Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > General discussions > Photography in general

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 21st March 2009, 07:40 PM
Victor Krag Victor Krag is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Carmel, Monterey Peninsula, Ca
Posts: 171
Default What Is Your Favorite Stage Of Making A Photograph?

This question was asked of William Giles, a former student of Minor White and then retired director at the MIT photography dept, at a lecture about his work and Minor White's at the old Ansel Adam's Gallery on Cannery Row in Monterey 9 years ago. He quickly answered "all of it!" .. Really? I thought.. That was when I was just getting into B&W processing / printing at home and I definitely had a preference for the printing from a neg stage. Then some time later, being out in nature capturing the image was my favorite stage as it was when others were processing my color prints. Then after teaching myself to tone, that final stage of toning was my fav stage.. At one point, even processing film was a fav stage.. now, years later, I'm starting to understand William Giles' answer when he said "all of it!". That early stage; capturing the image and the final stage; toning a print, seem to be tops for me right now, but printing from a neg probably holds the long-term fav for me. What about you guys?
__________________
www.victorkrag.com

Last edited by Victor Krag; 21st March 2009 at 07:46 PM. Reason: to subscribe to thread
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 21st March 2009, 07:48 PM
Argentum's Avatar
Argentum Argentum is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Sceptred Isle
Posts: 3,066
Default

I must still be in my infancy because its the processs of getting to "Seeing the image" stage that does if for me. That's not to say I don't enjoy the printing stage as the viewing the final print comes a pretty close second. If it wasn't for the way I get to the final print being a rewarding process, then I might go to the light side. Or is that printing on the light side is un-rewarding?
__________________
An old dog learning new tricks
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 21st March 2009, 08:44 PM
Peter Hogan's Avatar
Peter Hogan Peter Hogan is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 504
Default

I think I agree with you Victor; it's all of it. How could I miss being, say, in a wonderful lakeland scene as the sun rises, pushing through the mist. Feeling that chill of the air, but the luxorious warmth of the scene as nature unfolds it before you. The thrill of pressing the shutter, knowing you've preserved what you've seen and felt.
And the developing stage. You know what's on the negs. The anticipation is sweet agony; making sure everything is right - temperature, dilutions, timing etc., until you see those negs on the lightbox.
And the printing brings all that to life. All the little decisions that result in the print that you 'saw' that morning.
Wonderful.
Absolutely the best time you can have with your clothes on!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 22nd March 2009, 09:22 AM
B&W Neil's Avatar
B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: West Cornwall
Posts: 4,264
Default

All of it for me too :-)

Neil.
__________________
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle

Neil Souch
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 22nd March 2009, 09:45 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Jersey Channel Islands
Posts: 5,433
Default

For me also it's the whole process, but I will admit that film processing is my least favorite part, more than made up for when I get my first look at (HOPEFULLY) perfectly processed and exposed negitives.Richard
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 22nd March 2009, 10:50 AM
Tom Stanworth Tom Stanworth is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 143
Default

1. Seeing a great negative as I look at freshly developed film.
2. Seeing the image on the wall, nicely framed and properly lit.

I love taking images immensely but feel such a thrill when I see negs that hit me as the original scene did. The imaged, finished as I wish others to see it, is the culmination of everything invested up till that point.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 22nd March 2009, 11:21 AM
photomi7ch's Avatar
photomi7ch photomi7ch is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: East Midlands
Posts: 2,516
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Stanworth View Post
1. Seeing a great negative as I look at freshly developed film.
2. Seeing the image on the wall, nicely framed and properly lit.

I love taking images immensely but feel such a thrill when I see negs that hit me as the original scene did. The imaged, finished as I wish others to see it, is the culmination of everything invested up till that point.
I could not have put it better myself Tom.
__________________
Mitch

http://photomi7ch.blogspot.com/

If you eliminate the impossible whatever remains no matter how improbable must be the truth.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 22nd March 2009, 01:35 PM
Ag-Bromide Ag-Bromide is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 140
Default

I guess my least favourite part is film processing and making contact sheets, but it is a necessary thing to do. I like the taking of the photographs stage and the finished print stage the most, but really I do enjoy almost all of it.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 22nd March 2009, 02:38 PM
Trevor Crone's Avatar
Trevor Crone Trevor Crone is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: London
Posts: 2,609
Default

Seeing and holding the print; that for me is a different, a new reality to the scene I photographed. It may be a good facsimile to what I photographed but nonetheless it is a new reality in the stillness of time.

The print is the end result, the culmination of all ones emotions.
__________________
"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which will never be seen again" Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Timespresent
Arenaphotographers
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 22nd March 2009, 09:08 PM
Rob Archer's Avatar
Rob Archer Rob Archer is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Kings Lynn, Norfolk - flatlands and big skies.
Posts: 1,244
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Hogan View Post
I think I agree with you Victor; it's all of it. How could I miss being, say, in a wonderful lakeland scene as the sun rises, pushing through the mist. Feeling that chill of the air, but the luxorious warmth of the scene as nature unfolds it before you. The thrill of pressing the shutter, knowing you've preserved what you've seen and felt.
And the developing stage. You know what's on the negs. The anticipation is sweet agony; making sure everything is right - temperature, dilutions, timing etc., until you see those negs on the lightbox.
And the printing brings all that to life. All the little decisions that result in the print that you 'saw' that morning.
Wonderful.
Absolutely the best time you can have with your clothes on!
I think this just about covers it for me, too. Photography is a process and I enjoy all of it, although there is something special when that final, finished print re-triggers the memory of the scene and all the non-photographic elements (smell, sounds, temperature etc.) I experienced at that time.

Rob.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
minor white, william giles
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Making Enlarged Negatives Ian Leake Skills Swapping 13 19th May 2014 10:31 AM
At what stage........? vincent Monochrome Film 20 6th August 2009 01:39 PM
The Allure of the Wet Plate Collodion Photograph CarlRadford Articles 3 16th March 2009 09:48 PM
Making the Best of the Albums Sandeha Lynch Feedback and forum matters 7 10th November 2008 08:57 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 04:56 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.