Photographic Possibilities

The Expressive Use of Concepts, Ideas, Materials, and Processes

Robert Hirsch

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317329534
• Edition: 4
• Topic: Arte
• Subtopic: Técnicas fotográficas

The long-awaited new edition of this seminal text features clear, reliable, step-by-step instructions on innovative alternative and traditional photographic processes. Over and above a full update and revision of the technical data, there are new sections on digital negative making, electrophotography, and self-publishing. Foremost practioners, including Edward Bateman, Dan Burkholder, Tom Carpenter, Mark Osterman, France Scully Osterman, Jill Skupin Burkholder, Brian Taylor, and Laurie Tümer, have contributed their expertise to this edition. Perfect for practitioners or students of handmade photography, the book covers classic black-and-white film and paper processes, hand-coated processes like Cyanotype, and Platinum/Palladium. Also featured is an enhanced section on gum bichromate, invaluable instruction on workflow, and the integration of digital, promoting the effective union of one's concepts, materials, and processes. The book showcases work and commentary from more than 150 international artists.

Addendum 1
Safety Guidelines

Photographers must be aware of certain health and environmental concerns to ensure a safe and creative working atmosphere. Before beginning to work with any of the processes mentioned in this text, it is essential to follow the basic precautions and procedures outlined in the next section. Only you can be responsible for your safety, those living creatures around you, and our environment.

Figure A 1.1 Chemistry Equipment, from Robert Brent's The Golden Books of Chemistry Experiments: How to Set up a Home Laboratory — Over 200 Simple Experiments. Illustrated by Harry Lazarus. New York: Golden Press, 1960.

Courtesy Gary Nickard Collection.

Box A.1 Safety Guidelines

1.Read and follow all instructions and safety recommendations on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and product literature, which are provided with each product by its manufacturer and in this text, before carrying out any process. This includes mixing, handling, disposal, and storage. Also, obtain any special safety equipment before using the materials you have purchased. MSDS are available from the manufacturers of each product, often online. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a standard MSDS form that is reproduced in this section to give you an idea of the type of information provided. Each manufacturer prepares its own MSDS. Typically they provide additional ecological, disposal, transport, and regulatory information, and are available to download from their website.

2.Become familiar with all the inherent dangers associated with any chemicals used. When acquiring any chemicals or when working with a new process, ask about proper handling and safety procedures. Obtain MSDS for all chemicals used, which can usually be found on the manufacturer's website. Keep them available in a notebook for easy reference. Learn how to interpret the MSDS. Right-to-know laws in the US and Canada require all employers to formally train workers to read MSDS.

3.Know the First aid and emergency treatment for the chemicals with which you are working. Keep the telephone numbers for poison control and emergency treatment prominently displayed in your working area and near the telephone. Each MSDS has the manufacturer's emergency number on it. Add these numbers to your personal electronic phone directories.

4.Many chemicals may be flammable. Keep them away from any source of heat or open flame to avoid possible explosion or fire. Keep an ABC-type fire extinguisher in the darkroom, which can be used for ordinary combustibles (wood and paper), solvent, grease, and electrical fires in the work area.

5.Protect chemicals from low temperatures (lower than 40°F/4.4°C). They may freeze, burst in their containers, and contaminate your working environment. Chemicals that have been frozen may also be damaged and deliver unexpected and faulty results.

6.Work in a well-ventilated space (see “Darkroom Ventilation” section of this chapter). Hazardous chemicals should be mixed under a vented hood or outside.

7.Protect yourself. Wear disposable, chemical-resistant gloves, safety glasses, and plastic aprons. Find a glove maker who gives information that indicates how long the glove material can be in contact with a chemical before it becomes degraded or permeated. Degradation happens when the glove deteriorates from being in contact with the chemical. Permeation occurs when molecules of the chemical penetrate through the glove material. Permeated gloves often appear unchanged and wearers may be unaware they are being exposed to the chemical. Some chemicals can penetrate chemical gloves in minutes and begin to penetrate the skin. Barrier creams, which can protect the skin from light exposure to specific chemicals, can be applied to your skin. Choose the right cream to block acids, oils, or solvents, and use it exactly as directed. Do not use harsh soaps or solvents to wash your hands. After washing, apply a high-quality hand lotion to replace lost skin oils.

8.Precisely follow mixing instructions. Label each solution container to reduce the chance of contamination and/or using the wrong solution. Avoid contamination problems by keeping all working surfaces clean, dry, and free of chemicals. Use polystyrene mixing rods, funnels, graduates, and pails. Use separate mixing containers for each chemical, and do not interchange them. Label them with a permanent marker. Thoroughly wash all equipment used in chemical mixing. Keep floors dry to prevent slips and falls.

9.When mixing chemicals, wear a disposable facemask or respirator especially if you have had a previous allergic reaction. If you have any type of reaction, immediately suspend work with all photographic processes and consult a physician. In addition to disposable plastic gloves, wear safety glasses and a plastic apron.

10.Consult the MSDS for the proper type of protection required with each chemical or process. When mixing powdered materials, use a NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health)-approved mask for toxic dusts. When diluting concentrated liquid chemicals containing solvents, acetic acid, and sulfites, wear a combination organic vapor/acid gas cartridge. Ideally all mixing should be done in a local exhaust system. If you have any type of reaction, immediately suspend work with all photographic processes and consult with a knowledgeable physician. Once an allergic reaction has occurred, you should avoid the chemicals unless your physician approves the use of a respirator. Employers of workers who wear respirators, including dust masks, are required by OSHA to have a written respirator program, formal fit testing, and worker training. People with certain diseases and some pregnant women should not wear them. Check with your physician.

11.Always pour acids slowly into water; never pour water into acids. Do not mix or pour any chemical at eye level, as a splash could easily hit your eyes. Wear protective eyewear, especially when mixing acids.

12.Avoid touching any electrical equipment with wet hands. Install shockproof outlets (ground fault interrupters) in your own darkroom. Make certain all equipment is grounded. Keep the floor dry. When designing a darkroom, plan to separate wet and dry areas.

13.Follow instructions for proper disposal of all chemicals. Wash yourself and any equipment that has come into contact with any chemicals. Launder darkroom towels after each session. Dispose of gloves and masks to avoid future contamination. Keep your workspace clean and uncontaminated.

14.Store all chemicals properly. Use safety caps or lock up chemicals to prevent other people, children, and pets from being exposed to their potential dangers. Store chemicals in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight.

15.Do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling chemicals. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling any chemicals. OSHA forbids the consumption or storage of food or drink wherever toxic chemicals are in use or stored. Food should not be stored in the refrigerator next to chemicals and paper.

16.If you are pregnant or have any pre-existing health problems, read the pertinent materials under “Additional Information” at the end of this chapter before carrying out any process described in this book.

17.People have varying sensitivities to chemicals. If you have had allergic reactions to any chemicals, pay close attention to the effects that darkroom chemicals have on you, and be ardently careful about following all safety procedures (see following section on “Contact Allergies, Chemical Sensitivities and Poison Control”). Specific safety measures and reminders are provided in the chapters on each process. These guidelines are not designed to produce paranoia but to ensure that you have a long and safe adventure in uncovering the many possibilities of photography. Your eyes, lungs, and skin are porous membranes and can absorb chemical vapors. It is your job to protect yourself.

18.Follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper disposal of all chemicals (see section “Disposing of Chemistry”).

Contact Allergies, Chemical Sensitivities, and Poison Control

Although most people work with photographic chemicals and materials with no adverse effects, some individuals have a high sensitivity to certain substances. This group of people may have a reaction to substances like household cleaners, latex, matches, paints, rubber, wool, and even some types of jewelry. All chemicals used in photography should always be treated with care.

The symptoms of chemical sensitivity vary from one person to another. These symptoms can include redness, itching, or swelling when skin comes in contact with a chemical. The skin may form blisters that later break. A chemical sensitivity reaction does not require contact with the substance. Inhalation or skin contact with fumes may be enough to trigger the reaction. Note that an individual chemical may not be particularly toxic in liquid form but may be highly toxic if inhaled while in powder form.

Chemical sensitivities are not allergies but they often cause many of the same symptoms, such as lightheadedness, fatigue, headaches, and recurrent illnesses that seem to have no explanation. Reactions may vary widely, but the treatment is the same — avoidance of the substance causing the reaction.

Chemicals used in photography that commonly cause chemical sensitivity reactions include: Metol, paraphenylene diamine, potassium aluminum sulfate, gold and platinum salts, selenium salts, potassium persulfate, potassium dichromate, and potassium chlorochromate.

This is only a partial list. Generally, the chemical formulations listed in this book can be safely used with only a few precautions such as a pair of gloves and good ventilation.

Local Poison Control

The telephone number for your local poison control hotline is often listed in the first few pages of your telephone directory or can be found via your Web search engine. Keep this number close to the telephone in case of an emergency. Add it to your cell phone directory as well.

Disposing of Chemistry

As environmental regulations are made stronger, what may have been disposable by pouring down the drain ten years ago may require careful disposal today. As the beneficiaries of cleaner air and water, photographers are responsible for following local regulations. Municipal waste treatment plants can handle most photochemical solutions under a certain volume and concentration. Local sewer authorities regulate the concentrations and the volume of chemicals released per day into sewer systems. Most individual home photographic processing will not exceed these regulations. Before setting up a darkroom, check with your local sewer authority for information about how to properly dispose of your photographic solutions.

Disposing of Fixer

Fixing baths can contain high concentrations of silver thiocyanate. It is usually acceptable to pour small amounts of fixer down the drain with running water. The US Clean Water Act allows no more than 5 parts per million (p.p.m.) of silver ion to be deposited in municipal wastewater treatment plants. This concentration can easily be reached during a single printing session. Large amounts of used fixer (more than a few gallons per day) should therefore be treated with a silver recovery system. These systems come in a variety of styles, sizes, and prices and can be found online. The precipitated silver must be sent to a company that will recover the silver...