8.04.2012
6.22.2012
Photographers At Artomatic - Closing June 23, 2012
Artomatic in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, will close this Saturday night, June 23, 2012. With it closes our famous Camera Obscura Installation (day viewing only) and the exhibits by 5 of our group members.
Press:
Individual Exhibits and Site Links:
Barry Schmetter
Carole Hollander
George L. Smyth
Joanna Knox Yoder
Scott Davis
Press:
- John Anderson Artomatic: Out of Vitamins Washington City Paper
- George Smyth, Artomatic Camera Obscura f/295 Pinhole Forum
- Michael O'Sullivan, Artomatic Returns to Crystal City Washington Post
- Mark Jenkins, Galleries: Artomatic Entertainment, Washington Post
- Smithsonian Studio Arts Blog Real-Life Camera Obscura
- Tammy Vitale (blog), Artomatic Interview #14 Joanna Knox Yoder
Individual Exhibits and Site Links:
Barry Schmetter
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| Tube, pigment ink print |
Carole Hollander
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| Last Look, silver gelatin print - Dad Remains, cremains print |
George L. Smyth
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| Braddock Project (part of), bromoil |
Joanna Knox Yoder
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| Skeleton Key, tintype |
Scott Davis
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| Pearl Dive Vespa, pigment print |
5.20.2012
Camera Obscura at Artomatic
The camera obscura is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen. It is used in drawing and for entertainment, and was one of the inventions that led to photography. The device consists of a box or room with a hole in one side. Light from an external scene passes through the hole and strikes a surface inside where it is reproduced, upside-down, but with color and perspective preserved.
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| Camera Obscura at Artomatic 2012, photo by David Struewing |
Members of The Photo Gathering created a Camera Obscura using a room at Artomatic 2012 in Crystal City, Arlington, VirginIA. The walls were painted black and the windows covered with black opaque paper with a small hole for a meniscus lens. Light passes through the lens, and the scene outside the window, National Airport and The Potomac River, is projected onto the opposite wall and ceiling (painted white). The live image is upside down and backwards (most is on the ceiling).
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image Library of Congress The Camera Obscura will be at Artomatic (free) during daylight hours through June 23, 2012 Wednesdays and Thursdays: noon – 10 pm Fridays and Saturdays: noon – 1 amSundays: noon – 5 pmClosed Mondays and TuesdaysArtomatic Site and Directions |
4.06.2012
Bromoil Demonstration May 3, 2012 by George L. Smyth
The one sentence explanation of how to make a Bromoil print is that the silver that forms the image in a traditional darkroom print is removed and replaced with lithographic ink by striking it repeatedly with an ink-charged brush. Of course there is more to it, as will be demonstrated by George L Smyth on 3 May. George has given talks and workshops on the Bromoil process and an example of his work can be found at http://GeorgeSmyth.com. George Smyth's work will be showcased at The Glenview Mansion Art Gallery in Rockville, Maryland June, 2012. Glenview Mansion June 2012 Exhibit  |
| Please Do Not Sit Here |
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| Welcome Home |
3.19.2012
Pinhole Demonstration April 5, 2012
Joshua Dunn will demonstrate and the pinhole camera and it's many variations.
George L. Smyth will display prints from the sieve pinhole variation.
Following the presentations there will be a gear swap and print sharing.
http://www.pinholeday.org/support/?pid=faq by Larry Bullis
Pinhole photography is similar to "common photography" in most respects but differs in that the camera used has no lens. Instead, it has a very small aperture which projects an image upon the sensitized material (film or paper). This necessitates different ways of working (primarily because the exposures must be relatively long) and produces images which differ from lens images in several important respects.
Information and Links:
Worldwide Pinhole Day is April 29, 2012 (the last Sunday in April)
http://www.pinholeday.org/org/
Wiki on Pinhole:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera
George L. Smyth will display prints from the sieve pinhole variation.
Following the presentations there will be a gear swap and print sharing.
http://www.pinholeday.org/support/?pid=faq by Larry Bullis
Pinhole photography is similar to "common photography" in most respects but differs in that the camera used has no lens. Instead, it has a very small aperture which projects an image upon the sensitized material (film or paper). This necessitates different ways of working (primarily because the exposures must be relatively long) and produces images which differ from lens images in several important respects.
Where a lens forms an image by bringing rays of light coming to it from each point in the subject to a common focus, the pinhole does not focus at all. Instead, it acts as a center of projection.
Speaking practically, a ray of light from any point in the subject, passing through the pinhole, will intersect the film in only one place. Another ray of light, coming from a different point in the subject and passing through the hole will strike the film in a different place. The accumulation of all rays of light passing through the hole will thus form an image at the film plane. If the film plane were moved forward or backward, the image would still be there, but it would be smaller or larger depending upon where it were located.
Because the hole is actually not truly a point, it allows more than just one ray from each point in the subject to strike the film. We could say that it passes a small bundle of rays from each point. This is one reason why pinhole images are characteristically softer than lens images. The other reason is that some of the rays encounter the edge of the hole and are diffracted; they bend.
Since there is no focus, the sharpness of the image (such as it is; it is always somewhat "soft") is uniform from near distance to far. In other words, there is no limitation of depth of field as there is in lens photography. Very near objects (closer than the pinhole to film distance) will however become softer due to divergence of the rays coming from each point.
Information and Links:
Worldwide Pinhole Day is April 29, 2012 (the last Sunday in April)
http://www.pinholeday.org/org/
Wiki on Pinhole:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera
2.16.2012
Wet Plate Demonstration March 1
Photographers Barry Schmetter and Joshua Dunn will be demonstrating the wet plate process.
There will be a small charge for plates made during this demonstration. No charge for attending.
Space may be limited. Kindly RSVP to largeformatgathering@gmail.com.
Links for wet plate information:
Scully & Osterman
Wikipedia Collodion Process
There will be a small charge for plates made during this demonstration. No charge for attending.
Space may be limited. Kindly RSVP to largeformatgathering@gmail.com.
Links for wet plate information:
Scully & Osterman
Wikipedia Collodion Process
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| George Smyth, Victorian banker Copyright George Smyth 2010 |
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| Skull In Cabinet Copyright Barry Schmetter 2011 |
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| Window Still Life Copyright Barry Schmetter 2012 |
2.11.2012
Fifth Year and New Location at VisArts At Rockville
This month Photo Gathering for Large Format and Alternative Processes will begin it's fifth year. Our new location will be at VisArts At Rockville on the 3rd floor in the photography suite.
1.31.2012
February Gathering: Telephoto Lens For About A Dollar
Bill Seelig, engineer and photographer, will demonstrate the telephoto lens he made for his 4x5 camera for a dollar. Precise and easy to follow instructional handouts will be available.
John Hoover will show and discuss his recent work from India in advance of his solo exhibit opening at Montgomery College February 8, 2012
John Hoover will show and discuss his recent work from India in advance of his solo exhibit opening at Montgomery College February 8, 2012
1.19.2012
HINDUSTAN - A Solo Exhibit by John Hoover at Montgomery College
Please join us Wednesday February 8th from 7-9 PM at the Montgomery College Arts & Technology Center Gallery at the Rockville Campus to celebrate the opening of John Hoover's solo exhibition “Hindustan.” The exhibition is comprised of photographs from his recent travels to India. John Hoover is the co-founder of The Large Format and Alternative Processes Gathering.
John Hoover began his career as a traditional black and white photographer and used a large format view camera for portrait, landscape and architectural image making. With the evolution of digital photography John incorporated the new technology into his work.
A shaping force in the development of John’s creative vision was the training he received in large format photography, which John credits as teaching him the patience and contemplation necessary to distill the essence and emotion of the world he sees through careful composition.
For five years John worked as the Director of Photography at The Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts (VisArts), a non-profit community arts center located in Rockville, Maryland, starting first as a volunteer and then moving into a full time staff position. The photography program at VisArts originally began as a traditional darkroom facility staffed with volunteers and offered a handful of photography classes for adults. John worked diligently to expand the scope and capabilities of the program. It was here that John co-founded the Photo Gathering For Large Format and Alternative Processes.
By forging partnerships with both corporate sponsors and professional photographers, John obtained donations of equipment and materials which enabled VisArts to outfit a professional shooting studio and offer state of the art digital and traditional printing capabilities. John expanded the photography educational program by organizing classes, workshops, and seminars led by internationally renowned photographers such as Bob Krist, Bruce Barnbaum, Joyce Tenneyson, and Clay Blackmore, thus further enriching the photo experience at VisArts. John initiated an annual Photography Exhibition curated by Frank Goodyear of the National Portrait Gallery, and professional photographers from the Cannon Explorers of Light, Clay Blackmore, Eddie Tapp and others, which brought the work of aspiring photographers as well as seasoned professionals to the art center.
For his work at VisArts John was awarded the 2007 Excellence in the Arts and Humanities Award by the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council, recognizing the contributions he made in improving the Photography Department to the point of national recognition among professional photographers and industry specialists.
In 2009, in partnership with The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) and funded by a grant from the Trawick Foundation, John taught photography to adolescents enrolled in the Leadership Empowerment and Action Program (LEAP), a youth development program for foster and adopted youth and their families in Montgomery County. In addition to teaching John collaborated in the design of the photography curriculum and hired the staff of photography educators who participated in this highly successful and rewarding community outreach project.
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| Untitled © John Hoover 2011 All rights reserved |
John Hoover began his career as a traditional black and white photographer and used a large format view camera for portrait, landscape and architectural image making. With the evolution of digital photography John incorporated the new technology into his work.
A shaping force in the development of John’s creative vision was the training he received in large format photography, which John credits as teaching him the patience and contemplation necessary to distill the essence and emotion of the world he sees through careful composition.
For five years John worked as the Director of Photography at The Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts (VisArts), a non-profit community arts center located in Rockville, Maryland, starting first as a volunteer and then moving into a full time staff position. The photography program at VisArts originally began as a traditional darkroom facility staffed with volunteers and offered a handful of photography classes for adults. John worked diligently to expand the scope and capabilities of the program. It was here that John co-founded the Photo Gathering For Large Format and Alternative Processes.
By forging partnerships with both corporate sponsors and professional photographers, John obtained donations of equipment and materials which enabled VisArts to outfit a professional shooting studio and offer state of the art digital and traditional printing capabilities. John expanded the photography educational program by organizing classes, workshops, and seminars led by internationally renowned photographers such as Bob Krist, Bruce Barnbaum, Joyce Tenneyson, and Clay Blackmore, thus further enriching the photo experience at VisArts. John initiated an annual Photography Exhibition curated by Frank Goodyear of the National Portrait Gallery, and professional photographers from the Cannon Explorers of Light, Clay Blackmore, Eddie Tapp and others, which brought the work of aspiring photographers as well as seasoned professionals to the art center.
For his work at VisArts John was awarded the 2007 Excellence in the Arts and Humanities Award by the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council, recognizing the contributions he made in improving the Photography Department to the point of national recognition among professional photographers and industry specialists.
In 2009, in partnership with The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) and funded by a grant from the Trawick Foundation, John taught photography to adolescents enrolled in the Leadership Empowerment and Action Program (LEAP), a youth development program for foster and adopted youth and their families in Montgomery County. In addition to teaching John collaborated in the design of the photography curriculum and hired the staff of photography educators who participated in this highly successful and rewarding community outreach project.
Currently John is the Instructional Lab Director for the Photography Department at Montgomery College following 4 years as an Adjunct Professor of Photography at the college. He is a working freelance and assignment photographer specializing in portraits, travel, architectural, and event photography.
Link to John Hoover's website jhooverphotoimages.com
Link to John Hoover's website jhooverphotoimages.com
1.06.2012
February 2, 2012 - Bill Seelig Demonstrates Tonal Separation
Bill Seelig will demonstrate and lead a discussion about separating a continuous tone black and white negative onto multiple high contrast negatives. The negatives are then copied on film to make positives. Combinations of the films are then put in registration and used to make a variety of prints.
Bill Seelig is a Rockville, Maryland based photographer best known for his award winning work with nudes, projections, distortions, mirrors, and landscape photography using 35mm and 4X5 film formats with fixed focal length lenses.
1.04.2012
January 5, 2012 - Carole Hollander demonstrates registration methods for multiple emulsion printing processes.
Gum bichromate prints with multiple layers of emulsion require a method of aligning the paper and negative. Registration of paper and negative is also used when combining hand-coated processes such as cyanotype and palladium, platinum over gum, etc. Costly pin and punch registration systems exist to ensure precision alignment. Other methods include crosshair marks and tape, matching thumbtack holes, and eyeballing on a light table. Carole Hollander will demonstrate how to make and use a system that uses a simple 2-hole paper punch and quarter inch pins that is fast and unfailingly repeatable for both split back frames and vacuum frames.
Carole Hollander is a Washington D.C. based photographer specializing in alternative and historic photographic processes. She also works with Gum Bichromate, Anthotypes, Vandykes, and Cyanotype printing processes. Her work can be seen at carolehollander.com
Carole Hollander is a Washington D.C. based photographer specializing in alternative and historic photographic processes. She also works with Gum Bichromate, Anthotypes, Vandykes, and Cyanotype printing processes. Her work can be seen at carolehollander.com
11.21.2011
December 2011 Meeting
The December Gathering will not be held at the church. Contact Carole for further details.
9.01.2011
Carole Hollander Demonstrating Cyanotype Process September 1, 2011
Ms Hollander will be performing a demonstration of the Cyanotype process at the next gathering on September 1, 2011. Follow this link for a tried formula of the hand coated emulsion:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanotype
Carole Hollander is a Washington D.C. based photographer specializing in alternative and historic photographic processes. She also works with Anthotypes, Vandykes, and Gum Bichromate printing processes. Her work can be seen at carolehollander.com
Carole Hollander is a Washington D.C. based photographer specializing in alternative and historic photographic processes. She also works with Anthotypes, Vandykes, and Gum Bichromate printing processes. Her work can be seen at carolehollander.com
Boats Wait
Lake Needwood, Rockville, Maryland
8.02.2011
D.B. Stovall in The Photo 2011 at ArtiSphere in Arlington, Virginia
PhotoGathering Photographer D.B. Stovall has again captured the juror's eye at Photo 11 with 4 photographs, which are now on exhibit at Artisphere 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia.
D. B. Stovall, a Washington, DC area native, bought his first camera at age 10 – a Rosko purchased for 88 cents at Murphy’s Five and Dime. Quickly moving on to various film cameras, Stovall explored various aspects of black and white photography, becoming adept at all kinds of darkroom work by the time he entered high school. Stovall was introduced to the view camera at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the early 1970s and eventually moved on to large format color transparency in a realism-based vision, which he still practices today. He has been in over 75 juried group and solo shows since 2008.
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| Erie, Pennsylvania |
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| Knoxville, Tennessee |
D. B. Stovall, a Washington, DC area native, bought his first camera at age 10 – a Rosko purchased for 88 cents at Murphy’s Five and Dime. Quickly moving on to various film cameras, Stovall explored various aspects of black and white photography, becoming adept at all kinds of darkroom work by the time he entered high school. Stovall was introduced to the view camera at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the early 1970s and eventually moved on to large format color transparency in a realism-based vision, which he still practices today. He has been in over 75 juried group and solo shows since 2008.
PHOTO 2011- Annual Juried Mid-Atlantic Photo Exhibition
1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia.
Monday-Friday:11 am-11 pm, Saturdays:11am-2am, Sundays: 11am-9pm
7.15.2011
Bill Seelig Toning Demonstration August 2011
Award winning black and white photographer and author Bill Seelig will be demonstrating toning at the August 4th gathering. Instructions will be emailed to group members and available as handouts at the meeting. Attendees are welcome to bring their own examples of toning. 
Bill Seelig is a native of Rockville, Maryland. He attended Churchill
high school, earned his BS degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1971 and
an MS in Ocean Engineering from Texas A and M in 1972. Bill has been shooting black and white film since the 1960's. He utilizes a very wide range of fixed focal length lenses with his 35mm and 4X5 cameras. He often incorporates projections, mirrors, alternative reflective surfaces, and distortions in his compositions. Bill has been awarded the grand prize at Virginia Tech Photography Contest, the Kodak International Snapshot Award (twice), The Bodine Photo Award, Print OF The Year Award from the NBCC, and many others.
Bill Seelig is a native of Rockville, Maryland. He attended Churchill
high school, earned his BS degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1971 and
an MS in Ocean Engineering from Texas A and M in 1972. Bill has been shooting black and white film since the 1960's. He utilizes a very wide range of fixed focal length lenses with his 35mm and 4X5 cameras. He often incorporates projections, mirrors, alternative reflective surfaces, and distortions in his compositions. Bill has been awarded the grand prize at Virginia Tech Photography Contest, the Kodak International Snapshot Award (twice), The Bodine Photo Award, Print OF The Year Award from the NBCC, and many others.
6.05.2011
Joshua and Lily Dunn, Macro Lenses and Macro Photography
Photographer Joshua Dunn will be giving a presentation on macro lenses and photography. There will be hand-outs.
Joshua Dunn's passion for photography began with his father's Pentax Spotmatic when he was 12 years old. His work ranges from found pictorials and landscapes to architecture, portraits, and macro images. After working as a technician for Mercedes-Benz Joshua joined the United States Army to include multiple tours overseas. He currently works as a Geospatial Analyst for Boeing Inc.
Joshua's assistant, artist Lily Dunn, is an honors student at Westland Middle School.
The reference Joshua recomends is The Manual of Close Up Photography by Lester Lefkowitz.
Joshua Dunn's passion for photography began with his father's Pentax Spotmatic when he was 12 years old. His work ranges from found pictorials and landscapes to architecture, portraits, and macro images. After working as a technician for Mercedes-Benz Joshua joined the United States Army to include multiple tours overseas. He currently works as a Geospatial Analyst for Boeing Inc.
Joshua's assistant, artist Lily Dunn, is an honors student at Westland Middle School.
The reference Joshua recomends is The Manual of Close Up Photography by Lester Lefkowitz.
5.03.2011
Barry Schmetter Demonstrating Vandyke Process
Barry Schmetter will be performing a demonstration of the Vandyke process at the next gathering on May 5, 2011. Follow this link for a tried formula of the hand coated emulsion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_dyke_brown.
Barry Schmetter is a Washington D.C. based photographer specializing in alternative and historic photographic processes. He also teaches wet plate collodion workshops. His work can be seen at barrys.carbonmade.com.
Barry Schmetter is a Washington D.C. based photographer specializing in alternative and historic photographic processes. He also teaches wet plate collodion workshops. His work can be seen at barrys.carbonmade.com.
5.01.2011
D.B. Stovall - Best In Show
At the April gathering D. B. Stovall, award winning large format photographer, gave a presentation on locating and entering juried shows and identifying their pitfalls.
Mr. Stovall has since won Best in Show at the 21st Mid-Atlantic Exhibition “Works on Paper and of Clay” at d’ART Center in Norfolk, VA. This is a nation-wide juried show, with 43 works by 22 artists displayed out of 331 entries from 14 states. Juror is Andrew Wodzianski, Professor at College of Southern Maryland and well known East Coast artist.
Mr. Stovall has since won Best in Show at the 21st Mid-Atlantic Exhibition “Works on Paper and of Clay” at d’ART Center in Norfolk, VA. This is a nation-wide juried show, with 43 works by 22 artists displayed out of 331 entries from 14 states. Juror is Andrew Wodzianski, Professor at College of Southern Maryland and well known East Coast artist.
This show will run thru 27 June 2011. More info is available at the D’ART website here.
D’ART Center at Selden Arcade
208 E. Main St
Norfolk, VA 23510
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| Dunmore, Pennsylvania June 2010 |
2.20.2011
George Smyth, Rip Smith, and Jeff Deemie at FOTO DC Flash
George Smyth and Rip Smith were selected for FOTO DC's FLASH Photo Explosion in Crystal City March 17 - April 17, 2011 (see previous post for FLASH information).
Langdon by Rip Smith © All Rights Reserved
Early Morning Meeting by George Smyth © All Rights Reserved
Dead Coyote Leases by Jeff Deemie © All Rights Reserved
Langdon by Rip Smith © All Rights Reserved
Early Morning Meeting by George Smyth © All Rights Reserved
Dead Coyote Leases by Jeff Deemie © All Rights Reserved
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