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Gene Nocon is considered one of photography's finest master
printers. His experience includes 15 years in London printing
for Europe's top photographers. Gene has won the title of
ILFORD printer of the Year, he was made a Fellow of the Royal
Photographic Society (FRPS), founded the RPS Distinction Panel...full
article
Nocon On Photoshop
If you missed the the first lecture/workshop held last month, here's your chance to catch up. This second lecture/workshop is hot on the heels of the inaugural held on 18 March. Four hours was not enough - this one will be all day!
For more lectures dates please visit our Calendar Of Events
The Royal Photographic Journal - The Nocon Effect
To bring some sanity to photographers' attempts at processing their own imagery, says Gene Nocon FRPS,
he's developed lectures and workshops on Photoshop from the perspective of the darkroom. His talk at the National
Portrait Gallery for the London Region on 7 Sept presents the opportunity to hear this legendary darkroom worker
expound on the use of the computer in photography, and his development of what he calls 'Fauxtographs'
Read the entire article...
As featured in the Fall 2005 Freestyle catalog...
The Greatest Photographer I Have Ever Printed For!
The greatest photographer that I have ever printed for would have to be Norman Parkinson. I met him early in my career at a book signing. As
he signed my book, he asked me what I did for a living. I told him I was a black and white printer, where upon he looked up, pointed to
someone behind him, and asked me to give him my name and telephone number. The following week he was on my doorstep with a commercial job
that he needed printed. His regular printer had gone away on holiday, and Mr. Parkinson knew of no other printers other than me (from the
earlier encounter) and he needed these prints urgently. He cameback the folling week with all his negatives. This, he said, was for a book
he was doing - a retrospective (50 Years of Fashion Style). But he wanted me to print just a few prints as a "test". I did maybe a dozen
16x20 pictures. To me they looked beautiful. But when he came in to see them he tore them up...
full article
Out of the Dark
Several years ago there was an article in American Photographer magazine discussing the use of computers in photo imaging. Several images
accompanied the article. The most fascinating were the portraits that had been manipulated to give the faces a grotesque ape-like appearance...
full article
Featured Artist
A Freestyle Interview with Master Printer and Freestyle Advisory
Board Member, Gene Nocon
by Stephanie Morey
Gene Nocon is considered one of photography's finest master
printers and his three decades of experience includes 15 years
in London, England printing for Europe's top photographers...full
article
As featured in our Fall 2004 Catalog
Studio Lighting... Be Aware of It!
To all the young photographers I offer this advice about lighting. First you have to be aware of it. This is your exercise:
Take the time to sit in your favorite room, coffee shop, beach, mountain top, studio, a park bench, somewhere you're comfortable.
Some time during day the light creates an ambiance which makes that place look beautiful. As a photographer this is the moment
you wait for.
full article
If you wish to visit Mr. Nocon's website, please visit: http://www.genenocon.com/
To ask Mr. Nocon a question please fill out the form below. The most
popular questions and answers will be posted on this page.
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| Ask the Expert Question/Answer |
Question:
Dear Gene,
I found some B&W duplicating film with a ISO of 4.
What is the best way to use this film to make a 4x5 negative from an Original 4x5? Contact or the use of a enlarger?
Thank you,
Edward B.
Answer:
Hi Edward,
In reference to your question about making a duplicate of a 4x5:
I get better results by projecting the image from an enlarger. This would require that you have a 4x5 enlarger with a 150 mm lens.
You're going to need to extend ...full answer
Question:
How does application of the zone system differ in digital photography where exposures are generally based on highlights rather than shadows?
George
Answer:
FILM: shadow detail is the issue. The zone system is a two step process. 1) Expose for shadows, 2) Develop for highlights. This requires an exposure reading of the shadows and exposing for this that records detail in that area. On film that would be ...full answer
Question:
Hello,
I am an exhibiting photographer; I use only film and traditional darkroom work. I have always photographed under natural lighting conditions and have been using beautiful window light coming in FROM my studio's window.
I have never used studio lights and no nothing about them. I would like to imitate the natural window lighting with some sort of system but have no idea what to even buy. I suspect that I may be looking for some sort of soft box system...but again, I have no idea what I need to look for, as this is foreign ground to me. Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Maida M.
Answer:
Dear Maida,
I too like to use natural light. There are times in the day when the ambiance makes shooting more successful, but I still use reflectors to bounce the light around. The same would apply to using artificial light. The soft box is the mo...full answer
Question:
I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation last night at the South Bay Camera Club. Your wit, insight and enthusiasm for photography were infectious. I was completely amazed by your work and talent. If I may take a moment of your time, I need some advice. I am interested in going digital, but by sticking with my film camera. I am having a difficult time deciding between two film scanners: the Minolta Dimage 5400 vs. Nikon 5000 ED. Both scanners offer a dynamic range of 4.8 and share other similarities. I wanted to get you opinion as to which scanner you prefer. Thank you for your time. Best regards, Mark
Answer:
Hi Mark, With everything being equal it may be a coin toss. But I think the Minolta has a leg up on the Nikon. The Minolta 5400 scans at 5400 dpi, the Nikon 5000 ED scans at 4000 dpi. That means a 35mm neg or trans scanned on the Minolta would have a...full answer
Question:
Dear Gene
Once upon a time, I worked in London also. I'm sure you remember as we were on Mount Pleasant near Roseberry Ave. I was a part of Downtown for at least 15 years, worked in lith, on Seagull, Agfa, Kodak Rapid, and once or twice on Kodak LP, the finest of lith friendly papers. I also did a huge amount of toning, and mixed my own Hydroquinone only developers. My question is this-most of the papers have changed, Agfa reduced the Cadmium in it's paper and destroyed it, Seagull reduced the silver in its', LP and Kodak Rapid Fix are no longer made. Brovira is also gone. Also films have disappeared... Kodak RXP, a favorite of mine is gone as is Plus X in 5x4. Consequently the prints we used to be able to make, are impossible to do now. All of this I suspect due to Digital, do you feel that photography and especially B&W printing has taken a step forwards or backwards? There is a lot we can do in digital, and in my darkroom we embrace every aspect of printing, from Platinum through to conventional and digital, but I feel the real seat of your pants printing, the sort of thing that led to the discovery of lith, solarization , pre flashing ( thanks for that ) is now gone . The happy accident is a thing of the past, and isn't that where true creativity comes from, not planning but more opportunity seized.
Rick
Answer:
Hi Rick,
Those were the days, weren't they. You know what I remember most:
finding a parking spot. If I got in early enough I managed to park in
that lot just behind Holborn Studios. Remember those big Corvettes
usually parked there.
...full answer
QUESTION:
Do you use oil or watercolors to enhance your portraits? It
looks like oil. What kind of paper would you use if you want to
digitalize the portrait first then enhance it with another medium?
MR. NOCON'S ANSWER:
With reference to your question: I do not use any further enhancement
to my prints other than a varnish to protect it. The reason it looks
like oil, or watercolour, or pastel, is because I make it look like art...full
answer
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