17 Mar
AUTOCHROME, DARKROOM CHEMISTRY, OTHER, PRINTING PROCESSES, Uncategorized

Salt print – Detailed Step by Step Walkthrough

Introduction I love working with alternative printing processes because they require only a few ingredients and are perfect for those interested in learning the fundamental principles of recording light. One of the earliest alternative printing techniques for transforming negatives into positive prints was salt printing, a process pioneered in the mid-1830s by Henry Fox Talbot. Talbot’s method involved soaking plain writing paper in a weak solution of ordinary table salt, followed by a strong silver solution. This treatment rendered the paper light-sensitive, allowing it to darken upon exposure to sunlight. Once fixed with a hypo solution, the image became permanent. Salt...

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Kodak-d-19-original-recipe
03 Mar
DARKROOM CHEMISTRY, OTHER, PRINTING PROCESSES

Making Kodak D-19 from scratch with Original Recipe

In this week's Blog I am showing you how to make Kodak D-19 Developer from scratch including all the steps and recipes. Developing film at home is always a special pleasure if you have the right equipment. Kodak D-19 is really hard to get these days specially now during the lockdown when everything has to be bought online. I always like to make my own stuff as you learn so much along the way. Kodak D-19 is actually made out of only a few ingredients and it's not hard to make so let's start. Kodak D-19 is a very high contrast...

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14 Feb
EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, ON THE FIELD, Uncategorized

Large Format Landscape Photography in Pouring Rain

Two weeks ago I launched commercially available hand coated 4x5 glass dry plates meaning I spent a lot of time in my shipping container darkroom producing, packing and sending them all around the world. It's an incredible honor to be able to bring some history back and produce light sensitive materials that others can make images with. If you would like to try them out they are available in my Store. I really love doing it but I also love to be out in the field and explore the nature. It has been a while since I packed my camera...

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Reverse-developing-dry-plates-to-positive-foma-emulsion
01 Feb
AUTOCHROME, DARKROOM CHEMISTRY, EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, OTHER

Reverse Developing Glass Dry Plates To Direct Positive

Introduction After being quite busy in the last few months doing exams and practical work for the acadAfter months of being buried in academy work—exams, practicals, the whole lot—I finally have some breathing room. And you know what that means: time to dive back into the darkroom and explore. One technique I’ve long wanted to revisit is reverse developing dry plates into direct positives—a magical process where the final image appears directly on glass, ready to be admired without printing. My earlier Autochrome research demanded similar skills, so this feels like returning to a familiar puzzle, but with new pieces. Autochromes, if you’re...

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Lumiere-History-autochrome
18 Jan
AUTOCHROME, DARKROOM CHEMISTRY, EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, OTHER, PRINTING PROCESSES

Unboxing Package full of Lumiere’s legacy

A few days ago an interesting package arrived at my door. It turns out it was sent to me by a very friendly guy from Paris, France who is a collector of old photographic materials. Right around Christmas we have been discussing through messenger about my work with old photographic techniques especially dry plates. At the end of this discussion he told me that he might have something for me and all I have to do is give him my address. All he said was that I will probably have a better use of it than him. Because there was...

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KODAK-D76-DEVELOPER-RECIPE
30 Dec
DARKROOM CHEMISTRY, OTHER, PRINTING PROCESSES

Making Kodak D76 from scratch with Original Recipe

In this week's Blog I show you how to make the famous Kodak D76 Developer from scratch including all the steps. Developing film at home is always a special pleasure if you have the right equipment. During the lock-down it's often hard to get Darkroom chemicals here in Slovenia and also shipments are very delayed. That's why it's nice to be able to make & mix your own stuff. It is actually made out of only a few ingredients and it's not hard to make so let's start. D76 is a classic and truly versatile film developer which first entered the...

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Cyanotype-contact-printing
20 Dec
PRINTING PROCESSES

Cyanotype Contact Printing from glass Dry-Plate Negative + PRINT GIVEAWAY!

I love to make cyanotypes and especially I love to make contact prints from my glass dry plate negatives! In this video you will follow me along the whole Cyanotype printing process from cutting & coating the paper all the way up to making the final prints. I will be contact printing my very own hand made glass dry plate negatives on Fabriano 5 paper coated with DIY Cyanotype solution. I wouldn't say this is a Cyanotype tutorial but rather a documentation of my workflow that includes many tips and tricks I learned so far. With alternative processes things always behave...

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Kodak-Browni-No.3a-Oak-Panorama
13 Dec
DARKROOM BUILD, EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, ON THE FIELD

Getting soaked in a Mystical foggy forest with Kodak Brownie No.3A

The last week after all the snow has melted has been extremely foggy and rainy. I live very close to the forest and enjoying its peacefulness by long walks is part of my daily routine. I admire nature and learn something from it every day. It just amazes me how complex and yet genius it is. Everything is connected and working in complete harmony just like the finest swiss clock. Specially trees are the ones that seem so static and not doing much. But remember nature is extremely dynamic, always on the move! My interest towards trees brought me to...

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04 Dec
EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, OTHER

How I Built Myself Affordable UV LED Exposure Box

Introduction Alternative photography techniques like cyanotype, salt printing, albumen, and carbon printing rely heavily on UV light for proper exposure. However, during the short winter days in Slovenia, natural sunlight is scarce, making these processes challenging to execute. To solve this problem, I decided to build my own affordable UV LED exposure box for under €60. This DIY project is not only useful for photographers experimenting with historical printing techniques but also for screen printing, PCB etching, teeth whitening, and more. With a 40x60cm workspace and two adjustable power levels, my UV exposure box is versatile, efficient, and easy to store. In...

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why-I-love-large-format-photography-and-alternative-processes?
27 Nov
AUTOCHROME, DARKROOM BUILD, EMULSION, EQUIPMENT, OTHER, PRINTING PROCESSES

Why I Love Large Format Photography & Alternative Processes?

I am asked this question often, especially being 25 years old. People often don't understand why I would enjoy techniques and cameras made well before my time. The ones who know me can tell you that I am in love with nature and everything connected with it. Besides that it relaxes me completely, learns me every day and makes me happy it also artistically inspires me. When I got my first camera at 16 which was a DSLR Pentax K-m I did not take portraits, I did not shoot street but I went straight into the woods behind my house...

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