Soho Photo’’s Annual Alternative Processes Competition was initiated in 2005 to recognize the achievements of those photographers who create hand crafted prints.

They Including not only, 19th Century historical techniques, but also, 20th & 21st Century processes. These photographers who continue to craft their images the way photographers have done since the beginning of the medium are dedicated to reviving old processes & creating new ones. To name several from albumen, ambrotype, bromoil, cyanotype, platinum/palladium, gum bichromate, salt print, tintype, image transfer, Van Dyke Brown and ziatype. Alternative processes result in the creation of unique, one-of-a-kind handmade images, with the imprint of the photographer’s individuality and artistry.

Alternative photography can be complicated and difficult to learn. These handmade prints resist easy duplication—. There is however, there is a resurgence of alternative methods as evidenced by new books, courses and conferences.
In previous’ competitions, jurors have included John Stevenson, Christopher James Tricia Rosenkilde and Dan Estabrook

Soho Photo Gallery welcomes New York City photographer Robert A. Schaefer, Jr. as the distinguished juror for this year’s competition. Schaefer is a founding member of Photoworkshop.com who writes about photography for Double Exposure and The Photo Review. He teaches photography at NYU and cyanotype at The Center for Alternative photography in Manhattan.