Silvertone International was established specifically for the discerning artist and photographer – those demanding the highest standards of image reproduction for books, art catalogues, digital fine art prints (in colour or black & white), B&W film processing and hand prints. Drawing on decades of experience, and coupled with the latest digital
technology Silvertone is able to ensure complete control over print
detail, colour, contrast, saturation and sharpness.
At Silvertone our personal interest and involvement in each project we undertake is born from an obsession with the photographic process and a love for the printed image. Our objective is always to exceed your expectations, that is why each and every piece of work is handled with sensitivity and care as we apply our art, to enhance yours.
Dennis da Silva - Inspired by the pencil of nature - Malin Fabbri
Dennis prints lith, salt, cyanotype and vandyke browns commercially.
Prints being rinsed during a cyanotype workshop with Janus Boshoff
How did you start out with alternative process?
I have been printing black & white hand prints for myself and
commercially for 40 years and in 1969 I purchased the reprint of Henry
Fox Talbot's book called The Pencil of Nature which is Fox's diary and
the notes of his discovery of the negative and positive print called
the Calotype or as we know it to day The Salt Print. The process
intrigued me and sat in the back of my head for many years. I believe
in fait and finding the alternative group on the net at the same time
as starting my own business exited me again and the rest is history.
I have a passion for the Salt Print not only because of its historic value but also for its simplicity
compared to the technology required to manufacture conventional
black & white paper today) and the ability to produce the most
wonderful feel and tones.
Dennis da Silva coating papers
What is your background?
I am a self taught photographer and photo laboratory technician who
started and managed a professional photo lab for 25 years, introducing
black & white processing and printing, C41, E6, C-type printing,
cibachrome printing, composite and duplicate transparencies,
retouching. I was also privileged to master and be involved with Kodak
Rochester in the now defunct and I believe one of the most beautiful
and technical processes made by Kodak called Dye Transfer. I have also
been involved in the Judicating and judging of many prestigious
Professional photographic awards including being a founder member and
judge in the recent Sony World awards held in France.
What alternative services do you offer your clients?
I have been lith printing since 1976 (this happened by accident
doing proofs for the repro industry). I don't think there was even a
name for it at the time. I still have some of the prints from those
days, it was quite funny because I showed them to various art directors
that I respected for there visual standards and not many liked them or
could not understand why I would want to mess up great negs with odd
prints. Only later did lith printing become liked or popular. Lith is a
process that I offer using various lith papers and toners. I also offer
the Salt, Cyanotype, and the Brown prints.
Dennis da Silva rinsing prints at Silvertone
Have you been able to make a successful business out of the alternative process?
I am not sure if this approach is right or wrong but I will not
print for anyone, especially if I think that the work won't be
appreciated or will not suite any of the alternative methods that I do
including lith prints. So for this reasons I would say "no", it has not
as yet been financially lucrative. What is more important it has proven
to be a very good marketing tool for my company as most of the clients
respect my decisions above but
surprisingly clients are forever bringing their clients to see the
various alternative printing methods that we use and in turn support
the digital side of the business.
Andreas Kahlau and Dennis da Silva outside Silvertone
How many staff work at Silvertone?
There are six members including myself,
Andreas Kahlau My partner who has 25 years experience in the repro
industry is a German trained scanner operator/ retoucher and Photo Shop
expert who has been on a number of workshops with Jon Cone of "Cone
Editions" one of the forefathers of digital Fine Art pigment printing
in the USA and on a number of very advanced Photo Shop workshops with
Dan Margulis one of the worlds most knowledgeable Photo shop experts.
Andreas is also a certified Apple pro in colour management using Mac 0S
X by Apple. Also completing a Predictable Colour Proofing and Printing
workshop at ( R I T ) Rochester Institute of Technology. He has a deep
passion and love for digital imaging and photography!
Andreas Kahlau and Dennis da Silva outside Silvertone.
Andile Komanisi Andreas's assistant who we have trained in all the
digital services that we offer, he is also a great photographer and
interested in the alternative process.
Boogie Dooku Has worked with me for almost 20 years is a great
black and white hand printer. Boogie assists me in all the conventional
and alternative printing processes.
Thabisu Mashala He is also trained in all the conventional and digital processes that we do and helps both sides of the company.
Jenny da Silva My wife who has a great eye and passion for
photography assisted the world Famous photographer Roger Ballen for
almost 15 years, now runs the business side for me.
Inspecting prints during a workshop
How do you see the future of your Alternative printing?
I am unsure about the future of all the conventional printing
methods from a commercial point of view, the black & white hand
prints have progressively got less in demand and therefore are becoming
expensive and this in turn only allows your established art
photographer or print seller to afford the prints. The Alternative
printing from a commercial point of view is even tougher as I charge
more and to really turn it into a commercial venture and print
anything, anytime for anybody would be a shame. I have a number of
clients who's work would suite the alternative methods and are hoping
to convince them to do a body of work rather than the ones and twos.
From a non-commercial view I really believe that there are some exciting opportunities.
We have just formed the "Joburg Alternative Group" with six members
and the whole idea is to master all the most used methods, then to try
and master some of the more difficult or strange ones. We have already
had our first group exhibition which was held at a very popular week of
art called "Aardklop". The exhibition was held in an old flower mill
where they have Jazz bands plying at night, was very successful from a
alternative point of view. What I am hoping is that every few months we
will accept another member, teach them the basics and then hope that
they will leave and start there own group so that in a few years time
there will be groups all over South Africa printing and promoting the
alternative methods. We are also involved with workshops in schools,
technicons, and universities. Janus Boshoff a lecturer at a
Photographic College and a colleague of mine who has a great working
relationship with Silvertone has a real love and passion for the
alternative processes, has had some very successful alternative
workshops at Silvertone and various institutions creating great
interest and a high quality of work from the participants.
