Invention and Investigations: Printing Photography and the Photo Book

Thomas Palmer and Paul Messier will discuss the printing of the photograph in photo books from the perspective of their remarkable careers in the field—pushing the boundaries of what is possible in printing books while preserving the history of the photographic medium. Thomas Palmer’s extraordinary work printing photography began with his many projects with printer and artist Richard Benson and continues to his current work making digital separations of photographs. We will hear from Thomas stories about printing as it has changed and developed throughout his career. Paul Messier’s career as an expert in photographic materials led to his becoming the founder and Pritzker Director of the Lens Media Lab at Yale’s Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. Paul and his team at West Campus are using technology and research to support and investigate the great art of photography. The discussion will be moderated by Van Sinderen Book Collecting Prizes co-chair Miko McGinty, who worked with Palmer and Messier on the books Bill Brandt Henry Moore (Yale Center for British Art) and as an editor on Object Lesson: On the Influence of Richard Benson (Aperture). Reception to follow.