The negative is comparable to the composer’s score and the print to its performance. Each performance differs in subtle ways. – Ansel Adams
This quote has certainly been repeated many, many times over the years. It is usually brought up in the context of how a photograph truly isn’t complete until it is printed. Although Adams certainly wasn’t addressing the casual shutterbug, I believe that it changing for many people. I am not so sure it is a good thing either. From a fine art aspect, the print is most certainly an extension of the art in capturing an image and presenting it to represent the photographer’s final vision.
There are certain things that simply can’t be done in camera. Selective dodging and burning is one in particular that comes to mind – a process that has been used for decades to help control areas of contrast and lead a viewer’s eye. But with digital captures where this can be done in post processing, I think a lot of photographers might tend to leave it there, still in a digital form. Is it still a bit incomplete?
Certainly with the popularity of digital cameras, for many people, the JPEG IS the final form. Its final desination may be a blog, MySpace , DeviantArt, or Facebook page, or simply displayed on a website. Not much desire to take it any further. But can we feel as connected to a jpeg as we can to holding a print in our hands? Does a photograph that is a physical entity have more impact than one displayed in pixels?
I personally love the feel of a velvety, heavy fine art paper. It actually contributes to my enjoyment of an image. However, I realize I cannot print all my images. I have thousands of slides sitting in a drawer, rarely seeing the light of day. Seems like a shame actually. The many hours of efforts spent in creating some of those images – to result in a life in a slide page or perhaps lost in a folder on a hard drive.
So do yourself a favor – take a look at a few of your favorite images, pull up some old ones perhaps – and give it the honor of making a print from it. I think you will find there are rewards beyond the initial capture of an image yet to be experienced. And be sure to post back here if you do and let us know how it went..
I like Ansel Adams’ comment. For him, being an accomplished pianist, this was an obvious comparison. Also, in those days every print had to be hand-made in the darkroom, sort of similar to the performance of a piece of music.
As for me, I actually have scanned many of my old analog negatives and slides, and worke don them in Photoshop to emphasize things I just couldn’t bring out using the old analog darkroom. And I’m sure Ansel Adams would have done the same if he had lived today.
It is nice to have an image in hand especially when you have been the crafter of it and have had to come to an understanding of the subject captured to best showcase it. Nice article.
Hey Paul – glad to hear you are printing again. B&W even seems to have its own set of issues with color casts, density, etc. But all that matters is that it is adding extra enjoyment to the images. Sounds like you have a versatile display method going.
“using PhotoShop is like working a Ouiji board”
Ha! Bill – isn’t that the truth at times! LOL!
Mark,
I didn’t make a new print of a scanned old slide (or film negative) but I often do a similar exercise when I go back to old images, scan them in my film and slide scanner, and work them over in PhotoShop. I also revisit old digital files. And yes, you are right. There are always rewards beyond the initial capture yet to be experienced. Earlier today I was reworking in PhotoShop some portraits taken 25 or so years ago on Tri-X, for example. Yesterday I was mining jewels from archived and overlooked digital files from a couple of years ago.
Frankly, I struggle with PhotoShop, but it’s a lovely struggle. Every time I sit down, guided by one of my good PhotoShop how-to books, and try to rework a photo no matter how old, I see something new.
The end result may not always be good. But when it is, it’s wonderful. You mention the “photographer’s final vision.” I don’t think I work with a vision (but I am not a graphic artist). To me, using PhotoShop is like working a Ouiji board. I am just pleased to see where the Ouiji will take me.
But I am talking the rewards of reworking an image on my computer, not going to the print phase. My poor dusty Epson 1280 sits beside me, buried in papers, a victim of issues ranging from the cost of buying ink cartridges to finding room in my crowded office for more hard copy prints. We do have a dear aunt in our family and whenever family photos are passed around by email I make 4×6 prints of the good ones and my wife mails them to her. Otherwise, my printmaking is a sometime thing. For what I do, I have my hands full making digital files for a Web site and for print publications.
I would disagree with the word “print” in the Adams quote. Or at least I would wrinkle my eyebrows questioningly. Adams was 82 when he died in 1984. When he said what he said, I don ™t know that he would have known what an image-display facility we have today in the computer. My guess is that if he was to express the same thought today, he would find a way to encompass the tools we enjoy in the 21st Century.
Bill
Mark, re digital hanging art. Interesting thought. I just recently started printing again, after a long, long, long hiatus. Since I don’t know much about color management, and I prefer B&W, that’s what I’ve been printing. I love it!
My printer is only capable of standard sized sheets, of 8.5 x 11, but this size suites me just fine, for now. I’ve been mounting them on foam core board and will hang them with Velcro tape. I was concerned about the tape peeling the paint when you try to take it off, but saw that you can use a hair dryer to warm it up and it should peel off without damage. I’ll experiment in an inconspicuous place, first. 🙂
My method is not archival, by any means, but I don’t expect to have them hanging up for the next 200 years. 🙂 If the print fades because of sunlight, I’ll just print another hang it in its place. I’m enjoying it.
Mark, I didn’t make a new print of a scanned old slide (or film negative) but I often do a similar exercise when I go back to old images, scan them in my film and slide scanner, and work them over in PhotoShop. I also revisit old digital files. And yes, you are right. There are always rewards beyond the initial capture yet to be experienced. Earlier today I was reworking in PhotoShop some portraits taken 25 or so years ago on Tri-X, for example. Yesterday I was mining jewels from archived and overlooked digital files from a couple of years ago.
Frankly, I struggle with PhotoShop, but it’s a lovely struggle. Every time I sit down, guided by one of my good PhotoShop how-to books, and try to rework a photo no matter how old, I see something new.
The end result may not always be good. But when it is, it’s wonderful. You mention the “photographer’s final vision.” I don’t think I work with a vision (but I am not a graphic artist). To me, using PhotoShop is like working a Ouiji board. I am just pleased to see where the Ouiji will take me.
But I am talking the rewards of reworking an image on my computer, not going to the print phase. My poor dusty Epson 1280 sits beside me, buried in papers, a victim of issues ranging from the cost of buying ink cartridges to finding room in my crowded office for more hard copy prints. We do have a dear aunt in our family and whenever family photos are passed around by email I make 4×6 prints of the good ones and my wife mails them to her. Otherwise, my printmaking is a sometime thing. For what I do, I have my hands full making digital files for a Web site and for print publications.
I have quibbles with the word “print” in the Adams quote. Adams was 82 when he died in 1984. When he said what he said, I don ™t know that he would have known what an image-display facility we have today in the computer. My guess is that if he was to express the same thought today, he would find a way to encompass the tools we enjoy in the 21st Century.
Greg… For decor purposes, certainly people need actual prints – until flat screen TV’s become less than $200 I suppose. Even my 6×9 print sales have been up this year. But I think that is more attributed to my marketing efforts vs. an industry trend.
It does make you wonder if digital hanging art will become popular some day. Then people could purchase new digital files to display in their rooms vs. an actual print.
Luckily, I’m blessed with lots of wall space in my house. Every few months I will sift through my collection and print out something that I haven’t printed before. Every time I get those new prints in my hand, I develop a new appreciation for the image. The one downside of digital display is that the subtle in an image can many times be lost.
Unfortunately (at least from my view) it does appear that the general populace’s demand for prints continues to decline even as the proliferation of great images increase. I’m curious what other photographers are seeing…the same trend? Also, do you see a wider diversity of customers buying prints or is it repeat customers?
More discussions on these business trends from the photography community would be interesting…
This year I have probably had more orders for 24×36″ prints than I ever have. I only have one at this size in my home because I just don’t have the wall space for more. Large prints do have quite an impact, but also not so easy to handle. 🙂
“Does a photograph that is a physical entity have more impact than one displayed in pixels?”
Mark – I would say a 1000 times yes!!
By no means I would call myself a professional photographer when it comes to the whole process – selecting the motif, pressing the button, developing and printing. I often use my camera spontaneously, sometimes I carefully select a motif but then I never did the processing thing – I went to the photo lab to get it processed. Today mainly shooting with a digital “prosumer” camera I prepare my photos in the computer but am still going to the photolab to get a print. And boy it is something so completely different than just having the pixels on the monitor! Especially when you get a print size of 24″ x 32″ – such a difference. I never thought that my photos would look so much nicer! It is a different world and the joy to have shot something perfectly in focus and with the right lighting is so much larger to see on a nice paper. And then preparing it with the right mat and perfect frame is an entire new world. I really can recommend it!
Great advice Mark, I think every slide I shot are still in their containers, since I went to a digital I haven’t even took them out. Might get a nice surprise someday 🙂