Time: 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
This program is suited for attendees at All levels of experience.

This 3-day hands-on workshop has been designed as a way to make some of the historic photographic process accessible to Artists of various traditions. They requires no special photographic background and are easy to incorporate into your own art making.

Over the three days we will explore the Albumen and Van Dyke Brown processes. Albumen prints have a beautiful glossy surface, renders sharp detail, and is a warm brown/sepia color. The Van Dyke Brown process is a very flexible process that can not only applied to paper, but can be applied to canvas and other fabrics for uses in assemblage, book making, quilting and sculpture.

We will explore the joy of making digital negatives for contact printing. This 21st century advancement allow you to take images that you have created digitally and output them to transparencies. With some testing and the aid of the computer we will test the Van Dyke process and generate adjustment curves to eliminate trial and error in the printing process. We will also spend a day exploring how to make pinhole cameras out of broken roll film cameras and using its spare parts to make special effects lenses for digital cameras. These cameras will create old fashion looking images that lend themselves to the alternative photographic processes.

 The Albumen Process – Day 1 
Discover one of the most beautiful and archival historic photographic process. The albumen process was an adaptation of the earliest salt prints, but the egg whites produced a wonderful glossy surface and greatly increased both the sharpness and tonal range of the print. Learn step by step how to: make the albumen and silver solutions, coat the paper through the floating technique, exposure and development of the final print. During this workshop each student will complete several one of a kind Albumen prints. Visit albumenprocess.com for more examples.

Reinventing the Camera – Day 2
In the age of Digital Photography, everyone is a Photographer. In this workshop we will explore some ways to re-connect with the essence of photography and learn some dynamic ways to set yourself apart without the use of photoshop or an App. We will deconstruct an old roll film camera and turn it into a pinhole camera, make a pinhole lens for your DSLR and use the removed lens from the roll film camera to create selective focus lenses.

The Magic of Digital Negatives – Day 3
Have you ever been unsatisfied with the ability to create an “antique” photo in photoshop? In this hands on workshop we will explore how to get your digitally created images out of the computer and printed directly onto a 19th century photographic emulsion. This workshop will teach a system for testing Alternative Process and creating rich full range digital negatives that exactly match the tonal range of each process. This system will eliminate hours of trial and error and make the printing process very predictable. We will be: testing the Van Dyke Brown process, building a correction curve, printing digital negatives, exposing and developing Van Dyke Brown prints.

About the Instructor

Will’s life long love of photography and alternative process began at age 5 when he was introduced to the magic of the pinhole camera. In 1998 he graduated from the Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Photography. He has been teaching for the past 12 years in various capacities. He shared his love for photography for 8 years with high school students, taught individuals and workshops covering all aspects of Apple computers including Aperture and Photoshop, and managed the Photography and Graphic Design Labs for the State University of New York at New Paltz. While in New Paltz, Will re-established an alternative process lab by teaching workshops on Van Dyke Brown, Salt, Gun Bichromate and Albumen printing. Will is most inspired by the tactile experience of hand coating 19th century photographic emulsions combined with the control of the 21st century by creating beautiful digital negative.

Studio and Material Fee

Material fee covers pre mixed Albumen, 12% Silver Nitrate solution, Gold Chloride Toner, Hypo Thiosolphate, Stonehenge Paper 7.5x10 (4), Pre-coated Albumen Paper (2), assorted camera parts, types of glues and screws; flexible tubing and bellows; various opaque tape, 2000 ml Van Dyke brown Solution, Gold Chloride Toner, Hypo Thiosolphate, Stonehenge Paper 7.5x10 (6), Pictorico OHP 8.5”x11” transparency film(4), Inkjet ink,Van Dyke Brown emulsion,  inkjet printers, Safe lights, UV box, scales, trays, graduated cylinders, plexiglass, drying racks, clothes pins, push pins, stirring rods, other needed chemicals, storage containers, dremel tool, hand drill, assorted other tools, sandpaper, sewing needles, aluminum cans, spray paint, mount board and miscellaneous studio supplies.

Student Supplies

Students should bring the following supplies:

• Day 1 -  Gloves(tight fitting), goggles, and a dust mask; hair dryer. Students should also bring some combination of the following supplies for printing: Black and White negative(120 or larger would work best), old family or vintage negative(dense/contrasty negative work best), 2D objects to create Photograms(lace, paper cutouts, feathers, plants, etc.), or digital inkjet negative printed on Pictorico OHP(email instructor for instructions and an adjustment curve).
• Day 2 - 1-3 vintage cameras(35mm and 120 work best) that can be taken apart; the correct size film for the camera(s) and 3 camera body caps(specific to your DSLR camera). Tools: scissors, small screw drivers, metal shears, pliers, hammer and a Dremel tool or drill(if you have one).
• Day 3 - Gloves(tight fitting), goggles, and a dust mask, Hair dryer, 1.5” Hake Brush or sponge brush, computer with Photoshop(a free 30 day trial can be downloaded at adobe.com), a minimum of 3 finished photoshop files(adjusted to your vision as Black and White images, do not convert to grayscale or flatten)

Optional Supplies

No optional supplies recommended.

Additional Program Information

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Meals

Lunch is served in our community building at 12:30 p.m. and will be provided at an additional $15.00 per day.  You must make your lunch reservation in advance.  We pride ourselves in offering a healthy and organic lunch which will exceed your expectations. If you do not wish to make a reservation, please bring a sack lunch. Beverages will be provided. Some workshops have optional evening meal events, which must also be reserved in advance. Evening meal event prices vary, ranging from $15.00-$30.00 per meal.

Networking

A social hour is provided from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. following the first day of each program. Wine, cheese and a non-alcolohic beverage will be served in the community room for you to enjoy.

Policies

CANCELLATIONS: While we understand that circumstances can arise causing a change in your plans, we must adhere to a business policy. Because it is impossible for Valley Ridge to favor one individual situation or circumstance over another, we must adhere to our policy in all situations and can make no exceptions to our cancellation policy.

• 45 Days or More prior to a workshop: Full refund of tuition, less a $75.00 cancellation fee.
• 44 Days or Less prior to a workshop: No refunds or credits for any reason.

Registration Fees: The entire registration fee is due in full at time of registration. Valley Ridge Art Studio provides an advance deposit option to make it easier for those with financial constraints to participate in our programs. The advance deposit fee secures your workshop space, and is applied to your entire workshop registration fee. Payment for your fee/materials balance and any other optional meals will be charged to your credit card 45 days prior to workshop. Non-credit card payments will receive an invoice, which is due upon receipt.

Transfer Policy: You may transfer out of a workshop to another program in the same season. Transfer request must be received at least 45 days prior to a program. There will be a $50.00 transfer fee assessed on each transfer.

Credit Card Transaction Reversal: You intended to reserve a workshop and registered for one instead. You noticed your credit card was charged for the entire balance and only wanted to apply $75.00. You would like your credit card credited for the difference. We at Valley Ridge Art Studio are willing to reverse your transaction. There will be a $25.00 administrative fee per reversal request. Your balance will be due 45 days prior to the workshop.

Program schedule is subject to change.

Release/Waiver

I understand the risks associated with my attendance at the Studio and the use of various tools, equipment and products found in the Studio.  I voluntarily agree to assume the risk of injury or illness or property damage that may arise out of my attendance at the Studio and use of tools, equipment and products found in the Studio and hereby waive and release the Studio and its members, affiliates, employees, and agents and assigns from any and all claims, actions or losses which I may suffer as a result of my attendance at and use of the Studio.  I further agree to  hold harmless, defend and indemnify the Studio and its members, affiliates, employees, and agents and assigns from any and all claims, actions or losses arising out of my attendance at and use of the Studio or use of the tools, equipment and products found in the Studio regardless of the cause, including but not limited to the negligence of the Studio or its members, affiliates, employees, and agents and assigns.