When a photographer makes the final print, the work fully
his or her own. The words of Ansel Adams, that the negative
(transparency) is like a musical score and the print is
the performance is true. When I make a print I am often
astounded by how much it departs from the original transparency,
or how much it varies from previous prints. In the field,
photography is the art of seeing; in the studio it is the
art of print making. I want the viewer to see what I saw
and feel what I felt in the most compelling way. Since there
really is no "true representation" in any art
form, each step of the process is a translation, an evolution
towards self-expression.
I spent ten years mastering Ilfochrome (Cibachrome) printing,
which at one time was the most stable and colorful color
printing process available. Over the past five years I have
been learning digital processes, scanning my film transparencies
and fine tuning them in photoshop in preparation for printing.
Digital photography gives me more control over the subtleties
of color, value and contrast throughout the entire image
than is possible in the darkroom. The digital process also
allows me to assemble my multi-part panoramas into one frame.
I offer three types of prints at this time:
1. ILFOCHROME: Dramatic, highly glossy
prints with a strong color palette and great depth with
rich tones, made in the wet darkroom by enlarger from a
color transparency in analog fashion. I control sharpness,
contrast, and hence color, by a process called unsharp masking.
These prints can be hung for viewing for 40+ years without
noticeable changes in color. They will last indefinitely
in dark storage. I am not making these prints any longer, but some images are still available in this medium. Inquire.
2. LIGHTJET: made from a film original via a digital
file, printed onto a light-sensitive photographic paper,
Fuji Crystal Archive, using colored
laser lights to expose the paper, which is then developed
in wet chemistry. I make the digital file, and the printing
is done by an outside lab. Fuji paper is said to last about
twice as long as Ilfochrome. The paper itself is very thin
and easily damaged until mounted. I only use this option when an extremely large size print is needed.
3. INKJET/ CLICEE: made from a film original which I scan on a drum scanner at very high resolution, and correct in Photoshop. As I make
these myself in my studio, I have complete control over the final
print. I prefer the very smooth, bright white, matte surface,
acid-free 100% cotton rag papers, which yield a large, colorful palette
with excellent resolution which is very accessible to the
eye. Sizes up to 8 feet long are
available. Inkjet prints are sharper, longer lasting and
more carefully controlled than darkroom prints. Also known
as giclee prints.
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ORDERING -
Most any image you see on my web site can be ordered in
any size. I have hundreds of prints
from many locations and the different categories listed
on the site, and of course, the best way to see them is
visit my studio or one of my galleries. I am a one-person
studio so special orders might take a little time. These
are all very hand-made prints, made to the highest standards
you will find. The square pictures are made from a 2 1/4"
size original transparency, the rectangular ones from a
4x5" original, and the panoramas from multiple transparencies.
They all have excellent sharpness and detail. While it is
impossible to make the internet images match an original
print, they are a close representation in overall color,
value and spirit. Please contact me if you have special
needs or particular questions.
