civilized ku # 990 ~ sunlight

Window light and shadow ~ Au Sable Forks, Y - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggen

picture by Deborah ~ object-ification

picture by Deborah • click to embiggenIn the past I have commented upon the idea of printed pictures as objects, in and of themselves - in a sense, independent of what is pictured. That is, the print itself as an object of beauty.

IMO, the making of finely crafted prints is an integral part of making pictures. As Sir Ansel stated, the negative is the score, the print is the performance. I am in total agreement with that statement, to the point of suggesting if you don't make prints, you're shooting blanks, so to speak.

The idea of prints as (crafted) objects recently came to mind when I received an email, with images attached, from a Landscapist follower by the name of Deborah. In the email she stated, The oddest moments cause me to try and capture what I see and feel... Re: the attached pictures, she stated and asked, ... a little goofy, but tell me what you think.

My very first thought was I wished I could views prints of Deborah's pictures before making any judgement. The reason for that thought is based in my belief that, if you really care about what you see and then choose to picture, making a finely crafted print is the ultimate visual expression of your vision - what you saw and how you feel about it and, in the process, creating the oportunity of letting others in on your little secret.

Taking that idea a step further, IMO, making a finely crafted print is especially important if the fancy of your eye is found in the everyday experience of living, or, as Deborah stated, life's "...oddest moments".

Many a picture maker has gotten a free skate based upon just the visual strength of his/her pictured referent alone. Things like sunsets, majestic scenery, cute animals / kids, et al. Any minimally competently made print of such referents can pass as a good picture. IMO, it takes more than that to visually express, in a convincing fashion, your love of the everyday.

And that is why I make my prints to appear as finely crafted objects, an act of objectification. As the dictionary states, to present as an object, especially of sight, touch, or other physical sense.

So, in answer to Deborah's query, re: "tell me what you think", I like your picturing MO but I would like to see more craft and more respect for the medium's expressive possibilities by moving beyond the act of merely recording.

And a question for anyone - if you don't make prints, finely crafted or not, are you a "real" picture maker or just a shooter of snaps?

decay & disgust # 43 ~ constructed picture

Mashed potato leavings with mouse turds ~ Au Sable Forks, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggenAs promised, another still life picture.

FYI ~ SPECIAL OFFER

Strawberry detritus / variation # 1 ~ Au Sable Forks, NY - in the Adirondack {ARK • click to embiggenMy copy of the life without the APA photobook has arrived and it looks great.

FYI, this 12"×12" book is a limited edition of 20, numbered and signed.

SPECIAL OFFER

Along with the book came a one-time / one-order discount offer of 40% off regular printing prices. In the case of the life without the APA photobook, that brings my cost down to approximately $35.00USD/book. That cost allows me to offer the book for just $50.00USD + $11.99 standard shipping - $8.00 less than the regular cost of printing alone.

Consequently, if anyone is interested, I will accept orders - limited to 15 books - until 11:59EDT, June 22nd.

In order to place an order, I will need a ship-to name and street address (UPS doesn't not deliver to P.O. Box addresses) so that the book can be shipped to buyers directly from Shutterfly. Payment can be made via PayPal - you can include a ship-to address in that transaction.

civilized ku # 989 / ku # 970 ~ giving aid

Fog in The Notch ~ Wilmington / Lake Placid, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggenIt has been suggested - first by Anil Rao, seconded by Sven W (no link provided) - that:

Number 5, however, seemed a little odd to me. The small picture just seems to be a crop of the larger one, sans the building and the power lines. Those items could very well really have been there and just not included in the frame, if you get my drift.

FYI, "number 5" refers to life without the APA ~ number five as seen in the life without the APA photobook (which can be viewed here).

The fact of the matter, re: why I used the commented upon original picture, is simple - even though the road, river, and fog (as seen in number five) were pulled from the above pano, that pano was made from a 5 frame merge, one of which was the commented upon square picture. Consequently, I used it as the original source.

However, for the observant viewer, lwtAPA~#5 has several visual clues which indicate the original is not just a crop of the #5 picture. Most noticeable, there is more foreground road and river as well as more river and far bank (on the right) in the original than there is in lwtAPA~#5. It goes without stating, it is not possible to crop a picture and end up more visual information than there was in the un-cropped version.

That said, I could be persuaded to use the pano in the next printing of the photobook. The reason I did not use it first time around was because the art director / graphic arts designer in me wanted visual continuity in the book's spread layout.

At this point, with the aid of hindsight and some insightful comment from you, the viewers, I think I will tell the art director / graphic arts designer in my head to stuff it and use the pano instead of the original square picture.

Anil/Sven, thanks for the help.

civilized ku # 988 ~ dried petals

Dried flower petals ~ Au Sable Forks, NY - in the Adirondack Park • click to embiggenFYI, another arranged still life. I seem to be in a bit of a still life picturing mood. More to come.

FYI ~ finished book

If you wish to view the finished life without the APA photobook, click this link. Be sure to click on the Full Screen option to view the book at a larger size.

As mentioned, the book has all of the un-composited "before" pictures upon which the final pictures are based.

civilized ku # 987 ~ tiny (.4") dried blossoms

Dried blossoms ~ Au Sable Forks, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggenFYI, this still life picture is an arranged picture.