The salt print is the foundation of photography. William Henry Fox Talbot, known as the of photography, discovered the salt print process in 1834. The history of Talbot is quite remarkable. His early discoveries were the foundation of numerous photographic and print processes, many still practiced today. Due to the inherent masking ability the salt print can create a greater tonal range than other photographic print processes. The challenge is to create negatives that reach this extraordinary range. The salt print offers flexibility in controlling the colour, tones and hues.

Photography emerged in 1839 in two forms simultaneously. In France, Louis Daguerre produced photographs on silvered sheets of copper, while in Great Britain, William Henry Fox Talbot put forward a method of capturing an image on ordinary writing paper treated with chemicals. Talbot’s invention, a paper negative from which any number of positive prints could be made, became the progenitor of virtually all photography carried out before the digital age. Talbot named his perfected invention "calotype," a term based on the Greek word for beauty. Calotypes were characterized by a capacity for subtle tonal distinctions, massing of light and shadow, and softness of detail. In the 1840s, amateur photographers in Britain responded with enthusiasm to the challenges posed by the new medium. Their subjects were wide-ranging, including landscapes and nature studies, architecture, and portraits. Glass-negative photography, which appeared in 1851, was based on the same principles as the paper negative but yielded a sharper picture, and quickly gained popularity. Despite the rise of glass negatives in commercial photography, many gentlemen of leisure and learning continued to use paper negatives into the 1850s and 1860s. These amateurs did not seek the widespread distribution and international reputation pursued by their commercial counterparts, nearly all of whom favored glass negatives. As a result, many of these calotype works were produced in a small number of prints for friends and fellow photographers or for a family album. This richly illustrated, landmark publication tells the first full history of the calotype, embedding it in the context of Britain’s changing fortunes, intricate class structure, ever-growing industrialization, and the new spirit under Queen Victoria. Of the 118 early photographs presented here in meticulously printed plates, many have never before been published or exhibited.

"The definitive textbook for students and professionals studying the art of handmade photographic prints, The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes, 3e brings students, hobbyists, and professionals up to date with the latest techniques and artists." -- Provided by publisher.

Jill Enfield’s Guide to Photographic Alternative Processes, 2nd edition, is packed with stunning imagery, how-to recipes, techniques and historical information for emulating the ethereal, dream-like feel of alternative processing. This fully updated edition covers alternative processing from its historical roots through to digital manipulation and contemporary techniques and how to combine them. It features several new techniques alongside new approaches to older techniques, including hand painting on silver gelatin prints, ceramics and photography, cyanotypes, wet plate collodion, digital prints and many more. Enfield showcases the different styles and methods of contemporary artists together with suggestions for vegan and vegetarian friendly alternative processing, transforming 2D images to 3D installations, and how to apply darkroom techniques to digital captures. Professionals, students and hobbyists will discover how to bring new life and imagination to their imagery. Whether in a darkroom using traditional chemicals, at the kitchen sink with pantry staples, or in front of the computer re-creating techniques digitally, you will learn how to add a richness and depth to your photography like never before.

The book Salt print is the third book in a series of books about historical and alternative photography. In it, the reader will learn the basic techniques of salted, albumenized, arrowroot, and matte paper. The author presents not only basic knowledge, as in all of his books, but further extends it with descriptions of other old, wonderful processes that are hard to find in other contemporary texts on this topic. Thus, he takes us into the forgotten world of printing on glass, where the reader will learn through very understandable descriptions the manufacturing process of once extremely popular opalotypes (printing on translucent white glass), and as a finale, the author explains one of the most beautiful of these almost forgotten techniques, the art of manufacturing orotones (photos printed on gilded glass), which, at the time of publication of this book, is mastered by only a few people in the world. The author also describes other salt print techniques, such as how to produce photos with the once very popular technique of printing on colored paper; how to manually color photos; or even how to develop salted prints with the help of both the earliest and most modern developers. Toning of salted prints is, of course, quite extensively described in this Salt print book, with descriptions of the once most commonly used toners. The author has also not forgotten to include a short description of the use of modern digital negatives. After the whole process of making the many kinds of salt prints has been described, the book closes with a description of the last step: the production and use of varnishes and waxes, which are used to preserve a photograph in time and to give to it a final, refined appearance.

Primitive Photography considers the hand-made photographic process in its entirety, showing the reader how to make box-cameras, lenses, paper negatives and salt prints, using inexpensive tools and materials found in most hardware and art-supply stores. Step-by-step procedures are presented alongside theoretical explanations and historical background. Streamlined calotype procedures are demonstrated, featuring different paper negative processes and overlooked, developing-out printing methods. Primitive Photography combines the simplicity of pinhole photography, the handmade quality of alternative processes, and the precision of large-format. For those seeking alternatives to commercially prepared material as well as digital photography, it provides the instructions for creating the entire photographic process from the ground up. Given its scope and treatment of the photographic process as a whole, this may be the first book of its kind to appear in over a century.

The art of darkroom developing and printing will never go out of style. Master darkroom specialist Steve Anchell is back to prove it in this long-awaited third edition of his enormously successful Darkroom Cookbook. Packed with over 200 "recipes," some common and others rare gems, you'll discover something new every time you open this guide, whether you're new to the darkroom or have been making your own prints for years. In addition to the formulas, you'll find tons of useful information on developers, push-processing, where to get darkroom equipment, how to set up your own darkroom, how to work and play in your darkroom safely, and much more. This handy guide will become a constant companion for every darkroom enthusiast creating prints at home or in the studio. In addition to complete updates throughout to reflect changes in the availability of chemicals and equipment, this third edition contains all new information on: *Reversal processing *Enlarged negatives *Pyro formulas *Plus expanded sections on printing, pyro, and toning prints Also included for the first time are special technique contributions as well as stunning black and white imagery by Bruce Barnbaum, Rod Dresser, Jay Dusard, Patrick Gainer, Richard Garrod, Henry Gilpin, Gordon Hutchings, Sandy King, Les McLean, Saïd Nuseibeh, France Scully Osterman, Mark Osterman, Tim Rudman, Ryuijie, John Sexton, and John Wimberly. Be sure to visit www.darkroomcookbook.com to find useful links, an interactive user forum, and more! Steve Anchell is a photographer and author of The Variable Contrast Printing Manual, and co-author of The Film Developing Cookbook. He has been teaching darkroom and photography workshops since 1979. Steve is a member of the Freestyle Advisory Board of Photographic Professionals. "With its unrivalled collection of photographic formulae and easy to understand explanations of photographic processes, The Darkroom Cookbook has long been a favorite with darkroom workers everywhere. Now, with further additions to its formulary, more topics, and contributions by renowned darkroom experts, this new edition promises to be an indispensable Aladdin's Cave resource to darkroom enthusiasts of all levels. -Tim Rudman, photographer and author "The Darkroom Cookbook is an essential compendium of photographic information for anyone interested in high-quality darkroom work. -John Sexton, photographer

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "The Pencil of Nature" by William Henry Fox Talbot. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.