Joni Mitchell, David Crosby and printing

[Bob Michaels]

prints, books, video presentations

prints, books, video presentations

For those who believe the photo world begins and ends with prints, I suggest you look at one of my all time favorite photos series "crossings" by Alex Webb (Magnum). I have seen these prints exhibited in a gallery. I own the book. But my favorite method of presentation is his on line essay at http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/crossings where his accompanying conceptual comments add so much that could never be represented by just prints.

 

[robert blu]

Thanks Bob for the link, for sure a strong project with strong photos.
robert

 

[PKR]

I've been following Matt Black's travels with his weekly Instragram posts. This kind of thing wasn't possible before the web. Posting images on the fly as you travel.

He also prints for his gallery's archive.

https://www.instagram.com/mattblack_blackmatt/?hl=en

 

[Bob Michaels]

Another of my favorite examples of there being more to photography than prints is Alex Soth's, Magnum photographer and music composer, "Niagara" http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/niagara It is more a spoken essay, or poem, illustrated very well with photos than just prints.

Ask yourself if we have chosen to live in our own box.

 

[Rob-F]

Take ballet, for instance

Take ballet, for instance

Ballet is art. It exists in time, not on paper; they say it's hard to record in detail on paper--unlike music.

Would ballet not exist if it couldn't be written down?

Extra credit: Does ballet exist when no ballet is being performed anywhere?

 

[kshapero]

Just was listening to a David Crosby interview, as he is releasing his 3rd solo album in 4 years.
He said that Joni Mitchell told him a thought only exists if you write it down.

Same thing for photography. An image doesn't exist unless there is a hard copy - on film and/or on print. Billions of images floating in the ether don't really exist...

🙂

Crosby? Isn't he like a major dope head? Just saying.....I have lots of images in my head, seem real to me (need another hit on that joint). Ah...imagination.😀😎😀😱😕

 

[cz23]

I've been following Matt Black's travels with his weekly Instragram posts. This kind of thing wasn't possible before the web. Posting images on the fly as you travel.

He also prints for his gallery's archive.

https://www.instagram.com/mattblack_blackmatt/?hl=en

Thanks for that. One of the best Instagrams I've seen. Makes me want to start one.

How about we revise the OP's statement to say, "A photograph truly begins to exist when it is shared."

John

 

[robert blu]

Thanks for that. One of the best Instagrams I've seen. Makes me want to start one.

How about we revise the OP's statement to say, "A photograph truly begins to exist when it is shared."

John

Yes, a very good Instagram. As the links provided by Bob it shows the power of a photographic project. In my opinion it should be " A photograph truly begins to exist when it is part of a project and it is shared."

robert

 

[PKR]

Thanks for that. One of the best Instagrams I've seen. Makes me want to start one.

How about we revise the OP's statement to say, "A photograph truly begins to exist when it is shared."

John

Yes, and though I don't care for hardware talk, most all done with a Sony x100ii in square format mode. A simple tool.

 

[cz23]

.... In my opinion it should be " A photograph truly begins to exist when it is part of a project and it is shared."

robert

Okay by me, Robert. Photography's real uniqueness and strength as an art form is the series.

John

 

[Dogman]

It's interesting to read the various perspectives. Personally, the print is my whole purpose in photography. It has been my main goal since my first darkroom when I fell in love with the look of gray tones on paper. It has continued through today with color and B&W inks on fiber inkjet paper. I simply love the look of a print. As a close second, I love the look of photographs reproduced beautifully in books.

While I understand how others feel differently, I never feel fully engaged in a photo when viewed on a screen. When I look at a photo on the computer screen, it's a quick view and then I move on. When I look at a print or a photo reproduced in a book, I tend to spend time with it. It's all a matter of preferences.

 

[Pioneer]

I love prints of all types and now days that definitely includes electronic prints on a computer monitor.

For me, the more people who have the opportunity to participate in the vision that print shares, the better.

It used to be exhibitions, then it included books, now it includes sharing on electronic media.

In each version more people were able to share. To limit things to a physical print only, though I love prints, dramatically restricts others from sharing a photographer's vision.

Besides, neither you nor I are ever going to be able to turn back the clock and eliminate electronic media. We need to come to terms with it and accept what it is able to accomplish and the benefits that it provides.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Several years ago when doing a talk to about 24 photographers, I declined to use a projector instead randomly passing out about the same number of different 8x10 prints. I told the audience to just keep passing them around as it was no problem if they got fingerprints or smudges. Then I talked about the series and its background while telling the audience that if they had a question or comment about a specific print just please hold it up and speak out. Fortunately it was a well mannered and polite group so things never got out of hand but was lively. At the end, I told them that if anyone had a print they liked and wanted that they should feel free to take it with them.

That went so well that I would not hesitate to do it again if I knew the audience would be limited in size and was worth the effort.