Recently one of our admins, Andy Stockton, was involved in a serious car accident and his ongoing recovery has forced him to withdraw from being a admin.  That has made us two remaining admins think – where does cdags.org go from here?  The site has fallen quiet over the last couple of years and we would like to make some changes to invigorate it.

We would like to offer community members the ability to publish content directly on site through bigger user roles in the site management system (WordPress).  This will allow members to make posts on the homepage blog and for some to add and manage content to the rest of the site, with it all being shared on our social media.  For the blog posts this could be daguerreotypists posting directly about their own work, equipment set ups, exhibitions/events or it could also it could be a enthusiast of the genre, posting similar stories or more curatorial pieces about contemporary daguerreotypy.

By having a larger group of people publishing content as frequently or as infrequently as they like, we hope that activity is more organic and the site can grow in the direction it needs too.  We are aiming for 2019 to be the next instalment of the ImageObject event in NYC and want the genre to have a vibrant nexus to gather momentum for that.

If you would like to publish content about contemporary daguerreotypes genre on cdags.org or are interested in helping with the larger roles like “editor” or even “admin” email admin@cdags.org to express interest.

Binh Danh has a new site for his daguerreotypes called Scenic Dags. He is also a part of the National Gallery of Art exhibit “Memory of Time” located in Washington, DC.  The show includes many renowned artists and is open until September 13th. For details visit the NGA website.

Thanks to Mike Robinson for this festive image and daguerreotype! Happy holidays from CDags. We look forward to seeing new work from all of you in 2015!

We are in the process of transferring CDags.org to a new hosting site. Please excuse any difficulty in using the site while we work to complete the transfer. The work is carried out by a volunteer team of editors as time allows.

Thanks!

Home and the World, 2010, © Adam Fuss

Negativeless is the current exhibition at the Michael Hoppen Gallery in London. It runs from September 19th – October 23, 2014. Among the artists included are contemporary daguerreotypists Sean Culver and Adam Fuss.

“In a world of photography where digital ‘snaps’ are becoming the tedious norm, the Michael Hoppen Gallery presents a show navigating an area of photography that little is known about: the photograph made without a negative. No, not a photogram – but a photograph. We will present a wonderful mix of works, from rare early daguerreotypes through to contemporary takes on these early techniques.

 Photographs were invented to be reproduced on demand. The London Stereoscopic Company, as an example, in the 19th century managed to produce hundreds of thousands of copies of photographs from individual negatives. As the mechanical world came into being,mass re-production became the preferred method.

 The early photographer in the 1830’s and 1840’s strained to produce lasting images of quality and consistency and it was only in 1835 that the negative by Henry Fox Talbot was invented which allowed them to print numerous copies, and after the paper negative, it was no less arduous and complex a process coating collodion negatives. However, in 1837 [sic], Daguerre, a French scientist and inventor, developed a beautifully complex system of producing a photograph on a silver plated copper sheet which was usually cased so that owners could keep the images of their loved ones close to them in their pockets. Larger, half plate daguerreotypes, although much more expensive to produce and hence highly sought after, were often hung on the wall.

Today’s photographers have adopted the digital world in a way no one could have predicted. The days of the hand-made photograph, the laboratory technician, the chemist and artist combined seem almost like a distant memory. The camaraderie of the photographers and printers who would meet in the basement darkrooms of Soho to go over contacts and discuss the printing is all but gone…”

To read the full exhibition statement and see additional images visit the website.

Home and the World, 2010 © Adam Fuss

Presence Series: Gift, 2006, © Sean Culver

Daguerreotypes, being image objects, are not always completely represented by still image reproductions. Short video’s are a great medium for showing how a plate looks being tilted to different light and reflections in the hand.
I have compiled a gallery of videos found on youtube and vimeo, of plates , but also ones showing the process, exhibitions and equipment used. If I’ve missed any or when you publish more, let me know and I will add them to the page.
The link to the gallery can be found in the quick links in the left hand column of this page.

The Soho Photo Gallery will be holding its 10th annual alternative process competition November 5-29 in New York City. The submission deadline is soon – August 22, 2014, but submissions are digital. Alternative processes include (but are not limited to): Albumen, Cyanotype, VanDykeBrown, Platinum/Palladium, GumBichromate, Bromoil,  Salt Print, Tintype, Ziatype, Daguerreotype, ImageTransfers, Liquid Emulsion, and Photogravure. Sponsor for this  year’s Competition is The Penumbra Foundation:Center for Alternative Photography who were integral to the creation and success of the IO-1 all-daguerreian juried show last year. For more info see the SohoPhoto website

The Daguerreotype Workshop
7 August to 10 August 2014 at the Fox Talbot Museum
Limited to 7 participants
£990 including VAT and materials fee.

This workshop is for artists with a serious interest in the evolution, aesthetics and process of daguerreotypy. The workshop will be conducted by Mike Robinson, a modern master of the medium. Participants will learn both modern and traditional techniques of polishing. Also covered will be advanced concepts of contrast control, alternative fuming techniques, and housing options. Each participant will have the opportunity to make at least three daguerreotypes during the workshop.

Roger Watson, Curator of the Fox Talbot Museum, will discuss the evolution of the daguerreotype and show examples of daguerreotypes and vintage housings from the archives of the Fox Talbot Museum and from his personal collection. Each participant will receive a facsimile reprint of original step-by-step instructions and other readings on the topic of daguerreotype.

Cancellation Policy: Withdrawal from the workshop two weeks before the session start date will receive a refund, minus a £50 processing fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations made less than two weeks before a workshop start date. If the workshop is cancelled due to insufficient enrolment, the entire class will be refunded the full tuition fee. The Fox Talbot Museum may take and use images, still or video, for educational and promotional purposes.

Location and Scheduling: Daily sessions begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. and are held in the Manger Barn (next door to the museum).

Lodging and transportion: Lodging and transportation are not included in the cost of the workshop. Participants must make their own arrangements.

For additional information and to register visit the website.