The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes

Written by internationally acclaimed artist and photographer Christopher James, THE BOOK OF ALTERNATIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES: 3rd Edition is the definitive text for students and professionals studying alternative photographic processes and the art of hand-made photographic image making. This innovative Third Edition brings the medium up to date with new and historic processes that are integrated with the latest contemporary innovations, adaptations, techniques, and art work. This 800 page edition is packed with more than 700 exquisite illustrations featuring historical examples as well as the art that is currently being made by professional alternative process, artists, teachers, and students of the genre. The third edition is the complete and comprehensive technical and aesthetic resource exploring and delving into every aspect of alternative photographic process photography. Each chapter introduces the history of a technique, presents an overview of the alternative photographic process that will be featured, reviews its chemistry, and provides practical and easy to follow guidance in how to make it work. In his conversational writing style, James also explores the idiosyncrasies, history, and cultural connections that are such a significant part of the history of photography. Featuring traditional and digital contact negative production as well as an array of processes, spread out over 28 chapters, THE BOOK OF ALTERNATIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES: 3RD EDITION delivers clear instructions, practical workflows and advice, humor, history, art, and immeasurable inspiration.
Christopher James is an internationally known artist and photographer whose photographs, paintings, and alternative process printmaking have been exhibited in galleries and museums in this country and abroad. His work has been published and shown extensively, including exhibitions in The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The George Eastman House, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The first two editions of his book, The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes have received international critical acclaim and are universally recognized by artists, curators, historians, and educators as the definitive texts in the genre of alternative process photography and photographically integrated media and culture. Christopher, after 13 years at Harvard University, is presently University Professor and Director of the MFA in Photography program at The College of Art and Design - Lesley University. He is also a painter, graphic designer, and a professional scuba diver. His web site is www.christopherjames-studio.com
"Christopher James displays in the third edition of this book all his knowledge on the so-called "alternative processes", and offers the reader historical data, formulas and visual examples, all explained with preciseness and clarity. The most interesting feature in this publication is that it opens perspectives for creative events, encourages the desire to explore techniques that are part of the history of photographic representation, and helps to articulate and to confer meaning on the desire of generating images in the present. In brief, his work allows us to visually explore existence and helps to understand the development of contemporary subjectivity."
What a wonderful book! Clear and concise, with all the secrets of the dark arts in one volume. Call it the King James."
"Christopher James' new edition has expanded right alongside the boom in interest in older techniques, as more and more contemporary artists reach backward to look forward. Covering processes from the first discoveries of the 1830's to the latest inventions and re-inventions, the book includes an astonishing breadth of work and a wide range of artists that show just how rich this field has become. If you need any proof that handmade photography is alive and well in the digital age, here it is, in spades."
"The 1st edition set the standard for alternative photo books. The 2nd, was a real knockout, totally unexpected, I thought the 2nd was the landmark edition, that Mr. James could sit back and enjoy life again. Then this happened, the 3rd edition. It's like meal in a Michelin 3-star restaurant, the courses keep coming getting better and better. It's a book not only for a photographer making photographs with these processes, but an essential book for anyone concerned with photography. It should be in a handy reach of every curator, photography dealer, art critic, and photo historian. And lastly, it's just a good read, sit back and enjoy."