Making an Albumen Print
using only Paper, Eggs, Sunlight and a Negative
with
Doug Munson at the Chicago Albumen Works
in Housatonic, MA
|
| The minDV video was shot on two Sony VX
1000 cameras, at the native 32KHz audio, in 1999. The clips were
prepared in Apple Final Cut Pro 1.2.5 using Terran MediaCleaner EZ
(v4) to render QuickTime movies (free, on the FCP website). Each
clip runs for about 15-65 seconds. The clips were edited and saved
as Final Cut Pro (fcp) movies (.mov) and then exported as QuickTime
movies (file container) as *qt.mov. To achieve a small file size
(350-2000 KB) from the 90-240 MB fcp.mov files, we used the Sorenson
Video codex set "low," at 8-10 fps and 21-31Kb/s bit-rate, sized at
180 X 120 pixels (quarter original). The audio was captured in
monaural using the QualComm PureVoice codex set at 9:1 compression
(most) using 8KHz (lowest) and 16 bit from the native (original)
32KHz & 16 bit stereo audio. Better audio was found to be
superior to better video. Various amounts of compression were used
to yield detail at important points in the QuickTime clips. Lower
compression decreased pixelation. More clips will be added over
time.
DOWNLOAD the
Apple QuickTime Player from the Apple Website
|
to Albumen Preparation in the
Library
Breaking eggs (3 dozen) for (1350 ml, final amount)
making Albumen Liquid
One egg white yields about 1 ounce of liquid.
25:02 sec. 553 KB file, 1:92 compression
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
Preparing to Salt the Albumen
2% ammonium chloride
15:25 sec., 448 KB file
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
Frothing the Egg Whites
1 minute on the high setting
..."sure beats a whisk"...
31:27 sec., 708 KB file
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
After frothing, the albumen it
needs to be filtered for the remaining solids
The froth has been standing (draining) for 5 hours
48 Sec., 1 MB, 1:175 compression
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
Doug comments on using Photoflo to break bubbles
and produce a more even Coating
"add a little lemon and you'll get a pie"
48 Sec., 1 MB, 1:177 compression
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
To Coating the Paper in the Library
After filtering, the remaining bubbles in the albumen liquid
need to be scraped from the surface of the solution
44 Sec., 1 MB, 1:162 compression
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
Coating -- Part 1
Fold into a canoe, the far corner is tipped onto
the surface of the Albumen
Two edges will curl. Wait 30-45 seconds for the paper to absorb,
swell and uncurl.
63 Sec., 2 MB, 1:120 compression
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
Coating -- Part 2
After it has uncurled, about 60 seconds, use fresh
American Clips to pull the sheet from the bath
Coating can be done is as little as 15-20 seconds
53 Sec., 1.8 MB, 1:118 compression
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
To Sensitization in the
library
Preparing for Sensitization
12 % silver nitrate and 5% citric acid in distilled water
56:00 sec., 1200 KB file
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
Floating Albumen Coated Paper on the Sensitizing Bath
3 minutes on bath and into the drying box
36:29 sec., 816 KB file
Get Apple
QuickTime Player
| 
|
