Most photographers know how to use a black-and-white developer, but far fewer understand what is actually happening inside the solution. In Part 1 of *Inside the Developer*, we break down the key components of a developer and show how developing agents, alkalis, preservatives, restrainers, solvents, and water work together as one balanced chemical system.
Category Archives: Darkroom Diary
Iodizing Paper For My Next Pictorial Whispers Plate
Today I am preparing iodized paper for my next *Pictorial Whispers* plate using the Greenlaw calotype process. The sheets begin with a striking purple tone before drying toward tan, revealing some of the chemistry happening long before the paper ever enters the camera.
Work Slowly Enough to See
What looks like wasted time may actually be part of the work. In this article, I explore why wandering, returning, waiting, and simply observing can help us see more deeply—and why creative work does not always need to become more efficient.
One Honest Step Forward – A better way to keep your photography moving
Do not ask yourself to produce a photograph every day.
Ask yourself to move the photograph one honest step forward.
New Video – Large Format Salt Print – Where the Flowers Were – Pictorial Whispers 2026 Plate 5
This plate belongs to Pictorial Whispers, my ongoing body of work using flowers, natural light, a vintage window, and 19th-century photographic processes to speak about grief, memory, endurance, and healing.
Why Salt Prints Change Color
A salt print can look like several different prints before it becomes the final print.
It may come out of the exposure frame looking rich, warm, red-brown, or almost purple-brown. Then it may weaken in the first wash. It may shift again during toning. It may look duller in the fixer. Then, after drying, it may darken, cool, and settle into a final color that was not fully visible while the print was wet.
What the Vessels Remember – Pictorial Whispers 2026 Plate 6
This plate belongs to Pictorial Whispers, my ongoing body of work using flowers, natural light, a vintage window, and 19th-century photographic processes to speak about grief, memory, endurance, and healing.
New Behind The Scenes Video for Pictorial Whispers Plate 4
This plate belongs to Pictorial Whispers, my ongoing body of work using flowers, natural light, a vintage window, and 19th-century photographic processes to speak about grief, memory, endurance, and healing.
The Hidden Power of Gelatin in Silver Gelatin Emulsions
Most photographers think the magic of silver gelatin photography is in the silver.
That is partly true. The silver halide crystals are the light-sensitive part of the emulsion. They are what respond to light and make the photographic image possible.
But gelatin is not just the stuff that holds the silver in place.
Social Media is the Toilet of the Internet – and Why This Matters for Photographers
The Internet has changed photography in powerful ways, both good and terrible. In this reflective essay, I explore how social media, fake expertise, AI, and the noise of modern online culture have pulled photographers away from the quiet, meaningful work of making photographs with intention, patience, and real experience.