
Above Left rivers in the world. We pull nets by hand and de- modern world. We treat our pets more and more like
liver boatloads of salmon to “tender” boats waiting part of the family, often assuming that we have the
Untitled, 2009
Bristol Bay, Alaska offshore. same complex human emotions with our cats and
dogs but continue to chomp on the flesh of animals
Brother and sister
lifelong fishers Krystal
But this isn’t your typical romantic idea of Alaska. we have less of a connection with. I like to set up
and Reid TenKley haul The landscape is barren tundra, packed with grizzly scenes using animals and humans that remind us
sockeye salmon bears and crazy with mosquitoes. The fishermen in- that we are all a bunch of strange animals.
aboard a set net skiff clude natives that live in villages upstream, Arkansas
in Bristol Bay country boys, Bay Area neck-tattooed gangsters, PS: Your experiences have led you to a variety of
Alternative Christian Portlanders, Minnesota farmers, international sites. As a result, have you learned any-
Above Right Mormons and young adventurers from everywhere. thing that has affected your work?
Salt Birds, 2010 It’s an incredible clash of American culture all con-
The Bering Sea, Alaska verging in a wrecked old cannery for the summer. I’m CA: The novelty of being a foreigner is powerful
Seabirds are our as interested in the people themselves on land here when trying to get access to subjects abroad. I’ve
companions and guests as I am in capturing the fishing aspect at sea. found it much easier to get on boats in Norway and
out at sea. Scotland than in the U.S. People abroad are far less
PS: Your images feature both humans and animals paranoid about insurance regarding me getting hurt
or a combination of the two. Explain this choice of aboard their ship and suing. The exception is Russia.
subjects.
Last year, I flew to Arctic Russia to try to photograph
CA: I used to shoot birds with my BB gun when I the Russian Trawler fleet. It was a bust, as I found
was little, just to have a look at them close up. Then that the port itself in Murmansk is completely closed
at night, I’d snuggle up with one of my four cats, off to the public. I seemed to be the only one in town
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FISH-WORK COREY ARNOLD
with a camera, and I started feeling paranoid that Galleries were still interested in the work, and the
I had arrived on a tourist visa and not a press visa show just added more mainstream appeal to the
but was running around with my camera like a spy. subject matter. Above Left
My Russian skills were non-existent and it made it Crab Celebration, 2006
nearly impossible to get anything done. Note to self: PS: What’s next? The Bering Sea, Alaska
at least learn a few phrases in the language of your
Fellow crewman
destination country before you leave. Hopefully soon: a vacation without my camera in a Matthew Sullivan
warm place. relaxing on a bed of
PS: Discuss your association with the Discovery 60,000 live Opillo crab
Channel’s Deadliest Catch and other media-related in the tank of the F/V
Corey Arnold is a photographer and Alaskan commercial fisherman. Rollo.
projects. During the winter, he can be found working aboard vessels in
Alaska. The off-season is filled with travel, gallery exhibitions, Above Right
CA: Deadliest Catch arrived in Dutch Harbor in the magazine and ad photography assignments with a bit of backyard Freedom Bird, 2010
gardening, cat maintenance and skateboarding in Portland, OR. The Bering Sea, Alaska
winter of 2004 and suddenly there were cameras Recently nominated for both the Aperture West Book Prize and
all over town. I had already been crab fishing for the Santa Fe Prize for Photography, he was among Photo District Seabirds often
two years at that time and was building a body News’ 30 for 2009. His work has been featured in the Juxtapoz crashland on our deck
photo book, The Paris Review, Esquire, Italian Rolling Stone, from land. Its hard to
of crabbing pictures. At first, I felt a bit threatened tell if they are injured or
Outside and The Collectors Guide to Emerging Art Photography.
by the camera crews. I had thought that I was the His latest Fish-Work Project from salmon fishing in Alaska, just visiting. We have to
only person up there seriously photographing the Graveyard Point, will open at Charles A. Hartman Fine Art in physically throw them
crabbing scene at that time. I was hoping to put Portland, OR on Dec 2, 2010. over the side so they
out a photo book someday and show the pictures won't get hurt while we
To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online work. This shot was
in galleries, but I was afraid the Discovery Channel Forum: www.phototechforum.com taken using an Alien-
would over commercialize the subject matter. Bees 16000 strobe
Product Resources mounted in the rigging.
Then our boat, the F/V Rollo was invited to actually Cameras: Canon 1DS Mark II 5D Mark II, Mamiya 7II; Lenses:
star in the show and since, I’ve been hired regularly Canon L lenses; Film: Kodak Portra 160 nc, vc; Tripod: Gitzo,
to shoot ad campaigns for Deadliest Catch. To my Bogen; Lighting: AliensBees strobes w/ Vebabond battery;
Cases: Aquatech underwater housings DV-5, Thinktank,
surprise, there was never any sort of art purist anti-
Lightware T4444; Software: MacBook Pro, Adobe Photoshop
reality TV backlash! I kept my personal work true to CS5, Adobe Lightroom 3.
my vision and didn’t over sensationalize the pictures.
phototechmag.com 33
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TECH:
Here are a few of the things you need to keep in

mind when working with multiple exposures for
HDR:
s $O NOT CHANGE THE FOCAL LENGTH FOCUS POINT OR
aperture when creating a series of bracketed
exposures.
s )F YOUR $3,2 SUPPORTS IT USE THE FULL FRAME
or “matrix” metering mode.
s 5SE A TRIPOD OR 6IBRATION 2EDUCTION 62 LENS
if you can. Camera shake can cause problems
in HDR.
s )TS /+ TO MAKE A FEW 2!7 EDITS BEFORE
merging to HDR; just be sure to synchronize
the edits, and stick to settings that do not
affect contrast or color (I usually apply a crop
and noise reduction.)
Photoshop offered basic HDR tools in the past,

but it was not until Photoshop CS5 that we were
given a complete set of tools for making HDR
images. To start, choose File > Automate > Merge
to HDR Pro. From the dialog that appears,
choose a series of bracketed exposures from your
(Figure 1) The Merge to HDR Pro user interface in Photoshop CS5, showing an hard drive and make sure to select “Attempt
unedited “merge” of three bracketed exposures.
to Automatically Align Source Images” before
beginning. Note: the process of merging your
documents may take a minute or two, depending
on your system hardware.
Photoshop CS5: User Interface
Merge to HDR Pro The controls for Merge to HDR Pro (Figure 1)
are broken into three areas: a large preview,
tone-mapping and color controls, and a series of
thumb-nails representing the shots that are being
Dan Moughamian merged together.
Introduction A. Remove Ghosts—“Ghosts” refer to a faint

Most photographers are familiar with the limit- blurring effect that can occur when Photoshop
ations of modern cameras. Often we encounter tries to reconcile areas of the frame that contain
scenes with a high dynamic range that forces us to subject matter which changed position from one
expose for the highlights (or shadows) and work shot to the next. Examples of ghosts can include
on a fix in post-production. Important details are things like moving clouds or even an object that
lost when we do this. The High Dynamic Range passed by your lens. Most of the time it makes
(HDR) process attempts to solve this problem by sense to select this option. Choose which image
combining a series of raw exposures to create a will serve as the “still” for your HDR exposure
single image that displays a scene similar to how by clicking one of the thumbnails (see item F).
our eyes would perceive it. This article assumes
basic knowledge of creating bracketed exposures B. “Mode” Menus—Photoshop CS5 can create 8,
(either manually or automatically) with your 16 or 32-bit HDR files. Depending on which bit-
DSLR, as well as basic knowledge of RAW pro- depth you choose, different tone-mapping modes
cessing with tools like ACR or Lightroom, and are available. By default, Merge to HDR Pro dis-
editing with curves adjustments. plays controls for a 16-bit, Local Adaptation
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PHOTOSHOP CS5 DAN MOUGHAMIAN
workflow. Since this combination offers the most

powerful features for defining an HDR image
and provides an easy transition to a 16-bit work-
ftlow, this is the mode I typically recommend.
There are three additional conversion options for

8 and 16-bit modes: Equalize Histogram (an “av-
eraging” of the data), Exposure & Gamma (uses a
Gamma slider to set the white point, and an Ex-
posure slider to handle overall brightness), and
Highlight Compression (“averaging” that attempts
to avoid clipped highlights, usually resulting in
relatively flat contrast).
C. Edge Glow Controls—These sliders control the

edge contrast and glow effect in the scene. The
Radius defines how far from the contrast edge
the effect will be shown, and the Strength defines
the amount of glow. My preference is to avoid (Figure 2) Use the Gamma, Exposure and Highlights controls to set the brightest
details in your scene, without clipping said details.
the type of HDR images where the glow is so
pronounced that it changes the photo from real
to surreal. Experiment with these sliders to suit
your tastes. to the tonal range with Curves and Corner points.
These will be discussed shortly.
D. Tone & Detail Controls
Gamma helps establish the overall tonal balance F. Exposure Thumbnails—Used to include or ex-
of the scene and can help to avoid blown clude specific shots in a bracketed series and to
highlights when working with the other sliders. select the “base image” when removing ghosts.
Exposure works much like the Exposure slider in The Process

the Basic panel of Lightroom and ACR, except Once you’ve merged your exposures and re-
that it has a greater effect (relatively speaking) moved any Ghost artifacts, you can begin the
on Highlights than on Shadow details. HDR edits. I find that it’s helpful to first set the
global contrast and overall clarity or detail (Tone
Detail provides roughly the same functionality as & Detail controls) before I begin experimenting
the Clarity slider in the Basic panel of Lightroom with the Edge Glow effects, because those usually
and ACR, enhancing mid-tone contrast edges. have an impact on maintaining the brightest
However, Detail can have a much more pro- highlight details.
nounced effect.
To set the white point and define brightest details
Shadow will brighten or restore detail to the in the scene, drag the Gamma slider down to
darkest areas of the image (drag to the right) about .7 and then slowly work the slider back to
without flattening the overall contrast. the left until the brightest details are intact but
slightly underexposed. The idea is to leave a little
Highlight allows details in very bright areas to be “head room” so that if you need to boost the Ex-
recovered without flattening contrast. It works posure value to brighten the middle tones in the
like the Recovery slider in Lightroom and ACR. scene, you can do that and then use the Highlights
slider to recover any blown highlights (Figure 2).
E. Color & Curves panels—We also have controls
for enhancing color intensity in the image (Vi- Next, examine the shadow areas of the image and
brance and Saturation—just as in ACR or determine if they need to be brightened using
Lightroom), as well as making precise corrections the Shadow slider. Typically you need to set the
phototechmag.com 35
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value fairly high to reintroduce details
that have been “lost in the shadows”.
Zoom in if needed to make sure a smooth
transition between light and dark detail is
maintained, then zoom back out to look at
the shot with normal magnification before
moving to the Detail control.
The Detail slider will enhance the apparent

sharpness of image details by increasing the
contrast edges in the midtone areas. It can
also be used to smooth out details (for por-
traits and other situations where a high de-
gree of textural detail may not be desirable).
It works on the same principle as the
Clarity slider in Lightroom or ACR, but
has a more pronounced effect at higher
settings. For landscapes and architectural
subjects, a modest increase in Detail will
often give the composition added dim-
(Figure 3) Increase the Detail setting to enhance the apparent sharpness of small details in the enson. The default Detail setting is 30%.
frame, decrease it to smooth out textured areas (such as skin detail in portraits).
The Vibrance and Saturation sliders serve
the same purpose as their namesakes in
Lightroom and ACR—modifying the color
intensity in your image. Vibrance does a
better job of increasing or decreasing the
intensity of skin tones and earth tones
without creating unwanted color shifts or
artifacts. Typically I make smaller adjust-
ments to the Saturation slider and make
the more pronounced changes with Vi-
brance (Figure 4). The default setting for
Saturation is 20%.
Adding Edge Glow

Once you’ve created the global contrast and
color for your scene, start experimenting
with the Radius and Strength settings to
create any subtle “glow” that you wish to
create. Often I make additional, minor
adjustments to the Gamma and Highlight
settings, as well as Detail, to prevent the
glow effect from blowing out highlights
or taking on an unrealistic appearance.
In my experience, I’ve found that Radius
(Figure 4) The Vibrance and Saturation sliders can help to increase or reduce the color intensity values between 50 and 150 produce
of your image, without introducing unwanted color shifts or artifacts.
pleasing results for landscapes and archi-
tectural subject matter, with Strength
values between .40 and 1.5, but it’s def-
initely more an art than a science. Figure
5 shows the Edge Glow settings (and final
Tone & Detail settings). Notice how the
clouds and lighthouse now have a more
dramatic contrast.
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PHOTOSHOP CS5 DAN MOUGHAMIAN
(Figure 5) The Edge Glow settings allow you to create a more dramatic contrast
effect in areas of medium or high contrast.
(Figure 7) The final high dynamic range image after using Merge to
HDR Pro.
(Figure 6) Using Corner points in the Merge to HDR Pro Curve panel allows you to
make precise corrections to a specific area without affecting neighboring areas.
Curves & Corner Points

Once you’ve handled all the other settings, use the Curve panel to
make adjustments to specific tonal regions in the image. The curves
UI in Merge to HDR Pro may look a little rudimentary, but it is ______________________________________
very powerful. As you place points on the Curve, click the Corner
option. This will allow you to place additional points on either
side of the Corner point and make changes, without affecting the
opposite side (as it would with a normal curves controller). Figure 6
shows a series of regular points and corner points, making it easier
to create pinpoint tonal edits with the Curves panel. Figure 7 shows
the final HDR image after being processed in Merge to HDR Pro.
Dan Moughamian is a photographer and author with more than 15 years of Photoshop
experience. His most recent titles include Adobe Digital Imaging How-Tos (Adobe Press),
as well as Photoshop CS5 Retouching & Image Adjustment and Core Lightroom 3
training from macProVideo.
To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online Forum: _______________________________
www.phototechforum.com
phototechmag.com 37
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TECH:
An Introduction to
Selective Masking Part I
A Method for Total Control of Dodging and
Burning in Analog Printing
Alan Ross
No matter how adept we might be at utilizing local Edition negatives for over 36 years, I have had to
printing controls such as dodging and burning, or dedicate a great deal of time and effort in the cause
using multiple contrasts, we sometimes still find of control and consistency. Over the years I’ve
ourselves faced with an image which either defies evolved a technique I have come to refer to as
our best efforts, or makes us really strain to get Selective Masking. I use the term “selective” be-
things to come out right. cause it is a physical, hands-on method, which has
no relation to the purely photometric process of
Have you ever wished you were an octopus? I’ve “unsharp” masking so popular in some circles
had several images where I had to have an assistant in recent years. In its basic form, it’s not techno-
dodge one area of a print while I dodged another. anything; it simply is a means of solidifying your own
Have you ever been frustrated trying to deal with dodging and burning preferences into a “package” which
a little part of an image, an important one, that’s remains absolutely constant from print to print.
just too small to even get a dodging wand into, You can change your mind about how you want
much less control it accurately? If you have to that package to perform; you can dodge and burn
make more than one or two prints of an image, do in greater detail than with traditional methods and
you have trouble getting the dodging or burning or with absolute consistency from print to print.
bleaching on print number two to be the same as
print number one? If you’ve experienced any or all Selective Masking techniques can be used to lighten
of these aggravations you may feel you need the or darken as many large or small areas of the image
services of a shaman, but the following techniques, as desired, and advanced techniques can be used
at least for me, produce more predictable results. to replicate the effects of smooth, broad—area
burns such as the method commonly used to grad-
Having been charged with the responsibility (and ually darken a sky toward the top of an image.
pleasure) of printing Ansel Adams’ Yosemite Special The beauty of the technique is that it is easy and
inexpensive, and it allows complete personal ex-
pression. Nothing is etched in stone. If you make
an area too light, you can adjust it. If the area is
still too dark, or if something else isn’t quite right,
you can adjust it. In this article we’ll cover the
basics of the method to lighten and darken spe-
cific areas. In a subsequent article we’ll cover the
more advanced techniques for making graduated
broad-area burns, and a third article will cover
techniques for making “built-in” multiple contrasts
on variable-contrast paper.
How it works:
The function of a mask in Selective Masking is to
modify the amount and kind of light that strikes the
negative without itself becoming image-forming.
This requires use of a special negative carrier that
allows a piece of diffusing material to be in contact
or near contact with the top of the negative, thus
(Figure 1)
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allowing us to place various light-blocking ma-

terials on the light-source side of that diffuser
without their having any clearly defined effect on
the qualities of of the image. If you lay a negative
emulsion down on a light table and place a piece
of 1/8 th or 1/16 th-inch thick diffusing/translucent-
Plexiglas®, or equivalent acrylic diffuser, on top
of it, you will see a fuzzy image of the negative
through the plexi. If you tape a piece of drawing
material such as tracing paper or artists’ matte
Mylar on the surface of the diffuser facing you, you
can use an ordinary pencil to add density to the
“package.” Wherever you add density, you will
lighten that exact area in the print. The more
density, the more you lighten. If you cut a hole
in the Mylar, you will be decreasing the density
in that area of the package since the Mylar itself
adds some density. Wherever you cut a hole, you
(Figure 2)
let more light strike the negative, and you will be
darkening that area in the print. This is the essence
of the technique. A few cheap tools, a little bit of
practice, and you’ll soon find yourself in absolute
control over aspects of your printing you never
before thought possible.
Since the use of a diffuser over the negative is

essential, it does mean that the technique cannot be
used with any optically-focused light sources such
as condenser or point-source systems. It works per-
fectly well with any diffusion light-source or for
contact-printing.
(Figure 3)
What you need to make it work:

1) A diffusion enlarger. Any kind will do: dichroic the top of the carrier, less than half a millimeter
color-head, cold-light and variable-contrast heads. above the negative. The bottom of the carrier, be-
If you use a cold light and can easily remove the ing glassless, helps keep dust problems to a min-
diffuser from it, do so. The diffuser over the neg- imum. I use 1/8 th-inch thick diffusing plexi (avai-
ative can serve as the diffuser for the cold light lable at most glass and mirror shops) when a cold
tube. If you have a colorhead or if it’s difficult to light tube is not already diffused. With dichroic or
remove the diffuser, don’t worry about it, you’ll just VC heads which have integral diffusers, I prefer to
lose a small amount of printing speed. If you make use 1/16 th-inch thick plexi for negatives 4x5 and
contact prints, you can replace the glass in your smaller. This thickness (0.062") isn’t too easy to
printing frame with plexi. find in many areas, but a well stocked, “big city”
plastics-supply company should have it and be
2) A special negative carrier that incorporates able to cut it to size. The thinner plexi affords a
a diffuser in its upper half. This can be as simple bit more precision for 4x5 and smaller negatives
as a sheet of diffusing plexi, hinged to a sheet of since the image viewed through the diffuser is not
picture glass with tape; the two pieces sandwiching quite so fuzzy as with the 1/8 th-inch material. Both
a sheet of black paper with a hole cut out to frame will work. The “plexi” I use is like what is used
whatever negative size you want to use. I have sev- in light tables as the diffuser for the lights and has
eral of these. I also machined a recess in the top an industry-standard designation of “2447”. An
plate of each of my Beseler carriers so that a piece internet search for “Plexiglas 2447” should turn up
of 1/16 th-inch thick diffuser nests down flush with lots of results.
phototechmag.com 39
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TECH:
(Figure 4) Burned Church, Las Mesitas, Colorado
3) A light table in the darkroom. You will be “Sharpie” markers also come in handy. A nice thing
using it a lot, so it should be readily accessible but about using pencil is that it can be erased if you go
not in the way. It only has to be large enough to too far. I find that the formable, gray eraser tends to
illuminate the whole negative. smear a bit less than other kinds. The “All” pencils
are great, they write on any surface, like a china
4) A variety of expendable drawing materials marker, but they are water soluble, so penciling
such as artist’s vellum, matte Mylar, tracing paper, can be removed easily with a moist cotton swab.
etc. The only requirements are that they be trans- I particularly like the #8008 “graphite” Stabilo,
parent enough to see a distinct image through but the 8046 “black” is good too. Colored pencils
them, and that they can be drawn on, preferably and markers (yellow and magenta and/or green
with a pencil. My favorite material is the matte- and blue) can be used to make subtle contrast
surfaced Mylar available at most art-supply stores. adjustments when using variable-contrast papers. I
This material has very little density of its own and recommend against using “highlighters” since their
has a perfect surface for penciling. It is available as colors can fade easily. They would work fine in the
single or double-side matte. I like the double-side. short term.
Tracing paper or vellum has more density than the
Mylar and is a good choice when areas of the image 6) X-Acto knife for cutting out areas of the drawing
need significant burning. These will be your masks. material over areas needing to be burned. A pair
They can be used singly or in multiple layers. of pinking shears can also be useful for cutting a
feathered edge.
5) A variety of pencils and small markers. I use
2H, 4H and Stabilo “All” pencils most of the time, 7) Tape. Since the negative has to remain in position
but regular #2 pencils work just fine, and fine point relative to any mask, it’s important to keep the
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INTRO TO SELECTIVE MASKING ALAN ROSS
(Figure 5)
negative from moving around in the carrier when sider my chances of getting a good print pretty
removing it and replacing it in the enlarger. I like much a matter of luck.
the Scotch® Magic™ Removable tape for securing
the negative in the negative carrier. A heavier Selective Masking, however, made a “non-problem”
tape such as white Artist tape or black photo tape out of the issue. It was a simple matter to add a
is good for affixing the drawing materials to the slightly graduated amount of pencil density to a
negative diffuser. Mylar mask to completely compensate for the burn
I gave to the sky. There were still a few too-bright
Examples clouds and a hotspot near where the walkway
The opening figure, Burned Church, Las Mesitas, meets the building which would all be pretty easy
Colorado was done with a 120mm Nikkor-W on to hole-burn for each print—but why bother? By
8x10 film with a #12 yellow filter. cutting out small areas of the mask where I wanted
to darken the print a bit, I was able to incorporate
In spite of the filtration, the sky still needed a fair the needed local burning into the basic exposure
amount of burning to get the effect I had in mind. and broad sky burn.
The trouble was, if I just burned the sky down
without dodging the church, the top part of the Figure 4 shows the finished print, made with the
building would get darker, along with the sky, final mask in place. Figure 5 shows a print with
while the bottom would stay light. I could wave the identical exposure as Figure 4, except that
a dodging wand around in the upper part of the the finished mask was replaced by a blank sheet
building during the basic exposure, but I certainly of Mylar. Figure 6 shows the finished mask itself.
would have a tough time being very thorough or Note the small cutout for burning the round
consistent. Even with my experience I would con- window over the door. Normally such a tiny area
phototechmag.com 41
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TECH:
(Figure 6) (Figure 7)
would be quite difficult to hole-burn successfully, the effects you want, make adjustments or start over.
but the mask took care of the problem effortlessly. When I need to print the negative again I put the
carrier on a light table and position the mask over
Figure 7 shows a cloud burn being cut out of the the negative visually. Highly precise registration is
mask—first, draw an outline of the area to be cut not necessary!
out, then place a piece of card between the mylar
and plexi before making the cuts. If you cut a hole in a mask and decide that it is
either too large, or is in the wrong place, you don’t
Limitations and Hints necessarily have to start over. Try adding a blank
Areas in an image of smooth, textureless tonality sheet of Mylar and pencil lightly over the irksome
such as a clear sky are difficult to mask successfully. hole.
Any unevenness in the penciling has a good
chance of showing up as unevenness in the print. When I want to add some pencil density to an
It is sometimes helpful to smudge the penciling area I’ve already penciled, I make the new pencil
with a cotton swab or tissue to smooth out uneven marks run in a different direction from those made
densities on a mask. before, creating a sort of crosshatched pattern. In
this way, I can tell how much of the target area is
Sometimes it is hard to see areas of a negative newly penciled.
through the diffuser well enough to accurately
pencil or cut out a particular area. If you turn the Have Fun! Be Bold! The biggest downside to this
negative carrier upside down and hold it over a technique is that it affords so much control that it is
light table, you can see every detail of the image. difficult to know when to stop!
Then, when you place the tip of a sharp pencil on
the back, Mylar, side you can see it well enough to For a more in-depth version of this masking article, or for ready-
get a better idea of the desired location. made making negative carriers and materials visit Alan's site at
www.alanrossphotography.com.
The smaller the negative, the more difficult it is to Photographer and master printer Alan Ross has been exclusive
take advantage of Selective Masking. I have used printer of Ansel Adams’ Special Edition images for over 36 years.
His experience includes operating a commercial studio with
the technique with 35mm film, but only rather projects ranging from ad campaigns to murals for the National
broad areas can be dealt with successfully. Park Service. Since 1993, he has devoted his energies to his
personal work, teaching and work for select clients including
Boeing, Nike, IBM and MCI. His photography hangs in collections
Just because a mask may have been deemed right and galleries throughout the country and internationally, and he
has lectured and led workshops in locations from Yosemite
for one printing doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t to China.
burn or dodge in the traditional fashion if you feel To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online
like it. If you feel that a mask is no longer creating Forum: www.phototechforum.com
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THE ALCHEMY OF SILVER JOHN SEXTON
Bell Tower, Late Afternoon, Northern New Mexico. ©2001 John Sexton. All rights reserved.
These days I am often asked why I still work with traditional

silver halide films and photographic papers, rather than the
latest and greatest digital innovations. I believe I am asked this
The Alchemy question so often because many photographers have decided

to change their working methods to incorporate digital capture
and digital printing, or are using a hybrid approach of exposing
and scanning film and then printing digitally. For me, the
of Silver answer to this question is simple. I love the alchemy of the

classical silver halide photographic process, and still today find
it to be magic... even after 40 years.
John Sexton I think each photographer should use whatever equipment

or approach they find works best for them. I frequently say
that photographs reveal not only that which is in front of the
camera −the subject, but also that which is behind the camera−
the photographer. For me, making photographs involves more
than simply finding a subject and making an exposure, but also
includes the processing of the negative, as well as the challenges
and excitement of print making in the darkroom. The ultimate
destination of this journey is the final expressive print.
phototechmag.com 43
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PORTFOLIO:
Geologic Conundrum, Banff National Park, Canada. ©2004 John Sexton. All rights reserved.
I vividly remember the first time I saw a print em- graphing with my view camera. Such was not al-
erge in the developer. It was Christmas night 1969, ways the case. When I first began working with a
and my friend Mark had received an enlarger as a 4"x5" view camera, as a college photography major,
gift that morning. He invited me over to see how it was not by choice but rather a requirement dur-
it worked. We had borrowed a strand of Christmas ing my second semester of photographic classes.
lights off of the tree and arranged it so it had only I found the view camera to be an awkward, non-
red bulbs. I will never forget the magic that trans- intuitive, and burdensome piece of equipment.
pired, watching that image appear in that small However, somewhere along the way my feeling
developing tray on a wobbly folding table in his changed, and for nearly 40 years a 4"x5" view cam-
bedroom. I’m not sure how many tens of thousands era has been my primary format of choice.
of images I’ve watched develop under the dim
glow of safelights since that time, but I still find it an Along with the experience of making negatives,
exciting and intoxicating process. I like the tactile processing the film, and exploring the alchemy of
aspect of touching the print in the processing the traditional darkroom, I find there is something
chemicals. I enjoy the anticipation of waiting for intrinsically unique about a beautifully executed
the fixing process to complete, so that I can turn on silver gelatin print. The changes in technology of
the white light to see if the print meets my expect- digital printers, inks, and papers over the past few
ations. If the print does indeed meet− or exceed− years allow a skillful digital printmaker to create
my expectation, it is a thrilling experience for me. images that look almost the same as a traditional
For some reason I do not feel the same emotional silver print. Once a print is framed behind acrylic
connection to the digital printmaking process. or glass, I would say some of these prints are virt-
ually indistinguishable− depending on the media
My darkroom is my personal sanctuary. It’s a place and also on the image.
where I can close the door and be alone. I find
working in my darkroom is like a form of med- That being said, I still find a successfully executed
itation. Interestingly, I encounter a similar feeling silver print has a unique ambiance that cannot
when I climb under the focusing cloth when photo- be put into words or recorded in sensitometric
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Rock Forms and Roaring Fork River, Near Aspen, Colorado. ©1996 John Sexton. All rights reserved.
phototechmag.com 45
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PORTFOLIO:
Monument Valley, Dusk, From Hunt’s Mesa, Arizona. ©2008 John Sexton. All rights reserved.
graphs. It must be seen, up close in person, to be Woods (a fine photographer), that led me to at-
fully appreciated. I might say it is perhaps even tend the two-week long Ansel Adams Yosemite
analogous to a truly fine wine. If you have never Workshop, along with John, a few months later.
experienced such a wine you can never understand That workshop, as well, brought new inspiration to
what others are talking about. my photography. I remember Ansel passing around
original prints from his personal collection as we
I will never forget the experience when, during sat in a small group (after we all carefully washed
another college photography class, we made a field our hands) and Ansel taught us the proper way to
trip to the Pasadena Museum of Modern Art (today carefully handle the prints by the mount edges.
the Norton Simon Museum) to see an exhibition There were original prints by Bullock, Edward and
of photographs by Ansel Adams, Edward Weston Brett Weston, Cartier-Bresson, Brassai, Uelsmann
and Wynn Bullock. I had never seen photographs and of course by Ansel. It was during that three-
with such beauty and power. I made the 125-mile hour session that I quietly made the decision that
round trip from home to the museum two or three I wanted to learn how to try and make prints that
additional times to sit and stare at these photo- were as beautiful as the ones I was holding in my
graphs. Some of the images brought tears to my hands. I still find pursuit of that desire to challenge
eyes, an experience I had never had previously me today and, on those rare occasions when a
when looking at photographs. I found myself catch- photograph meets or exceeds my expectations, it
ing my breath with excitement and awe. I was gives me great pleasure and satisfaction.
inspired in every way by these prints.
One thing I have noticed in the last few years is
It was seeing that exhibition, along with encourage- that because of the plethora of tools available in
ment from one of my classmates, John Charles the digital domain, sometimes the tools employed
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Tenaya Lake, Clouds, Afternoon, Yosemite National Park, California. ©2009 John Sexton. All rights reserved.
in digital printmaking speak more loudly than the nologies. I am reminded of the statement made
meaning of the image. I find that some − certainly by the noted painter and photographer Charles
not all − photographers working in the digital Sheeler: “Isn’t it amazing how photography has ad-
domain over-sharpen and over-manipulate their vanced without improving.”
images, because it is so easy to do so. Whether in
the classical darkroom or the digital darkroom, I
John Sexton is known as a photographer, master print maker,
think alterations to the image should only be made workshop instructor and lecturer. Author of four award-winning
when it’s necessary to achieve your visualization books, Sexton is best known for his luminous black and
white images of the natural environment. Sexton served as
about that photograph. I have particular concern photographic assistant and consultant to photographer Ansel
for photographers that approach the use of their Adams. John’s finely crafted large format photographs have
appeared in numerous exhibitions and publications, and are
camera with the cavalier attitude of “it doesn’t included in permanent collections and exhibitions, throughout
really matter... I can fix it in Photoshop!” the world. For information on John’s workshops, prints, and
publications, visit www.johnsexton.com.
I think it’s important to look at the process of To ask a question or comment on this article, visit our online
Forum: www.phototechforum.com
photography holistically. There are many new cre-
ative possibilities today, but having an aware- Product Resources
ness, sensitivity and skill based on the rich history Cameras: 4x5 Linhof Master Technika 2000; Lenses:
of traditional photography gives one even more 75mm, 90mm, 200mm Nikkor-M; Film: Kodak T-Max 100,
400; Filters: #12 deep yellow, #23A light red, #21 orange.
creative freedom when exploring the latest tech-
phototechmag.com 47
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Heinz Orais
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variations on the photographic arts Nov/ Dec 2010

Call for Entries

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037. Petersburg, Virginia, 1865, Unknown. Wet-collodion. The spiky obstacles

Dover’s History Trip–

This is the second installment of a series in which David Vestal gives

Skip to the 1860s. Photography had changed. The daguerreotype

The tintype used the same principle as the ambrotype: a thin

4 photo technique N/D 2010

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DOVER’S HISTORY TRIP PART II DAVID VESTAL

The main photographic medium from the 1860s through

Now back to the pictures. And here’s a curiosity. In Dover’s

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6 photo technique N/D 2010

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NEWS: Wendy Erickson

One of my favorites is the Smithsonian

For a contemporary photography ex-

The artists included in this edition of

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"Underexposed" is an ongoing, free call for entries

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ASHLEY LEBEDEV | NICO CHIAPPERINI

Street photography is often a stage where people

My ﬁrst contact with photography was strong, nice

In 2005 I graduated in Aerospace Engineering, and

Photography is the place where my soul has eyes

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NEWS: Wendy Erickson

THOSE NICE BRIGHT COLORS

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BRUCE BARNBAUM’S REVISED

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