The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes
by Christopher James
from Delmar Cengage Learning

Editorial Review:

Photographic artists and students of alternative process photography will welcome this new edition of Christopher James' The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes. This significantly expanded edition is a full-color, lavishly illustrated, comprehensive resource that explores every aspect of alternative process image making. With his highly conversational writing style, Christopher James explores the techniques, processes, idiosyncrasies, history, and cultural connections that are such a significant part of the genre. Best of all, Christopher makes it extremely accessible, providing clear instructions and practical workflow advice. The book delves into a vast menu of alternative and traditional options, among them: calotype, salted paper, cyanotype, argyrotype, chrysotype, POP, kallitype, ambrotype/wet collodion, Van Dyke, platinum/palladium, Ziatype, gelatin dry plate emulsions, carbon, gum bichromate, albumen, hand-applied emulsions, paper, alternative imaging systems, and digital negative production for alternative process image making. The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes has become the unanimous standard reference text for alternative process photography, one that students love to read and work from. Not only does this definitive work make the most complex ideas easy to understand, it is conversational, comfortable, inspirational, and fun to read- a tremendous resource and a treasure trove of alternative process images.

Pssst, wanna make a weird photograph? How about a moody blue cyanotype or a Kallitype? Or maybe a ziatype, anthotype, or Ambrotype? Or perhaps you'd just like to know more about image transfer processes or how to make a pinhole camera. Imagine knowing a really cool guy who casually tells you lots of valuable stuff about the history and science of photography while you're working in his experimental darkroom, and you've got the essence of the unusual and delightful Book of Alternative Photographic Processes. Christopher James, a photographer and former Harvard University professor, leads you carefully through the chemistry and use of materials for each process. He offers numerous ways to make negatives and prepare the printing paper, and he coaches you in understanding and accepting the enormously variable effects of each method. Seven useful appendices deal with such topics as safety considerations and resources on the Web. Unlike the narrowly task-oriented approach of average how-to guide, this one points you to a much bigger world. Even the illustrations include a generous assortment of contemporary prints--among them James's own inventive images--as well as work by 19th- and early-20th-century photographers. They were the ones who pioneered most of the techniques that are now considered "alternative."

The fun of this book--even for someone unlikely ever to set foot in a darkroom--lies in the author's fascinating excursions into the wide world of knowledge, from the workings of 3-D to Charles Babbage's steam-driven punch-card systems. Equally compelling are the author's sense of humor and his utter lack of dogmatism. "In gum printing," he writes, "there are very few absolutely correct ways to do anything." --Cathy Curtis

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

• Essential Handbook for Alternative Processes
  I own three copies of this book, one for my home, one in my office, and a copy of the second edition. I am a photographer and educator and refer to this book at least twice a week. Christopher James writing style is both witty and engaging. The layout of the book is very clear, making it an easy to reference while working in the darkroom. There are many books out there on alternative processes; none I have seen is as user friendly or entertaining. The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes includes many... more info

• Overhyped, overpriced
  I have been a working photographer for forty years, and while I have come to accept digital cameras, I still miss the richness of analog printing. So I was excited to come across Christopher James' book and hopeful of finding a useful workflow. It's in there. There is an abbreviated account of making digital negatives, and enough on printing out papers and platinum palladium to get started. There's also a useful appendix that could be even more useful in HTML form.
  Apart from that, however, there's an... more info

• Oldie but Goodie Updated
  You'd think that alternative photographic processes would be dead in this digital age, but there's still a lot of life in these fun, techniques, some of which date back 100 years or more. If you want to have fun, and rediscover some of the joy of photography, buy this book and try some of these processes for yourself.

• Detailed, Informative AND Fun
  I'm not really one for writing reviews, but thought I would do for this book to show my appreciation for it.
  'Alternative Photographic Processes' has so many ideas that you can pick and choose from, yet I enjoyed reading through the whole book start to finish, even though I don't intend trying out everything here....This would take a lifetime.
  It's backed up by photo history which really brings alive the processes as you try them out and keeps the maths/science/techno info to a workable... more info