For the last 22 years Ray Bidegain has been lucky enough to spend his time working as a fine art photographer, and specifically working as a photographer who photographed using large format negatives and made platinum prints from the camera negatives. Many of you have collected these platinum prints over the years, and some of you have learned platinum printing from Bidegain along the way. He loves the process, and has loved every minute of this period in his work. Platinum printing is an amazing and beautiful way to make photographs.

For the last five years Bidegain has been working on making photogravure prints, polymer plate photogravure prints, to be specific. He worked on it and decided he wanted to make a change and make a commitment to working as a printmaker making photogravure prints. You all know him as a person who likes handmade photography. Handmade objects are at the heart of his photographic journey, and printmaking is all of that and more. He has some ideas about doing bookbinding and has been making custom clamshell portfolio boxes, all objects that are handmade.

His new brand, Cascabel Press, will revolve around hand pulled printmaking and related objects. He is excited and passionate about it, and he hopes y’all will get excited with him! Photogravure prints are beautiful, and this type of printmaking has a long and rich history. These objects are ink on paper with so many variables: the paper he uses, the color of the ink he chooses, and adding some very interesting techniques such as chine collé that he can incorporate to give each print a unique look. This also lends itself to printing in editions and working in small editions of between 8 and 15 prints.

We hope you will continue on this journey with Ray Bidegain.