Over the last few years, Edward Burtynsky has been investigating the possibilities of long-term preservation for artifacts in hopes of finding a proper home for the 10,000-year Clock (also known as the “Clock of the Long Now”) and, in turn, has rediscovered a process for producing photographic prints that could resist fading for – no joke – as long as it takes for the Clock to cycle. Burtynsky has proposed the creation of a 10,000-year Gallery to house the Clock alongside a slowly rotated selection of long-life photographs.

If you’re anything like me, you’re getting chills just imagining a gallery space with the Clock (ticking once a year, the century hand advancing once every one hundred years, the cuckoo coming out on the millennium) and photographs lining the walls.

Here’s an excerpt from the Blog of Long Now, explaining more:

Photographer Edward Burtynsky made a formal proposal for a permanent art gallery in the chamber that encloses the 10,000-year Clock in its Nevada mountain. The gallery would consist of art in materials as durable as the alloy steel and jade of the Clock itself, and it would be curated slowly over the centuries to reflect changing interests in the rolling present and the accumulating past. Photographs in particular should be in the 10,000-year Gallery, Burtynsky said, “because they tell us more than any previous medium. When we think of our own past, we tend to think in terms of family photos.”

Burtynsky went on a quest for a technical solution. He thought that automobile paint, which holds up to harsh sunlight, might work if it could be run through an inkjet printer, but that didn’t work out. Then he came across a process first discovered in 1855, called “carbon transfer print.” It uses magenta, cyan, and yellow inks made of ground stone-the magenta stone can only be found in one mine in Germany-and the black ink is carbon.

On the stage Burtynsky showed a large carbon transfer print of one of his ultra-high resolution photographs. The color and detail were perfect. Accelerated studies show that the print could hang in someone’s living room for 500 years and show no loss of quality. Kept in the Clock’s mountain in archival conditions it would remain unchanged for 10,000 years.

The popularization of such printing methods would no doubt change the face of the photography. But at present, making just one print takes five days of work, costs $2,000 and only ten artisans in the world have the knowledge and skills to do it correctly, says Burtynsky.

Read the rest of the story here. And check back here for an .mp3 of Burtynsky’s Long Now Seminar, where he discussed the 10,000-year Gallery.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Stephen Sasson with his digital camera prototype
© James Rajotte / New York Times

For her New York Times article, At Kodak, Some Old Things Are New Again, Claudia H. Deutsch spoke with Steven Sasson, an electrical engineer who invented the “first digital camera.” When Sasson created his prototype at Eastman Kodak in the ‘70s, he told her, the idea was not as easy to pitch as you might think.

“My prototype was big as a toaster, but the technical people loved it,” Mr. Sasson said. “But it was filmless photography, so management’s reaction was, ‘that’s cute — but don’t tell anyone about it.’”

In her article, Deutsch discusses how Kodak has since learned to embrace digital technology and takes a look at what new technologies they releasing and researching for.

Read it online here.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Sad, sad news released today:

The company that pioneered instant photography is getting out of the film business to focus on digital imaging.

Polaroid says it will close its two remaining film manufacturing plants in Massachusetts. The facilities in Norwood and Waltham employed about 150 people and made large-format film for commercial use.

Polaroid has already halted the production of instant cameras. Chief Operating Officer Tom Beaudoin told The Boston Globe the company will focus on digital photography equipment and flat-panel TVs.

As it says above, the Norwood and Waltham plants make large-format films. Polaroid also makes professional-grade films in Mexico, and its consumer film packs come from a factory in the Netherlands. However, all of these plants are slated for closure sometime this year.

Shoot as much as you can right now – that’s what I suggest (especially if you’re working in a larger format). Here’s that last black and white Polaroid that I mentioned, from the pack of Polapan 100 Type 664 film that Mrs. Deane sent me.

Austin in Morning Light, Essex, VT, 2007
© Shane Lavalette

Read more here and here.

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William Eggleston chillin’ with David Lynch, 2007
© Winston Eggleston (?)

Good… God… What’s a conversation like?

Popularity: 14% [?]

In the age of downloadable albums and iPods, some people might find it surprising that I occasionally buy LPs. Sometimes I find it kind of surprising myself.

When the rare occasion comes, however, I tend to justify my purchase by reassuring myself how wonderful the particular album would sound on vinyl. You see, there are albums out there that lend themselves especially well to the record format and the good ‘ol phonograph – that simply should be played along with the beautiful crackling of a needle. Maybe you know what sort of albums I’m talking about?

Just a few days ago I picked up an album at a local record shop: The Sound of the Trio (Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen). I knew the record would be good; there’s really nothing like listening to an Oscar Peterson album on vinyl. Nothing at all.

putting on an Oscar Peterson album in my old apartment, April, 2007

In fact, one of my favorites is another of his (pictured above). I think I’ve played that record more than any other album that I own on vinyl.

Well, you can imagine the sadness I felt today when I read the article in the Times about Oscar Peterson passing away yesterday, at the age of 82. The death of one of the greatest jazz musicians to live leaves a lump in my throat that is hard and unmoving. When I looked at the record I thought to myself, “how great it is to hold this in my hands.”

What better time than now to dust it off, let the needle down and have his sweet music playing through the night.

Goodbye, Oscar Peterson.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Noah Kalina’s internet-famous video was parodied last night by The Simpsons. Pretty funny – congrats, Noah!

Noah takes a photo of himself every day for 6 years:

Homer Simpson takes a photo of himself everyday for 39 years:

Read what Noah has to say on his blog.

UPDATE: Take a look at these related stories…

Karl Baden – 20 years of photographing himself
Ahree Lee – 3 years, with facial feature alignment

And lots more to be found here.

Popularity: 18% [?]

... but I will still buy you in Pro-Packs.

Find out which other single rolls have been slashed, over on 2point8.

UPDATE: To clarify, this does not mean you can’t still go to your local photo store and buy a single roll of said film. This simply means that Kodak will no longer be distributing this film by the roll, but instead by the pack or in bulk. In a way, this is better (less packaging used to distribute the film stock) and doesn’t effect the majority of people already buying the film (pros often buy their pro film in bulk anyway). But, let’s just hope it’s not foreshadowing for some real film slashing.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Untitled, anonymous photograph from the 1950’s
© Photographer Unknown / National Gallery of Art

While Peter Plagens’ article Is Photography Dead? (written for the December 10th issue of Newsweek) draws a few interesting conclusions about the “digital revolution,” it generally seems to overlook fundamental ideas about art and photography which I thought were actually rather self-evident.

By now, we’ve witnessed all the magical morphing and seen all the clever tricks that have turned so many photographers – formerly bearers of truth – into conjurers of fiction. It’s hard to say “gee whiz” anymore.

Fiction in photography may be a relatively new idea but doesn’t it seem that the notion of photography concerning itself with “truth” or representing “reality” is what perished (long ago)? Since when has fine art photography really been about the “tool” used by the photographer? Isn’t the true power of art that it transcends the mediums limitations by way of the artist?

I encourage readers to offer their thoughts on this thread.

Popularity: 43% [?]

spread from Hackney Flowers, 2007
© Stephen Gill

Martin Amis (welcome Hipshots to the blogosphere) makes note of The Sunday Times (UK) article highlighting the Best Photography Books of 2007 released in the UK. The titles were chosen by the UK’s own Martin Parr, photographer and noted lover of books.

Parr’s choice for book of the year went deservedly to Stephen Gill’s strange and beautiful Hackney Flowers.

Other selections include:

The Genius of Photography by Gerry Badger
I’m a Real Photographer by Keith Arnatt
The Mother of All Journeys by Dinu Li
Welcome to Pyongyang by Charlie Crane
A China Chronicle by Zeng Li
A Shimmer of Possibility by Paul Graham
In England by Don McCullin
An American Index of The Hidden and Unfamiliar by Taryn Simon
Nein, Onkel (No, Uncle) by Timothy Prus and Ed Jones (editors)
Fashion Magazine by Alec Soth
Magnum Magnum by Magnum Photos

Read the full article here.

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Earth-rise, November 3, 2007
© JAXA/NHK

Earth-set, November 3, 2007
© JAXA/NHK

The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announces 3D HD images of the Earth both “rising” and “setting” as seen from the moon explorer Kaguya.

(via TEDBlog)

Popularity: 20% [?]