Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/01/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Finished the portfolio review today - met with 3 people yesterday and 3 today. The first day was slightly discouraging in that while one gallerist (in fact, up in the City) says we should get together with the gallery owner and talk, the general comments is that while my B&W darkroom prints are good (but can get better of course), but regardless how good they can get, in terms of subjects of the CA coasts and redwood etc., it would always be: why would people be interested when there are Sexton's, Westons' and Adams etc. abound? The worst comments come from reviewer doesn't seem to grasp why I am doing it. She asks "are you interested only in the Asian market?" Another suggests that may be I should do the calligraphy on the mat. Ouch and double ouch. Anyway, this is one question I have been struggling with: B&W print, which I love, but how do I input my personal vision? I tried writing calligraphy on a couple photos and while they look good, they are lacking simply because the photographs are not the best images. I was thinking that I should go visit China and take some classic Chinese landscape images for this purpose. Anyway, the first reviewer today, after seeing my portfolio, made a startling simple, commented: "Use Red Ink." Duh.... on hindsight, it's the most obvious thing to do - it matches the chop's color, and would be distinctive on the B&W prints!!! My mental block is that Chinese calligraphy is always Black on White. In fact, I tend to lighten the patch where the calligraphy will go on a computer file, so this simple suggestion is like one of those Zen Koan - breaking open my mental block. I discussed the idea with the remaining two reviewers after I did the presentation, and they do agree it's a great idea and made more suggestions. So I have some work to do in the next couple weeks to enter in a couple competitions with these new ideas. This is GREAT!!! and tomorrow I will drive to Indio and do a couple day of shoot around Salton Sea and the Joshua Tree. **** I am also trying to sign up for the week long John Sexton B&W Printing workshop. They used to fill up really fast but things may have slowed down a bit now. We will see... -- // richard m: richard @imagecraft.com // w: http://www.imagecraft.com/pub/Portfolio09/ blog: http://rfman.wordpress.com // book: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/745963