_valerian

Well it has been another home-alone-on-a-friday-night kind of evening, just like every week for the past 2 months. At least this time I got about 23 portfolio prints made. I went through my new negative files, the ones that I have not made workprints from yet, files 743 to 804. I think the last time I got caught up on my workprints was 3 weeks ago. I wanted to try looking at some new fresh work for the first time all nicely done printed on 11×14 inch fiber paper, instead of the usual 8×10 RC based sheets I normally use. I am always a little uncomfortable with new prints. They don’t quite feel like mine right away. For the past few years I have made a point to “live” with my images for a while. Thankfully there is a 7-11 nearby and it has a touch screen controled photocopier. Usually the next day after a long day of printing I go through my workprints and enlarge the good and some of the bad ones to A3 size paper, which is just about I guess 11×14. Close enough anyway. The quality of their copier in Photo Mode makes copies that from a distance can’t be seen as anything else than an actual photograph. After I come home with my copies (and a nikuman or two) I put them up on my walls with doubel sided tape. This is how I start to live with the image. The good photos sometimes lose their shine, I recognize that they are too easy to like and maybe too contrived. It is the pictures that I can’t get down with at first that usually become my favorites. After having a mess of images staring out at you all the time you come to get to know them, to get familiar with them. And unlike the suck that is iPhoto, it does not take a full 4 minutes to be able to look at them. This relationship of constant exposure helps me deal with what I have made. I don’t have to click on any links to see my work nor must I deal with small prints in my hands. It is like a photo show that will be up for a long time, one that gets added to every couple of weeks.