A portfolio of 8”x10” vintage gelatin silver prints (1973 – 1986) on Portriga Rapid paper in 11”X14” archival mats
I re-discovered these early prints of mine made on Agfa’s Portriga Rapid paper after recently moving my studio. Portriga was a Chlorobromide paper renown for its remarkable shadow detail and the richness of its maximum density black or “d-max”.
In 1988, Agfa reformulated the paper for environmental reasons. The re-formulated paper – said by some not to have the same tone and scale as the old formula – was later discontinued.
These travel images recall for me my time of discovering and falling in love with the magic of photography as I learned its craft; the photographer’s own hand burned and dodged a print; the photographer’s own breath blown on to the print during development changed its look.
I now see that I was always drawn in my travels to places of antiquity.
I love digital processes and the creative freedom and expansion they give me; yet these prints on Portriga are something “other” and not necessarily meant to be compared with digital materials. Simply put, they are from a different world.
Select vintage prints available at Throckmorton Fine Art.
