PMK Pyro questions!

[student]

I am a newbie in B&W and I find the regulars here emphasize more on craft and technicalities in printing as a way to boost the ego that they are better or the best in Traditional B&W.

If this continue I will see less and less new people like myself stop doing B&W and let that same small group of regulars rattle on. I wanted to join the COL and from the turnout from more to much lesser this day, I know why.

Black & white photography is hard work. (Digital work is also very difficult!) You can forget about expressing yourself if you do not have the basic skills to express yourself. You cannot express your feelings and your interpretation on Dvorak's cello concerto if you not have the skills to play the cello properly.

Unfortunately, the number of people who are willing to pay the price of traditional darkroom photography has reduced. I will be the most happy to leave this forum and let people like you advise others on the technicalities. Would you like to take over the "blabberings" from the "regulars"? Please do! And I can return to my miserable photography.

To discuss "artistry" is a lot more difficult. See the differing opinion between myself and Kah Heng. Discussions on 'artistry" perhaps is best done in "print critiques". If you were there on Sunday at COL, you will witness discussions on people's images. I remember an image on birds on wores. Little was discussed on the technicalities, but on the photographer's view on what he was trying to say. You will aslo have remember the discussion on problems with artistry and making a living on photography.

If you were there, you might remember I showed a print which I explained took me a few hours to do. I explained in brief the problems I had, and the things I did to make the image the way i wanted it.

If you were there, you will remember that I showed two prints by well known photographers, not to show that I am better than them or I am the "best", but to show how bad I am. Remember? I showed prints by Bruce barnbaum and Steve Anchell. And if you not have better ways to contribute, i will continue to bring good prints to show what good B&W photography is all about in future COL meetings.

 

[oszzy]

I am a newbie in B&W and I find the regulars here emphasize more on craft and technicalities in printing as a way to boost the ego that they are better or the best in Traditional B&W.

If this continue I will see less and less new people like myself stop doing B&W and let that same small group of regulars rattle on. I wanted to join the COL and from the turnout from more to much lesser this day, I know why.

Maggie, craft and technicalities are very important to B&W work from exposure to developing and to printing. What matters in the end of course is the final image. For a newbie, it is important to learn about technicalities because it will make you understand how to get to the final image you want. I am not just talking about prints made by ansel adams or john sexton types alone. What ever the end result, technical control is important for consistent repeatable results.

Some people are very passionate in B&W work and they are more than willing to help others especially newbie on their new journey to discovering B&W (traditionally, in this case). Of course we always think that an image, whether good or bad, is subjective. But there are always other ways of improving a printed image in B&W to lift its esthetics, tonal spread or whatever and technicalities cannot be omitted.

COL definitely was not formed on the basis of EGO. Like ellery said, like minded people who are very passionate with B&W works come together with the purpose of sharing knowledge and works together so everyone can improve, for any newbie to start take up B&W photography and get to know other people with the same passion more personally.

Thanks to the regulars here, many people have benefitted from their explanations of the technicalities and their opinions, however different they are, do inspire others to take things more seriously in terms of the craft of image making on the whole.

So Maggie, don't be disheartened. Continue your journey into B&W photography. I cannot describe to you how beautiful it is. Only you can experience and understand it yourself.

 

[photobum]

Larry, this is not true.

I buy my PMK pyro from www.bostick-sullivan.com. They ship them to me. I cannot remember whether they use FedEx or UPS.

Yes, provided they don't declare it's content. The last time I need stop bath and fixer, both FedEx and UPS refuse to ship. I had to buy them from the store.

I don't think B-S and Photographer's Formulary declare their shipping content. Calumet, B&H and a few others does. And to ship packages to Singapore, they'll have to declare the contents. Otherwise, there is a hefty fine imposed if the customs find out it is dangerous.

 

[student]

Y Calumet, B&H and a few others does. And to ship packages to Singapore, they'll have to declare the contents. Otherwise, there is a hefty fine imposed if the customs find out it is dangerous.

Recently I bought 8 bottles of Ilford DDX from Calumet.

 

[kahheng]

You cannot buy pyro developers in Singapore anyway. Thinking of buying it overseas? Both FedEx and UPS refuse to ship it. You cannot send toxic chemicals through the mail. Therefore I do not see the point of discussing pyro or PMK developers.

However, I do know an alternative source to obtain powdered pyrogallic acid. It is a chemicial derived from gallnuts. A small herb and spice store in Chengdu, Sichuan. Very cheap - like S$0.20 for 100g. It is used by Chinese physicians to cure certain skin diseases.

I don't get it. Why don't you mix the developer from the base ingredients? The chemicals are pretty standard stuff you can get from chemical suppliers that sell to schools and labs in Singapore? There's nothing overly exotic about the ingredients that go to makeup a lot of the developers and fixers.

Mind you, it may NOT turn out to be any cheaper than shipping them in yourself from overseas, but at least you have a guranteed supply of the good stuff.

 

[ratboy]

You cannot buy pyro developers in Singapore anyway. Thinking of buying it overseas? Both FedEx and UPS refuse to ship it. You cannot send toxic chemicals through the mail. Therefore I do not see the point of discussing pyro or PMK developers.

However, I do know an alternative source to obtain powdered pyrogallic acid. It is a chemicial derived from gallnuts. A small herb and spice store in Chengdu, Sichuan. Very cheap - like S$0.20 for 100g. It is used by Chinese physicians to cure certain skin diseases.

Any email address for abv said store ?
or do you have a batch that you will be willing to
break up and sell ?

I dun mind getting some if its cheap to play play ...

Thanks

 

[kahheng]

Any email address for abv said store ?
or do you have a batch that you will be willing to
break up and sell ?

I dun mind getting some if its cheap to play play ...

Thanks

No I mix it fresh. Now that you've all my equipment, how the hell do you expect me to make any? ;-)

The above said stores are listed in the Industrial Yellow Pages.

 

[ratboy]

not u lah

i am talking about the China source at $0.20 per 100g use for skin diseases one lah.

That one is really cheap hor ...
even cheaper than coffee powder ... not that i'll drink it : )

 

[photobum]

Yes, I used to mixed the developer from base ingredient, pyrogallic acid. Be careful, always wear a protective mask. The acid will get into the body through our lungs and develop toxins. You can find both the ABC pyro and PMK formulas online.

student: good for you that your package from Calumet came through. Mine have to be sent back for a full refund because UPS refuse to ship.

ratboy: it is a small grandma shop, located on the Chonghuan district. Sorry, I disposed the remainer some time again.