Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/01/17

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Subject: [Leica] LA Review
From: richard.lists at gmail.com (Richard Man)
Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:27:15 -0500
References: <7ac27f4f1001161959k5d6beae2i2123f3a8e50840c1@mail.gmail.com> <44938B52-51B0-453D-9681-6BCAA7DC34EA@mac.com>

Thank you for the kind words, certainly lots of opportunities to learn
and improve.

Yes, the woman suggested red because it matches the color
traditionally used by the signature chops.


On Sun, Jan 17, 2010 at 1:46 PM, George Lottermoser <imagist3 at mac.com> 
wrote:
> Richard, this serves as such a wonderful real world example of walking the
> path of visual self-expression.
> You (and the those offering critique) bring up so many wonderfully deep and
> complex aesthetic and historical considerations.
> With reference and reverence to the historically great landscape
> photographers of CA:
> Do you (or we) have something new to add their visual statements?
> With reference and reverence to the historically great brush painters,
> calligraphers and wood block printers:
> Aesthetic considerations of brushed ink calligraphy on brushed paintings 
> and
> wood block inked prints;
> compared to brushed ink calligraphy on silver gelatin prints;
> compared to brushed ink calligraphy on ink jet prints;
> compared to calligraphy digitally applied to the digital photo file;
> compared to the tradition of writing or scratching on negatives printed to
> silver gelatin paper;
> compared to the historical use of words (calligraphy and or typography) in
> both eastern and western painting and print making.
>
> Ink, paper and photography ? all very dear to my aesthetic heart and eyes.
>
> I feel quite excited as I follow you on your path of creative production 
> and
> presentation as well as this critical journey.
>
> Regards,
> George Lottermoser
> george at imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com/blog
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist
>
> On Jan 16, 2010, at 9:59 PM, Richard Man wrote:
>
>> 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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>



-- 
// 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


In reply to: Message from richard.lists at gmail.com (Richard Man) ([Leica] LA Review)
Message from imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser) ([Leica] LA Review)