I am, predominantly, a classic film~ or Analog~ photographer. I started working in the journalism arena of photography learning composition and processing in a time sensitive orientation. Moving away from heavy production I decided that I wanted to shoot more artistically oriented work. With that in mind, I examined what other photographers did.. such as Ansel Adams. Additionally, I examined what some other artists, in general, did and I am merging styles, techniques, and ideas to create unique, individual works of art- no two will ever be the same.
Thus, contrary to “contemporaneous tendancies,” I am producing slower.. more methodically, and with greater precision for the final product- that one of a kind original work of art.
So what,’s the big deal?
Well, Ansel Adams didn’t create magic *just* in his camera.. he carried his craft on in to the darkroom where he specifically and carefully ‘overprinted’ his images. This means that the “black” tones of the prints were heady.. heavy blacks but the problem with this is that his white zones were.. grey and muddy. So, he would, then, take the print and “bleach” it. This bleaching process would affect pretty much only the whiter areas bringing them in to a crisp, clear white tone rather than the muddy greys his overprinting technique produced.
With this.. his prints became unique as they were stark in contrast and stood out against his contemporaries.
My work borrows this technique as one element but the uniqueness of my prints will start well before this…
As my productive goal is to be printing images in the 3′ by 5′ area, I am limited in materials. I’ll be using, mostly, stretched canvas. That stuff doesn’t come pre- impregnated with emulsion so I have to paint the stuff on myself.. in virtually complete darkness. That means the image area won’t be exact and it’ll never be the same.. ever.
Then I’ll be using the Ansel Adams technique of overprinting and bleaching back the exposed print.. taking the overprinted greys back to stark whites.
Then.. as if that wasn’t enough.. I’ll be hand tinting the image for emphasis and enhancement.. so there’ll be “splashes” of pastel colours.
But it all starts with composition and content that is eye catching, sensitive, and sensual.. be it a natural landscape or nude model. I’ve been described as an unique photographer.. I shoot my own way.. I also shoot my own content. I don’t shoot the way others do. Eolake Stobblehouse (former owner of a prominent online nude gallery) described my work as “Too Artistic.” At first, that stung.. then I realized my work is too cerebral for prurience.. and that’s a damned good thing!
I’m going in to the darkroom this week.. I’ll be coming out with hand tinted works of art shortly.