Techniques based on J. Clerk Maxwell’s theory of three primary colors.

The workshop’s main purpose is to carry on the work from the workshop in Prague  Oct 2008 on triple color photography, namely:

To take care of our early color photography heritage, to widen the knowledge of and interest in the techniques used before  modern multilayered films.

The different approaches to color photography  through the 19^th and early 20^th centuries is a  very important, but often neglected  part of the history of photography. As “The British Journal of Photography” stated on 2 Oct 1914:

“Of all the chapters in the story of photography perhaps that which

relates to the evolution of the colour plate as we know it at the present

day is the most crowded with the results  of technical investigators ….”

This is just as  true today, 96 years later.

 
Robert W. G. Hunt says in his foreword to J. H. Cootes book  “The Illustrated History of Colour Photography”:

“Colour photography covers so many areas of human endeavor that its history is particularly fascinating.”

Today we take color photography for granted, We tend to overlook the desire for photographing in color, the immense research and innovation, chemical and technical, which lie behind today’s easily made color images.

Before multilayered color films were marketed in 1935-36, color photography had been for the specially interested. From then on showing  lides was a relatively easy task, but to make color prints was still a complicated and expensive process. This was actually not remedied until Kodak released  its Instamatic  color negative process in the early sixties.

This conference’s purpose is not only to carry on the work on triple color photography initiated by the Prague conference, but also to widen the basis and look into historical color photography processes in general, their importance, use and preservation.

Additive Techniques.

Modern color films are based on color formation through subtractive filtration. Earlier color photography is based on the blending of light in the three primary colors red, green and blue. This conference will deal with the older additive methods of producing a color image, still picture or motion picture.

Additive systems are the basis of modern color television and other screen based  means of communication and advertisement.

We cannot imagine today’s world without color, but mostly we regard  yesterday’s world and events  in shades of grey.

When we see a one hundred year old color photograph, we suddenly realize that life in the past not necessary was a dull grey one!

These methods, however well known and important they were in their time, are today almost forgotten. We think it is important to …….  new interest in the techniques that paved the way for modern color photography. 

They are interesting not only from a historical point of view, but also in their own right as means of expression.

Our main interest is with the triple color process, bur we are also very interested in early color processes prior to modern multilayered color films such as  Kodachrome and Agfacolor NEU, released by  Kodak and Agfa 1935 and 36, respectively.

      Autchrome.

 
     Agfacolor  (Agfa’s Autochrome equivalent)

     Dufaycolor

     Finlay Direct Color

     Lenticular film

   Lenticular screen

The Lippmann process.

Although Lippmann’s approach was a purely physical process  and a dead end as opposed to Maxwell’s physiological one and which led to a variety of additive systems, we find it appropriate to incorporate it in this matter.

Issues of interest:

What is left?
Where is it?
Is there more to find?
How can we find it?
Do museum personnel know what to look for?
Conservation challenges.
How do we reach a greater audience?
Challenges in a digital world: digitizing, manipulating, use, etc
We are still interested in themes such as research, restoration and collections management.
 

These themes were dealt with at the conference in Prague, but they are still as relevant as they were then.  We will welcome presentations/papers on these issues.