Photocrappy

Photography has got me down a bit these days. I am frustrated with all the post production work involved in taking a picture.

I prefer to shoot transparencies on a 4x5 for a couple of reasons. Principally, because it is slow. I like having to previsualize an image, to have an idea, and then to set about to make it happen. I like to work meticulously and deliberately, making each shot worth the five dollars it costs to make. I love the quality of the materials. I love holding a transparency and seeing it's luminous translation of an idea to a palpable object and seeing the way glows on a light table. That, unfortunately,is where my excitement peaks, that moment when I pick up my transparencies from the lab, lay them on the light table, and relish in the glow. From there unpleasantries abound.

To do anything with a transparency you have to scan it and either you buy a many thousands of dollars scanner, computer, etcetera and do it yourself or you spend hundreds of dollars turning emulsion into pixels. Not only is scanning costly it also quickly amasses gigabytes and by thus requires mass storage space plus mass back up storage space. You then have to run it through the whatsits and whizzles of the computer world, on your expensive, hot rodded computer to get it to be print ready. Then finding a printer, deciding on a framing method, size, quantity, etcetera, etcetera, and on top of that find a venue to show the final product. Ugghh, the magic wears thin.

I guess most of this revolves around having money, which I lack. I end up doing most everything myself on equipment borrowed or by providing services on trade. With the remaining bits I research excessively to get the best bang for my buck. I suppose if you have money you can pay the bones to get a beautiful scan made, a large print produced and framed, and own the equipment to do and store everything in between. If only...

My loves for the medium still greatly out weigh my frustrations so I will continue to photograph and struggle to get those images up on a wall. I am however, beginning to dabble in other media. I have been drawing, planning sculptures, and thinking of painting. I want quicker turn around times. It is a misconception that photography is fast. A painting is fast once you finish it you never have to think about it again. While the gallery wall eludes me I plan to show more work on screen, here and on my website of works or series in progress, individual shots, or works in other media.

Like this,

The Abominable Snowman, 2007

So until I strike it rich, any tips on scanning, printing, and framing with no money and no equipment will be graciously accepted. Any advice on exhibiting is also welcome. So stay tuned as I begin to pull more work from the hard drives, dvds, portfolios, and elsewhere (if I ever get them scanned) for your viewing pleasure.