Friday, January 20, 2017

Back In The Dark

 Well I finally made it back in the darkroom tonight, it has been a long time, too long. I t was nice to smell fixer again :)). Tonight I am working on the first of 3 pictures I plan to combine in a triptych. All 3 images will be close ups of dads face. There is motion and blur in these exposures which was intentional, it adds to the feel, helps I think to express the emotions dad was going through.

The print has a big burn on the right side and and dodges on the left and right eyes, filtration is 3. The photo paper is 11x14 Ilford warmtone fiber.

Update* The printing of this image went fine. Ended up making 5 versions including 2 at filter 3 1/2. Am now working on print 2 of the triptych a shot made a few exposures later with dads eyes closed. I am thinking these will be the end shots of the triptych, the middle shot will be a full head, wider , blurry photo of dad looking directly at the viewer. It will be as if he is fading away, receding inside the 2 closer compositions end pictures.

I remember dad looking me straight in the eyes those last few days of his life. He would just look straight at me, through me with piercing wide eyes.  I wanted to duplicate a bit of that feeling in this triptych. It is hard to print these photos, but it needs to be done. Dad left us almost 2 years ago now, February 22, 2015.

The 2md attempt at tonight's dad photograph in the fixer
1st and 2nd attempt side by side in the wash, photo made in 2014