Thought this was worth a separate post
Hi Guys
Just a quick comment.. First of all curl - Take a look at The D-roller www.d-roller.com
You can make One or just buy the real thing.. It works great! Second Crane Museo Is coming out with a new paper called Silver Rag in January. 100% Semi / Gloss Rag paper meant to be used with Photo Black.. I have Tested The paper and its awesome.. I think that it might be what you're looking for...
Good Luck
Jim Doyle
http://www.shadesofpaper.com
--
Posted by Jim Doyle to Dave Beckerman Photography at 12/30/2005 05:45:01 PM
And here's the blurb from Museo
Also provided at the show was a sneak preview of the revolutionary archival glossy fine art inkjet paper, Museo Silver Rag, which will be available in the coming months. Designed to match the look and feel of traditional fiber based photo papers, Museo Silver Rag was the hit of the show.
* * *
I e-mailed Crane & Co. asking if I could get some samples of the paper and they said they would mail me some next week - that they are still testing it - and it should still be considered beta and would like any feedback. Can't wait to try it.
12/30/2005
Got Out
Matt got me out of the house by offering to meet me at the Howard Greenberg gallery to see the Saul Leiter exhibit. Color no less. And I loved it. I remember saying something stupid to Matt like, hey what do you call this style - because it reminded me a lot of my own style and maybe if someone knew what to call Saul Leiter than I would know what I was doing.
Of course, Matt didn't know what to call it anymore that I did, so when I got home I looked at the gallery card for some clues:
"[Saul Leiter has] a way of reformulating the random disjuntions of the urban mores and turning them into decisive artefacts of beauty and fascination..."
"Leiter's essential modernity resides in the dialogue he sets up between an abstract language of flat planes of color and the fragmented unfolding of life in the city. "
"...these street-encounters are transformed into improvisational images of an eloquent, often heart-wrenching poignancy." - Martin Harrison
I expect that this language can be applied to a lot of photographic work.
But whatever you call it I gravitated towards the most expensive prints which were going for $4,500. A very brief image flashed through my mind of having some very expensive piece on my wall - and with the humidity in the apartment I'd wake up and see it starting to ripple.
I told Matt that after the Kertesz exhibit he was now batting 1 for 2.
The good thing, besides the exhibit, was that it at least got me out of "printing mode" which I've been in for the last few months and I actually shot a roll of film. If you haven't shot on the street for a while, it feels very strange. You feel like people are looking at you. But that wears off and 57th and Madison is a great corner for street shooting.
Of course, Matt didn't know what to call it anymore that I did, so when I got home I looked at the gallery card for some clues:
"[Saul Leiter has] a way of reformulating the random disjuntions of the urban mores and turning them into decisive artefacts of beauty and fascination..."
"Leiter's essential modernity resides in the dialogue he sets up between an abstract language of flat planes of color and the fragmented unfolding of life in the city. "
"...these street-encounters are transformed into improvisational images of an eloquent, often heart-wrenching poignancy." - Martin Harrison
I expect that this language can be applied to a lot of photographic work.
But whatever you call it I gravitated towards the most expensive prints which were going for $4,500. A very brief image flashed through my mind of having some very expensive piece on my wall - and with the humidity in the apartment I'd wake up and see it starting to ripple.
I told Matt that after the Kertesz exhibit he was now batting 1 for 2.
The good thing, besides the exhibit, was that it at least got me out of "printing mode" which I've been in for the last few months and I actually shot a roll of film. If you haven't shot on the street for a while, it feels very strange. You feel like people are looking at you. But that wears off and 57th and Madison is a great corner for street shooting.
12/29/2005
Staten Island Ferry
Staten Island Ferry - 1996
I always get this feeling that there's something religious about crossing a river. I'm not sure why. River Hades? I was riding the Staten Island ferry back and forth without ever setting foot on Staten Island. Eventually the man and woman on the left stepped aboard and took their seats. Now I felt as if we were either in a church, or on the way to church (and I do remember that it was taken on a Sunday).
Shopkeeper of the Year
Sales continue to be quite brisk. I don't whether this is because I've been moving the stuff that has never sold out of the Print Store and adding prints that I think are more sellable - or it's just the season. When I told my younger sister about the idea of altering the photography store so that it featured what I thought would be more sellable prints she said, "And it took you how long to come up with that idea... six years?" "More or less," I laughed.
She then went through the store and suggested that I stick the more popular prints in the beginning rather than having them listed alphabetically. She further suggested that I put some sign or title next to the most popular prints such as "Photographer's Favorites."
"But the best-sellers aren't my favorites," I said. "Some of them are, but -- "
"That doesn't matter. You want to have them in front of the gallery - that's for sure. Look at this one - reservoir night - all the way at the end. I wouldn't have even seen that one. Move it to the beginning. And say it's one of your favorites."
"What about calling them best sellers," I said.
"No. That won't be as good. A lot of people want to feel they've discovered something on their own and they don't want what everybody has. Call it - Photographer's Favorites. That way people may look at them twice and say, 'maybe he sees something in it that I don't.'"
Then, to finish me off she said, "Six years?"
Me: Six years.
Her: O.K. gotta go now.
It's fortunate that we have a good relationship because I know she is only half-teasing me. But what is scary - if I don't have the shopkeeper gene (as my sister seems to) then how many other techniques have I missed.
For example: the newsletter seems to be a big "keep your audience" thing - and I get them from a bunch of stores I've bought from but I just find them annoying. There are some shopkeepers if I go back through the family tree - but they were, as best as I can figure, in the grocery business and they generally went out of business and turned to something else.
My father's parents owned a small grocery store in the Bronx. Grandpa Max was a nervous guy who snapped at customers; and made bad business decisions. The story my father tells is that one day during WWII he was talked into buying a huge number of canned pineapples. The sales guy told him that these were going to be very much in demand because of the war in the Pacific and the inability to get pineapples.
At some point, when his little grocery store went bust, the bank officers arrived to divide the spoils and discovered hundreds of pineapple cans in the basement which hadn't sold and gave him a penny a can. Just one a million stories about Grandpa Max and his business ventures.
After that he delivered milk from a horse-drawn cart with a horse that has a gaseous disorder. Then he made hats for a factory that went bankrupt. It goes on and on. The "teaching gene" is pretty strong in the family since just about every living family member is a teacher. But I assure you that none are teaching business techniques.
She then went through the store and suggested that I stick the more popular prints in the beginning rather than having them listed alphabetically. She further suggested that I put some sign or title next to the most popular prints such as "Photographer's Favorites."
"But the best-sellers aren't my favorites," I said. "Some of them are, but -- "
"That doesn't matter. You want to have them in front of the gallery - that's for sure. Look at this one - reservoir night - all the way at the end. I wouldn't have even seen that one. Move it to the beginning. And say it's one of your favorites."
"What about calling them best sellers," I said.
"No. That won't be as good. A lot of people want to feel they've discovered something on their own and they don't want what everybody has. Call it - Photographer's Favorites. That way people may look at them twice and say, 'maybe he sees something in it that I don't.'"
Then, to finish me off she said, "Six years?"
Me: Six years.
Her: O.K. gotta go now.
It's fortunate that we have a good relationship because I know she is only half-teasing me. But what is scary - if I don't have the shopkeeper gene (as my sister seems to) then how many other techniques have I missed.
For example: the newsletter seems to be a big "keep your audience" thing - and I get them from a bunch of stores I've bought from but I just find them annoying. There are some shopkeepers if I go back through the family tree - but they were, as best as I can figure, in the grocery business and they generally went out of business and turned to something else.
My father's parents owned a small grocery store in the Bronx. Grandpa Max was a nervous guy who snapped at customers; and made bad business decisions. The story my father tells is that one day during WWII he was talked into buying a huge number of canned pineapples. The sales guy told him that these were going to be very much in demand because of the war in the Pacific and the inability to get pineapples.
At some point, when his little grocery store went bust, the bank officers arrived to divide the spoils and discovered hundreds of pineapple cans in the basement which hadn't sold and gave him a penny a can. Just one a million stories about Grandpa Max and his business ventures.
After that he delivered milk from a horse-drawn cart with a horse that has a gaseous disorder. Then he made hats for a factory that went bankrupt. It goes on and on. The "teaching gene" is pretty strong in the family since just about every living family member is a teacher. But I assure you that none are teaching business techniques.
12/28/2005
International Shipping
I took the plunge into my code for the cart and expanded it so I can take orders from Canada and England. Frankly, 90% of the international orders I get are from these two countries, so that should be enough for now and let's see how that goes. I haven't upped the shipping charges, but since they go to Canada or England through USPS rather than Fedex - the shipping charges are close enough for now so that I'll eat the difference. This was something on my todo list from about 1999.
12/27/2005
Epson Luster
My apt. has been has humid as a hothouse. I put a stack of the Premium Luster in the 4800 tray yesterday morning. There is an ever so light tendency to curl (away from the printing side). But so far nothing as pronounced or as uneven as what the smooth pearl was doing.
The two prints I did on it yesterday are sitting in a cabinet, and so far no curl at all. I could be wrong but the paper does seem to pick up more detail than the smooth pearl. I can't quantify it, but that's the feeling I get looking at it closely.
***
Couple of days later and the Luster is holding up well in humid conditions. I'm going to stick with it as my main paper.
The two prints I did on it yesterday are sitting in a cabinet, and so far no curl at all. I could be wrong but the paper does seem to pick up more detail than the smooth pearl. I can't quantify it, but that's the feeling I get looking at it closely.
***
Couple of days later and the Luster is holding up well in humid conditions. I'm going to stick with it as my main paper.
Wall-Worthy
That's easy - sell out. I'm going to try a modest experiment. I will go through my records and remove prints that have never sold - some not even in six years - and replace them with images that I think are more sellable.
Ah, don't fret - I will then create a second gallery with all the quirky prints that I enjoy that have never sold a single one and call it the Unsellable Prints That I Like. The purpose of this commercial experiment is not to deprive the reader of fascinating images, but to see whether there's any merit in my previous post about what is "wall-worthy."
As with any scientific theory the proof will be in the pudding. If sales of these less challenging pictures soar or even if people stay longer and purchase more of the usual suspects - then mission accomplished.
The reverse of the coin is that the previously unsellable pictures will continue to not sell but be warmly admired by photographers, students and a few eccentrics like myself.
Ah, don't fret - I will then create a second gallery with all the quirky prints that I enjoy that have never sold a single one and call it the Unsellable Prints That I Like. The purpose of this commercial experiment is not to deprive the reader of fascinating images, but to see whether there's any merit in my previous post about what is "wall-worthy."
As with any scientific theory the proof will be in the pudding. If sales of these less challenging pictures soar or even if people stay longer and purchase more of the usual suspects - then mission accomplished.
The reverse of the coin is that the previously unsellable pictures will continue to not sell but be warmly admired by photographers, students and a few eccentrics like myself.
12/26/2005
12/25/2005
Hahnemuhle Paper arrives
Heath's samples of Hahnemuhle Satin paper arrived (thanks Heath). Several black and white prints done either with the 2200 and ImagePrint or the 4800 with Mat Black Ink and the 2200 profile. I can see that the tonal rendition, especially in one wedding shot, is excellent.
But it still has that thick watercolor paper feel to me with an attempt at some shine, but I don't like it much better than the regular photorag paper (which I know people love but still doesn't feel photographic to me). Matter of taste. What I would like is a thicker Ilford smooth pearl. Anyway it's a good thing that I didn't care much for the Satin paper because to really test it would have meant switching to mat black ink in the 4800 which is not something I relish.
But it still has that thick watercolor paper feel to me with an attempt at some shine, but I don't like it much better than the regular photorag paper (which I know people love but still doesn't feel photographic to me). Matter of taste. What I would like is a thicker Ilford smooth pearl. Anyway it's a good thing that I didn't care much for the Satin paper because to really test it would have meant switching to mat black ink in the 4800 which is not something I relish.
Paper and Street Shots
This year for Christmas, I took about 30 matted 5 x 7's with 10 frames (different types) - spread them out on the table and let anyone mix and match and grab what they wanted. Big fight over a couple of the frames.
What I found fascinating: the same images that sell on the web were snatched up first.
"Isn't this that famous place in Central Park, what is it called?" (Promenade)
"Is this picture on the Seine? (Hug), "Wow, that's the Flat Iron, I never saw it from that angle before..." (Flat Iron Tilted)
People shots that were picked up usually had a sweet feeling (Man with Accordian & Monkey) from Paris. A kiss. A hug. Holding hands. Skipping girl. The faces are usually in profile and not important.
I'm beginning to get an idea about why hard-boiled (let's call it that) street shots are so hard to sell and it's not just subject matter or style. It has something to do with how present the feeling of the time period is. There's some sort of psychic distance that the viewer needs before it gets appreciated, i.e. if you show the shot 40 years later, when it doesn't feel so current in time and fashion - the photograph becomes easier to approach. So that's what New Yorkers looked like in the 40's. Cool.
Let's say that there is a temporal place that make it harder or easier for people to appreciate the the image.
What is Van Gogh's most popular print? Starry starry night? No people in it.
Sunflowers? No people from his time. The reason his paintings didn't sell within his own time was that his painting style was not accepted.
One of the problems with people is that their clothing places them so quickly in a particular time.
Even with nudes, the hairstyle and even the type of model considered attractive changes.
But the clouds you photograph today, will be recognizable today, tomorrow and a hundred years on. The photographic medium may change. The style may change. But half-dome isn't going to change much during man's span on earth.
Poet's Walk - though it may eventually change - is going to be pretty much the same for a long time. If I had included many people walking around it would not have been as immediately appealing, though it may have become even more appealing n years from now. The two small figures in the shot are just there for scale.
What are you saying - people aren't appealing subjects?
That's right. Not everyday people. Not today, unless they're expressing something that you want to see every day as you sip your morning coffee.
That's crazy? What about the Mona Lisa?
The enigma transcends time, but there are a couple of things I'd note about the painting:
Everything in the painting moves you to the face. Clothing is dark and simple. Nothing in the hair. The gown she's wearing is so dark and lacking in details that there's almost nothing to look for there, but where there are some ripples, they move you towards the hands which are also unadorned.
Van Gogh painted lots of "everyday" people but of course his work was deemed worthless while he lived. It wasn't just that he painted "everyday" workers, but his style which was new, made it equally impossible for the average Joe to get into it at the time.
I'm thinking, according to this theory, that the most popular street photography would be the most abstract. What jumps into mind is HCB's big shot of the guy jumping the puddle. I don't think you can read details in this guy, which makes him more universal.
Well what about the famous street photographers like Garry Winogrand? Maybe someone else could answer that one and see if he's the exception or whether there was something about his photographs which during his own time made them accessible to the average Joe - or whether they were at the time.
You know what really got me to thinking about this was listening to the Allman Brothers Band last night. The music did not seem dated at all, whereas if I put on an early Beatles song it brings back a specific time. The style of the Allman Brothers goes back a long ways - very pure and innovative blues riffs - and it's the riffs and to a lesser extent the singing - that are timeless. Not the arrangements (these are damned good as well), but the actual playing and singing that lives on and doesn't seem dated. Nothing new in the Allman Brother's lyrics which have their roots and sometimes more than their roots in Elmore James songs.
The Beatles are dated for me. They they were fantastic song-writers and arrangers, but not known for their instrumental virtuosity. The ability to find expression through virtuosity will live on long after the subject of the song (the lyrics) are forgotten. But that may take a generation or two to discover.
Which brings me back to street photography: today's virtuoso of the street will be tomorrow's genius - once the proper amount of aesthetic distance is achieved. And conversely, today's most popular photographers may be forgotten because they are so caught up in the current style of the times.
What I found fascinating: the same images that sell on the web were snatched up first.
"Isn't this that famous place in Central Park, what is it called?" (Promenade)
"Is this picture on the Seine? (Hug), "Wow, that's the Flat Iron, I never saw it from that angle before..." (Flat Iron Tilted)
People shots that were picked up usually had a sweet feeling (Man with Accordian & Monkey) from Paris. A kiss. A hug. Holding hands. Skipping girl. The faces are usually in profile and not important.
I'm beginning to get an idea about why hard-boiled (let's call it that) street shots are so hard to sell and it's not just subject matter or style. It has something to do with how present the feeling of the time period is. There's some sort of psychic distance that the viewer needs before it gets appreciated, i.e. if you show the shot 40 years later, when it doesn't feel so current in time and fashion - the photograph becomes easier to approach. So that's what New Yorkers looked like in the 40's. Cool.
Let's say that there is a temporal place that make it harder or easier for people to appreciate the the image.
What is Van Gogh's most popular print? Starry starry night? No people in it.
Sunflowers? No people from his time. The reason his paintings didn't sell within his own time was that his painting style was not accepted.
One of the problems with people is that their clothing places them so quickly in a particular time.
Even with nudes, the hairstyle and even the type of model considered attractive changes.
But the clouds you photograph today, will be recognizable today, tomorrow and a hundred years on. The photographic medium may change. The style may change. But half-dome isn't going to change much during man's span on earth.
Poet's Walk - though it may eventually change - is going to be pretty much the same for a long time. If I had included many people walking around it would not have been as immediately appealing, though it may have become even more appealing n years from now. The two small figures in the shot are just there for scale.
What are you saying - people aren't appealing subjects?
That's right. Not everyday people. Not today, unless they're expressing something that you want to see every day as you sip your morning coffee.
That's crazy? What about the Mona Lisa?
The enigma transcends time, but there are a couple of things I'd note about the painting:
Everything in the painting moves you to the face. Clothing is dark and simple. Nothing in the hair. The gown she's wearing is so dark and lacking in details that there's almost nothing to look for there, but where there are some ripples, they move you towards the hands which are also unadorned.
Van Gogh painted lots of "everyday" people but of course his work was deemed worthless while he lived. It wasn't just that he painted "everyday" workers, but his style which was new, made it equally impossible for the average Joe to get into it at the time.
I'm thinking, according to this theory, that the most popular street photography would be the most abstract. What jumps into mind is HCB's big shot of the guy jumping the puddle. I don't think you can read details in this guy, which makes him more universal.
Well what about the famous street photographers like Garry Winogrand? Maybe someone else could answer that one and see if he's the exception or whether there was something about his photographs which during his own time made them accessible to the average Joe - or whether they were at the time.
You know what really got me to thinking about this was listening to the Allman Brothers Band last night. The music did not seem dated at all, whereas if I put on an early Beatles song it brings back a specific time. The style of the Allman Brothers goes back a long ways - very pure and innovative blues riffs - and it's the riffs and to a lesser extent the singing - that are timeless. Not the arrangements (these are damned good as well), but the actual playing and singing that lives on and doesn't seem dated. Nothing new in the Allman Brother's lyrics which have their roots and sometimes more than their roots in Elmore James songs.
The Beatles are dated for me. They they were fantastic song-writers and arrangers, but not known for their instrumental virtuosity. The ability to find expression through virtuosity will live on long after the subject of the song (the lyrics) are forgotten. But that may take a generation or two to discover.
Which brings me back to street photography: today's virtuoso of the street will be tomorrow's genius - once the proper amount of aesthetic distance is achieved. And conversely, today's most popular photographers may be forgotten because they are so caught up in the current style of the times.
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