Am working on a rather difficult negative for the coming exhibition. It is a shot of 3 children on a road at the edge of the dump. The isolation of their small vulnerable figures in the largeness of the dump, tells an important story. What possible possible future could these children have? What opportunities would they have? They are faced with limited choices, no matter how hard they work or how much their parents want a better life for them.
This negative was the first that I tried to print for the show before giving up in frustration. Today I took it up again and feel I am on the right track. To make this photo speaks requires lots of darkroom magic. I am becoming a better printer as as result of the shows I have made archival prints for, this is my 5 larger exhibition. When you are going to hang your work in front of a viewing public it forces you to push the envelope a bit in your efforts. When you try harder, you learn more and print better. I think this neg is a beneficiary of all that previous effort. I am doing things in the printing I have never ever done before, it's about finding new ways to tell my stories.
The heavy printing I am going though on this neg is pretty well hidden, I think the print communicates what I want to say. I will make 1 maybe 2 more then move onto another negative. Printing of the photo involves 2 filter grades, and heavy dodging and burning, plus 2 masks. Something like 8 different types of tools are used in making it. I will try raising the contrast of the background in the next print, I might also try lighting the contrast on the 3 children, am unsure. Prints like this take up a lot of time, that is my main worry as I am running out quickly. The show opening date is quickly approaching, around 6 weeks now.
The next photo to do is young baby on floor of dump shack. This week off I also want to print a shot of young girl with large eyes in garbage which will probably be another very difficult negative. The girl is in deep shadow with many bright blown out white garbage areas around her, basically a nightmare to print neg. I think its an important photo so I will try.
Here is attempt #2 of the 3 child in dump negative:
This negative was the first that I tried to print for the show before giving up in frustration. Today I took it up again and feel I am on the right track. To make this photo speaks requires lots of darkroom magic. I am becoming a better printer as as result of the shows I have made archival prints for, this is my 5 larger exhibition. When you are going to hang your work in front of a viewing public it forces you to push the envelope a bit in your efforts. When you try harder, you learn more and print better. I think this neg is a beneficiary of all that previous effort. I am doing things in the printing I have never ever done before, it's about finding new ways to tell my stories.
The heavy printing I am going though on this neg is pretty well hidden, I think the print communicates what I want to say. I will make 1 maybe 2 more then move onto another negative. Printing of the photo involves 2 filter grades, and heavy dodging and burning, plus 2 masks. Something like 8 different types of tools are used in making it. I will try raising the contrast of the background in the next print, I might also try lighting the contrast on the 3 children, am unsure. Prints like this take up a lot of time, that is my main worry as I am running out quickly. The show opening date is quickly approaching, around 6 weeks now.
The next photo to do is young baby on floor of dump shack. This week off I also want to print a shot of young girl with large eyes in garbage which will probably be another very difficult negative. The girl is in deep shadow with many bright blown out white garbage areas around her, basically a nightmare to print neg. I think its an important photo so I will try.
Here is attempt #2 of the 3 child in dump negative:
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| 3 Children on edge of dump, Mae Sot Thailand May 2013 |
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| Detail 3 children on edge of dump |
