Cadmium & Mercury: Check Your Levels!

It's been a while since I've had a complete physical. Last week, I went for the entire checkup.

I requested a heavy metals check when they took my blood. I asked them to check my cadmium levels (CdBr) and mercury (Hg) levels. 

After almost a decade of handling a lot of heavy metal, I wanted to get a baseline for my new life in the states with a new fume hood and improved safety features in my darkroom. 

I've always been extremely safe when I handle heavy metals. I get it, I know and understand the danger but still want to live my life and make my art. 

Long story short: my cadmium (none at all) and mercury levels are normal - no problem at all. If you work in these processes and have never had the test, I encourage you to do so. These are dangerous and deadly metals, if you've been exposing yourself and don't know it, you could have a very grim future with diseases and major health problems. It's better to be safe than sorry.

University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder)

I was invited to do a lecture for the History of Photography class at CU Boulder in Boulder, Colorado. The students were very receptive and impressed me. It was mostly about my work and the processes that I use. Of course being a history of photography class, I gave my perspective on what's happened, what's happening now and what I think wil happen in the future. 

I packed some Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Albumen prints, Salt prints and even a faux Daguerreotype for them to handle and look at - they were like kids in a candy store. It was fun.

I'll return to CU Boulder soon to do another lecture. I had a good time and really enjoy sharing my work and talking about these processes. I hope to offer the students/school something very unique in the future, we're working on it now. 

A big thanks to Jeanne for helping me and listening to my lecture for 1000th time! I love you! And thanks for the photos, too!

Quinn starts his presentation at CU Boulder's History of Photography class. Photo by Jeanne Jacobson

Southern Utah University Art Insights Lecture

I've been invited to speak and to do a performative lecture at Southern Utah University (SUU). I just received this press release this morning. 

If you're in the area, and you can make it, please join us. 

Click here to read the press release.

Back In The Saddle

After almost six years, I'm back in America and teaching Wet Plate Collodion to Americans, again. It feels good.

I held the first (of many) Wet Plate Collodion workshop in my studio from September 3 - 6, 2011. It was a great feeling to be back and to speak the language, understand the culture and have people laugh at my jokes. I had some fantastic people in the workshop, too. A big thanks to Chris Kirk, Rob Perisho, Jeff Graves and Izah Gallagher. They're great people with a great Collodion future ahead of them! I hope to see them all again in my studio soon!

 Summer preps varnish while the rest of the crew are cutting and cleaning glass, (left to right) Jeff Graves (Broomfield, Co), Rob Perisho (Chicago, Il), Chris Kirk (Austin, Texas), Izah Gallagher (Denver, Co), and Summer Jacobson (Denver, Co).

 This was just a joke. I thought it was kind of funny. Herr Graves drying his Clear Glass Ambrotypes.Summer helps Chris with varnishing. Chris did some of the finest varnishing I've ever seen (not kidding). "My GrandDaddy's Hat" Izah shows off her wonderful self-portrait. Whole Plate Black Glass Ambrotype.Chris makes a portrait of Summer as Jesse watches. The EXTREME Denver UV made using natural light a no brainer - really gorgeous images!"Cowboy" 7x5 Alumitype by Chris Kirk"Cowboy" 5x7 Alumitype by Izah Gallagher.

Summer Jacobson, September 4, 2011 Denver, Colorado - photo by Chris Kirk

Rob Perisho, September 3, 2011 Denver, Colorado - photo by Quinn Jacobson

If you're interested in joining me for a workshop/course in a historic photographic process like Daguerreotypy, Calotypy, Wet Plate Collodion, Albumen Printing and/or Salt Printing, keep your eye on this link or send me an email and we'll get you in! I have a nice big (safe) well lighted studio in the RiNo District in Denver, Colorado. 

RiNo

RiNo stands for River North Arts District. That's where my studio is - they made a nice announcement for me in their newsletter for Friday night and my little "open house".