Harman Brings Black and White to Life (Size)

HARMAN technology puts the special paper developed for a unique 1:1 walk-in camera on general release

APRIL 26, 2010: HARMAN technology Limited, the manufacturer of ILFORD monochrome traditional photographic products announces the launch of a new black and white photographic paper – HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE PAPER – available in both RC and FB, it has been designed primarily for use in the world’s largest working camera, the IMAGO 1:1 walk-in camera.

The giant IMAGO 1:1 camera requires the subject of the photograph to walk into the camera in isolation from the photographer and the new paper acts like a film slide to capture a life-size portrait directly without the use of a negative. This process means that every portrait is unique – literally capturing the moment much like any pinhole camera. HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE PAPER was engineered in collaboration with Susanna Kraus, owner of the IMAGO camera and daughter of one of its inventors.

Susanna Kraus commented:
“We struggled for a long time to find a paper that worked seamlessly with the IMAGO and matched our quality expectations, but this new paper has provided quality beyond our most ambitious expectations.”

“HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE paper isn’t just a functional solution, it performs a key role in the artistic process and the quality of the IMAGO’s output.”

The combination of the paper’s quality, the camera’s inimitable scale and the isolation of the photograph’s subject gives the final images an ethereal quality unmatched by any other artistic process and has catalysed a huge amount of interest from photographers across the globe in using the IMAGO camera.

Steven Brierley, Marketing Director at HARMAN technology commented:
“The IMAGO 1:1 camera is a remarkable undertaking and we were very keen to get involved with this project and use our unique expertise to assist in providing a new kind of direct positive paper that performs exceptionally well within an exceptional camera.”

“In particular HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE FB, as the only real photo Baryta positive paper in production anywhere in the world, represents a new stage in the development of one of the oldest forms of photography.”

HARMAN technology has made HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE PAPER available in both RC and Baryta bases, and in a variety of formats for a myriad of different photographic and artistic applications. Ideal for use in pinhole cameras which are often used in education to demonstrate the photographic process, HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE PAPER will produce a unique positive image without the use of a film negative whereas standard photographic paper would create a negative image.

HARMAN also expects demand from a range of fine art photographers looking to shoot images without the use of inter-negative photography and other niche areas of photography where direct positive paper is in demand such as the reintroduction of old high street photo booths.

HARMAN DIRECT POSITIVE is available for everybody to buy from the UK factory; the links below provide details of the product range that is available.

• UK based customers can order on-line at www.harmanexpress.com
• Customers outside the UK can order by phone on 0044 1565 684000 or contact us at www.ilfordphoto.com/dpp
• HARMAN plan to make these product available on-line in the US and EU later this year

Reader feedback:

Discuss this story: