exposing light notes I

I’m about to take my digital photography a step further.

Slowly starting in May 2005, learning new techniques, digital workflow, Photoshop and the lot of the lot, I am now about to learn/take on digital printing. I’m looking into workshops printing.

I ponder however… “if” …

Since years I have a collage of 25 baryte prints hanging -unframed and sloppy taped- in the hallway. Every now and then I touch and appreciate the fine quality of the paper prints.

So, daily seeing few fine vintage baryte prints and two of my own made analog color prints, I wonder if I will ever have a similar feeling for own digital prints?

Or is it going to be “when” ?

Or what ?!

Fine art photography and graphic arts in general will for sure lose some of their physical appeal. The matching of a photograph with a carefully selected type of paper, this emotion resulting from the production of a physical object, and the opportunity to approach the image though its physical properties. Some of us will therefore keep printing just like some us still prefer to work with film. But my contention is that it will become a niche at best.

The days of prints are gone. Fine art screens have the upper end. The revolution is here.

Two interesting articles :

On Photography & Printmaking
Image Disembodiment?

Things that spontaneously pop to mind :

• it takes time !
• it’s fun
• it improves my writing skills (striving to be coherent)
• it improves my English (Dutch is my mother tongue)
• it brings me in touch with other people
• i learn to network through social networks (but the learning is not always intuitive and it is time consuming – need to limit here)
• i learn about web 2.0 tools, widgets, statistics etc. etc.
• i get flattered by a referral
• i love linking things together (but shouldn’t be overdoing this)
• i read other opinions, tips, resources
• i see other blogs and sites and get inspired by the very creative and innovative ones (so many great ones out there)
• i’m learning to filter the quality info from the quantity
• it’s a continuous learning curve and magical discovery tour
• but, will i manage to maintain the blog ?

Here’s to bloggers – thank you for sharing !