Shore Light ~ Book Two
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 08:38AM Re: Book One, Kent Wiley commented that "I don't get the overall picture/concept of Shore Light. Does this make me a "zombie?" ... I think you've got a lot more going on than simply Shore Light. But that title confuses me."
OK. Perhaps a bit more information might be of help, like, say, the full title - Shore Light ~ Impressions of the Jersey Shore. And, let's add to that my intro / artist statement:
The barrier island of Stone Harbor/Avalon, New Jersey is a microcosm of the world at large. Within the confines of a tiny ecosystem, the forces of nature and those of humankind compete for space to live and, as the pageant unfolds, the place itself is bathed in a light that only a seaside environment can know.
That light sculpts and shapes our very impressions of the confrontation that is at hand. It is seductive and alluring, making both the natural world and the most banal and destructive of humankind’s effort seem alive with promise and beauty.
While I do not pretend to be a neutral observer in the confrontation between humankind and the environment, I present these impressions of the Jersey Shore in and around the neighborhood of Stone Harbor, NJ as a record of what was during the Summers of 2006-2008.
I want the viewers of my photographs to feel as though they were standing in my shoes, seeing what I saw. Not as dispassionate uninvolved gawkers, but rather as an observer / participant with something to lose or to gain. Something that lingers beneath the merely visible but to which the visible is a clue.
It should be noted that both the title and the intro are tentative at this point as is the fact that there are a total of 80+ pictures in the work which are divided into 2 books. I like the idea of 2 books but unlike the 2 seen here, I will most likely divide the pictures equally between the 2 books.
Why 2 books? that's simply because Shutterfly's page limit is 100 pages. The manner in which I have chosen to present the picture, 1 per spread, means that I can not fit them all into 1 book. My initial intent is to offer the 2 books as a signed and numbered limited edition of 25 sets.
And, since I will most likely continue to picture the Jersey Shore - I would really like to visit / picture in the fall, Book Three (or more) is a possibility.
Reader Comments (2)
Have you done any books from Shutterfly before? How's the bind and paper quality, not to mention workflow (colour management?). Do you plan on selling these as limited editions or open editions? What will you charge for each book?
Mark, your text certainly helps. The Shutterfly view of it - while I could see there was something there - wasn't clear enough to allow me to actually read what you'd written. I'd suggest you keep digging into what it is you're after here. I'd also suggest you let this work sit for a while, go back to the "decay & disgust," and then return to Shore Light after a period of time and see what could be clearer, denser, perhaps pared down.
I mean this to be positive criticism. There is some great work there.