How the finishing of the borders of this print is done? http://www.photogs.com/bwworld/images/dmkennedy.jpg At first I thought it could only be done in contact prints, but I've already seen enlarged pictures with the same or similar effect. Is that possible to achieve with 35mm negatives and a simple enlarger?

-- Herbet Camerino (herbetb@yahoo.com), January 11, 2001

Answers

Looks like someone messing around with a drafting pen or laundry marker. Wny would you want to do this, anyway?

-- Keith Nichols (knichols@iopener.net), January 11, 2001.

Probably a Polaroid transfer, although the edges of a Polaroid negative itself could look like this if the edges of the roller were in need of cleaning.

Polaroid work can't really be done in 35mm. Starts with medium format, and comes into its own in 4x5 & larger, though the 8x10 materials and processors are too dear (costly) for my wallet.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), January 11, 2001.

David Michael Kennedy is a platinum/palladium printer. He explains the process on his web site at http://davidmichaelkennedy.com/a_palladium.html. What you are seeing are the brushmarks from application of the sensitizer outside the image area. A lot of people like showing these borders, either because it looks "artistic" or because it screams "THIS IS A PLATINUM PRINT," but I find the brush marks distracting and generally prefer to cover them with a mat.

-- Chris Patti (cmpatti@aol.com), January 11, 2001.

It looks as if that border's been added digitally anyway. You can download them from: http://www.artyandpretentiousborders.com

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), January 12, 2001.

This could be done a few ways but my thoughts are that this particular is a palladium/platinum print. You could do the same with some of the liquid emulsions that are out there. Coating your own paper can be done with a glass rod, paint brush or a foam brush. You can get more info on coating at the Bostick-Sullivan web site.

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), January 12, 2001.