Contact Photography

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Under Glass - Kel Harvey

 

Contact Photography used to exist as an entity about thirty-five years ago around here and for whom I designed their stationery and business cards, but I've not heard anything of them for many years. Back to that in a minute. I've decided to try and float the idea of a community photography project - something we did in Bangor decades ago, even getting to the point of building a darkroom and holding classes in photography. To this end, I've started a Patreon.

I've no idea  how any of this really works, so it's a bit of a shot in the dark. If something comes out of it, all the better. As I'm tied up with the cottage renovations at the minute, I aim to get moving with the project in the New Year, probably early spring. I've decided that it's working title will be Contact Photography as the phrase kind of encapsulates the community aspect of it's aims. As anyone who reads this blog knows, I love the crossover between the analogue and digital worlds and it it's this I would like to open up as a resource, so more people can discover the possibilities offered by the meeting point between the two aspects of photography.

I've got a reasonable start on kit, such as cameras, an enlarger and a few sundry bits; as well as a large and currently rather leaky studio/workshop which needs a bit of TLC, but it will need much more than that before it can call itself a proper resource and really that's the point of the attempted Patreon. There is a stock of old analogue 35mm gear available through A5AV Ltd. that, with funding could be brought into the project, which would be a good start on that front.

But I'd also like to include medium and large format film cameras and stock, archaic processing methods and digital scanning and printing. If anyone would like to support it, all well and good; as I say this is spur of the moment response to an idea I've been toying with for a very long time - and now I'm starting to get the time to do something about it, it would good to get something moving at long last. If I can supplement my pension into the bargain - as a mentor - again it would be a bonus.

Also, donations in kind of old and out of date film gear and materials would be welcome as the thing progresses. Just leave a reply on this page or visit the Patreon.

Addendum: If Contact Photography is still a thing and you know about or are involved in it, let me know and I'll change the working title!

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