One of the familiar faces of the Santa Clarita Valley, Tony Zinnanti has moved from the practice of law to the practice of art.

For the month of November, the Santa Clarita Center for Photography will feature "Silver Prints: A Survey of Traditional and Antique Photography" by Zinnanti.

The installation features prints created from a variety of photographic techniques, including dry plate formulas from the 1800s and negatives produced with Zinnanti's 100-year-old 8x10 camera.

Zinnanti's personal darkroom is a satellite element of the photo center. The installation, which consists of 12 hand- printed black and white photos, features scenes from throughout the SCV, including haunting images of Mentryville cast from glass plate negatives, Bouquet Falls and various SCV landscapes.

"Each print is on a gelatin silver emulsion, fiber based paper," said Zinnanti. "For those new to traditional printing, each work was hand printed with an enlarger, or contact printed, and ‘stewed' through the chemical development process."

Zinnanti said guests should make note of the dry plate prints, "Jailhouse Ruins" and "Settler's Wagon."

"I wasn't seeking a dry plate documentary feel, but rather the ethereal textures achieved with wet plate photography," he said.
"Ginny" and "Passing Fancy" are contact prints from 8x10 negatives.

"The mere process of shooting the negatives is an event. People love my 100-year-old 8x10 Gundlach that I produce these negatives with," Zinnanti said.

"Given its limits and weight, each negative is the product of considerable forethought. The negatives are tray developed; the images gently rocked into being in complete darkness and only through the feel of correct time, chemical agitation and handling.

The resulting contact prints are virtually grainless and with deep blacks and impeccable tonality."

In addition to the exhibit at the Santa Clarita Center for Photography, Zinnanti's work will be shown Saturday and Sunday in "Exposures 2009 Photography Exhibition" at Hart Hall, adjacent to William S. Hart Park in Newhall.

The two-day show is free and Hart Hall will be open during park hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A variety of photo exhibits and demonstrations will be offered.

The Santa Clarita Center for Photography, 28368 Constellation Road, Suite 340, Valencia, is open for viewing during regular business hours, on weekends and by appointment. Phone number, (661) 904-2092.

"Exposures 2009 Photography Exhibition" will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Hart Hall adjacent to William S. Hart Park, 24151 Newhall Ave., Newhall. The exhibit is free.