Is this a joyful philosophical treatise masquerading as a textbook? The brand new Third Edition of Christopher James’ definitive “The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes” is that most rare of gifts, with equal parts inspiration for living a fulfilling creative life and recipes with practical advice for creating handmade photographs. A growing number of artists are exploring the moody imagery attained through alternative processes, thinking it better expresses what they feel than the optical perfection of a modern camera and workflow. This volume is James’ open invitation to join in a sustaining artistic journey marked by voracious curiosity, fearless critical questioning and a forthright promotion of play.
“Kafka-Man, Venice, 1987”, palladium print created from a Diana plastic toy camera by Christopher James (courtesy of the artist/author)
That’s right, play. It is at the core of James’ philosophy of art and life, permeating all 28 chapters, over 800 pages and 700 delicious, edifying illustrations. In this major re-write of the first two editions, James expands his irreverent historical and personal narrative, adding enlightening perspective, and he brings the medium up to date by integrating new and historic processes, utilizing the latest innovations and techniques. And then there’s the art work – exciting and informative – from James, his students and acknowledged leaders in the field (some of whom are former students), past and present.
“Moonrise – Mamaroneck, New York, 1904”, from a combination of platinum and cyanotype processes, by Edward Steichen (courtesy of Estate of Edward Steichen and Museum of Modern Art, NYC)
Interlaced strategically throughout the book is James’ basic tenet: “Play is the best way to learn anything, no matter how difficult it is.” It is his conviction that play is the means by which we teach ourselves all that becomes valuable in our lives. He entreats us to embrace our sense of wonder, unclouded by rules, theoretical paradigms and artspeak. It should be noted that he writes with succinct clarity about such theories and their authors, but he implores us to put them aside in our artistic quest.
“The Moon, 2010”, created with pinhole camera, cyanotype process and assembled objects by Jesseca Ferguson (courtesy of the artist)
A charitable guide, James helps the reader negotiate what might reasonably be regarded as an overwhelming amount of information with a repeated refrain in which he paraphrases Mark Twain, “it hardly matters when your technique is perfect if your imagination is out of focus.” Make no mistake, this encyclopedia is a celebration of alternative process image making, in which hand-applied emulsions and sensitizers, fickle chemical formulations and plain serendipity introduce gestural elements into the imagery that make them as unique and imperfect as their creators.
“Dark Mirror, 2010”, kallitype and mixed media by K.K. DePaul (Courtesy of the artist)
In James’ view, the enterprise “is driven by a curiosity to see where a process will lead the artist and his or her imagination, and that living philosophy is the soul of this book. It is, in my mind, a representation of the new photography.” In other words, this enormous formulary exists solely in service of the artist’s imagination. How does one even begin to choose? James champions a stance of playful experimentation, intoning, “if you don’t embrace the concept of play, you probably won’t learn a lot about anything in life.” Experiments included.
Feature Image: Cover photograph from the Third Edition of “The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes” by Christopher James. Wet plate collodion, “Rebecca & Wisteria, Dublin, NH, 2010” courtesy of the artist/author.
For information about purchasing this book, go to: http://www.christopherjames-studio.com/build/thebook.html
“Embrace, 2002”, gold-toned albumen print from an 8×10 collodion negative, from the series Sleep, by France Scully Osterman (courtesy of the artist and Howard Greenberg Gallery, NYC)
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