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Here's a list of the 10 events in my photographic life that most affected the quality of work I do. If you have had something profoundly affect the quality of your work, please let us know in the comments section.
Here they are, in no particular order - just as I think of them:
1) holding Edward Weston prints in my hand at University of Louisville Library - there was so much more to a print that wasn't visible in reproductions of the time. Printing is better these days, but original prints are a whole other world.
2) taking a photograph appreciation course, hating it, and finding out that it forever changed the way I look at photographs and vastly increased my appreciation of them. Sometimes things take time to gel.
3) Reading 'The Zone VI Workshop', this little book and following it's advice did more to improve the quality of my prints than anything else. I'd still recoommend it for anyone working in a darkroom.
4) switching from 35 mm. to medium format - the tonal qualities of the bigger negative, the square format.
5) Discovering that with dedicated monochrome inks from MIS, I could convert an old Epson printer to make lovely black and white prints different from but every bit as nice as the silver prints I used to make. With the advent of pigment inks and dedicated monochrome drivers I now use the normal pigment inks to make my black and white prints - though were I a dedicated black and white printer (instead of routinely doing both), I'd probably still be using that system for it's ability to print with zero metamerism and lovely warm tone inks which could be warmed or cooled as desired.
6) Discovering stitching images for increased quality (not just panoramas) from Max Lyons site at Max Lyons. His images were lovely and made with inexpensive equipment - that was the real start of shooting digitally for me.
7) Going to a workshop and having Bruce Barnbaum compare a couple of my images to work by Jay Dusard, mind you he also told me some of my other images were complete crap and spoiled the good ones, but hey, it's good to know you are heading in the right direction.
8) Selling my first print, getting published for the first time, being part of a gallery show - they don't directly affect the quality of one's work but they so profoundly affect confidence in one's work that in the end it is a very important step.
9) Having my first real darkroom, with lots of room and running water - 8X12 feet and a huge wooden sink, sealed with expoxy paint - a joy to use.
10) Discovering the work of David Plowden - lovely images with medium format, sometimes industrial, none glamorous subjects.
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4 comments:
Taking the very first photograph in which I deliberately did *not* want to "objectively" capture some scene before me. That is, the first time (a spontaneous moment when I was a teenager) in which I "saw" waves lapping onto the beach (and would have previously taken a snapshot of "waves"), but now wanted/needed a photograph of how I *felt* at that moment. I didn't succeed in doing it (still trying ;-) but that moment was magical, and forever changed how I look at photography.
For me there were two major events that shaped my personal photographic endeavors (leaving work out of it)
First was leaving the pressures of photojournalism for the sanity of a educational/corporate photographer. That allowed me the energy to regain photography as a hobby, as well as a profession.
Second, and perhaps most important was going from 4x5 film to 35mm-style digital. It takes a certain type of individual to putter and fret over a view camera, and I was NOT that type of person. Digital allowed me the freedom to shoot without letting too many technical aspects distract me.
A bit more distant, but still quite influential was finally convincing myself to spend the few extra dollars for a copy of Lenswork (it looked so small for the money). The images as well as the interviews and commentary have really changed not only how I view photography, but how I do it.
I would love to say that a workshop, or particular photographer, or even seeing original prints (I've seen a few) sparked an inner flame but, at least for me, they're relegated to the not-to-be-underrated level of inspirational.
Good idea, George. Never really thought of this before.
Chuck
Hi George!
For me, it was taking the online Epson Print Academy course back in 2004. The stories from the featured photographers, like Jay Maisel, and Vincent Versace, were very inspirational. The videos on Photoshop technique really taught me the basics.
The second incident, was attending a half-day conference hosted by Vincent Versace, related to the Print Academy. It was here that the fire and enthusiasm of the attendees I met convinced me that this was what I wanted to do and the people I wanted to be around.
Michael Reichmann from the Luminous Landscape and his video journal subscription kept me in awe as well as informed. Alain Briot and the many in-depth, thought-provoking essays on his site made me see the art in photography.
And finally, being in the right place at the right time, I was allowed to show my work for two months at the home of the city’s Arts Council.
--- jerry grasso
Great discussion. For me, apart from going to school to study photography (given?) I'd say the moment that I feel my imagery jumped up a notch was when my wife gave me a twin lens Voigtlander.
I had been shooting 35mm and hit a snag where I felt everything I was looking at I'd already seen. With the waist level view finder, suddenly I didn't have to put the camera to my face to see something, and immediately started seeing everything in ways previously unknown.
I've likened it to having eyeballs on the tips of my fingers.
And I can never discount the impact having Rolfe Horn as a dear friend has had on my images, or the incredible opportunity to have been able to work for Michael Kenna, who in time will go down on the list of your greatest photographers under the Union Jack. He's also an amazing human being.
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