You HAVE to make prints.
Personally, I feel so strongly about this that I believe you aren’t actually a photographer if you aren’t printing your work. And when I say “Print” it doesn’t have to mean darkroom print. It can be any print. Photographic, inkjet, darkroom, wet, dry, moist, whatever. Just do it. I see a lot of work today, and I see a lot of portfolios and I see I lot of folks presenting on things like iPads, and I frankly do not see the kind of consideration I’m looking for. This doesn’t mean I haven’t seen solid digital presentations, I have, but they are few and far between.
I hear comments like “Well, I just left this in because ___________________.(Insert casual reason here.)” No, no, no, no, no. That is not how it’s done. I see galleries with HUNDREDS of images, which is the quickest way to alert the person reviewing your work that you are not ready for a review. I think making prints helps with this. In short, printing makes you think and forces you to make decisions. THAT my friends is a good thing.
Tagged: critical thought, daniel milnor, decisions, Documentary, new mexico, prints, smogranch, white sands
YES! I agree totally! Thanks for sharing!
Ups I would be very grateful if you look at my little website! Love to hear your opinion!! Sorry for stealing your time!
Wim,
Clean and simple, I like very much. Change out your portrait. Better to see who you are, but guy with camera can be better. Also, edit a bit tighter. So repeats in their. Give me sets of say six images, or eight images, but ONLY the best, and perhaps a bit larger. Other than that, solid. Just my opinion. Most of the time people are not paying much attention these days, so we have to make things easy. Fewer pics, larger. Oh, Spain looks incredible.
Thanks Wim
Daniel thanks! What do you mean by changing my portrait? And maybe you are true to reduce my photographs and get more to the point! Thanks a lot!!!
Wim,
We’ve all done the self-portrait in the mirror thing. Your work is better. You need a more YOU self-portrait.
Haha! Oh man you are soooo right! Thanks a lot for your time and maybe I join you for one or two days in new mexico! First I have to improve my spanish!
Wim,
Necesita practicar
So true! Creativity is a force but editing is what really shapes the work. I started printing a while back and it has affected my picture taking. (more selective) couldn’t agree more about the prints. Print em Danno… indeed. I like the tape idea, I’m gonna try that.
Harold,
I don’t see a downside.
I don’t print as often as I should, although I do now a lot more than I used to. You are so right in how it makes you think differently about pictures and whether they’re worth keeping/doing something with.
Love putting those accordion books together – sometimes I think I print at all, for this express purpose. They will forever make me think of Trent Parke though, as he had us make heaps of them during a workshop. We all got to have a look through his Minutes to Midnight one (i have a picture of this somewhere, will dig it up) and listen to him talk about his pictures and process for making that little book. That was pretty special!
Charlene,
I don’t often think of taking workshops but I would love to take his. Print on.
Display screens, no matter which, have the same monotonous, flat, sterile absence of texture. No smell either. Pigment on paper provides a universe of possibilities. Even humble resin coated. Home toning of lab (silver) prints is the next thing I am going to try. Two plastic trays, in daylight. It would be crazy not to.
Funny you should suggest this, Daniel, I just made a note this past weekend that I need create one print per week this year. And tonight’s the first night to tackle this. Thanks for the push!
Hey Chuck,
It will change your life. Promise.
Well, printing may be analogous to playing live as opposed to “playing” it safe behind the veil of the recording studio; it’s a more visceral and honest interpretation of one’s true sound – or vision, as is the case with photography. Taken further, the whole concept of printing a specified collection of pics to relate a particular theme or story could be analogous to editing film or video; it cuts the chaff from the kernel. The whole concept of Blurb and producing one’s own vision is pretty damn exciting; and I thank you and Flemming for the head’s-up on that avenue.
Aguirre,
I totally agree. The print, if done correctly, is the final statement of the photographer. Less than one hour ago I was looking at a stack of prints, handmade, toned silver prints by a California artist and she explained to me her process. Those prints were OBJECTS. Each was entirely unique, like a snowflake. I wanted one, needed one.
Hello,
I usually don’t comment on blogs but your observations and writing are truly captivating. I found it so inspiring that I gave this piece to my wife and my 13-year-old son to read. I hope he can work on his discipline and artistic drive. I see how tempting it is for him to go with the usual flow of spending hours on social media and consuming “garbage content” instead of creating one.
Thank you for your so timely observations.
Regards,
Olaf
My comment was related to your “Why it’s possible” blog entry.
Olaf
Olaf,
I can’t imagine being a kid today with all these things at our fingertips. In some ways it’s fantastic, but the pitfalls are there. When I’m around kids here in California, in many cases, they are never without a screen in front of them. In fact, the terms “screen kid” is now officially a part of the jargon. I’m found a real detachment when trying to communicate with many of these kids. They can’t seem to focus for any period of time and the pull to grab the technology is overpowering. They also seem to have difficulty in engaging in conversation. I think at some point things will level off.