i had to go up to the lab today to do some printing for an exhibition i'm in come january. i had done some test prints last week to pick out the images i was going to use and see if there were any real problems with the negatives and what not. now i have the task of printing them full size, about 9" x 12", on fiber-based paper with no dust spots, scratches, or most importantly, printing errors. i don't do digital prints, this is all wet-lab printing mind you.
well, all fine and dandy and what not. but i was getting frustrated today because i really just wasn't motivated to print and felt a bit rushed, for no other reason than my own really, and things just weren't clicking as usual. however, the straw that broke the camels back was when i went and showed a test page to kelley and des to just vent about the problems i was running into. so i'm explaining to them how it's too light and whatnot, and i grab the test print i had done last week to kind of use as an example, but made sure to point out that the test print itself was not printed well (thus not being the purpose of a test print) and was too dark. however, they both immediately start exclaiming how they love the test print and how cool it looks and stuff. i tried to explain that it's not a good print and it's not right, but they both were relentless in their efforts to tell me that i should still print it that way, and as one of them stated, "since you know it's wrong, you can do it purposefully because that's artistic freedom."
i was infuriated.
i still am infuriated.
not at them, just at that concept.
doing something wrong is *not* artistic freedom no matter if you meant to do it or not. plain and simple, it's just wrong! there are techniques and skills that one can use to create effects in a technically correct way that should by all means be considered 'artistic freedom'. however, printing something too dark is not one of them! that's just bad printing!!!
now, a lot of people wouldn't think that this was something to get so upset about, however there is a professor at the school where i attend and work that pushes this whole 'as long as you meant to do it, it's artistic expression/freedom' bullshit! all of her classes are based around 'concept' and 'imagery' and 'expression', yet it comes to no suprise to me when none of her students can print worth a damn by the end of the semester. perhaps if she spent more time teaching the technical aspects of photography and printing, her students 'artistic expressions' wouldn't look like something my cats puked up on a bad day.
i was fortunate enough to have taken a professor that gets and respects and understands the need for technical education. with photography, or any art for that matter, everything comes second to the technique used to create it. a strong concept can fall flat if it looks like shit. poor printing and technique detracts so much from a picture or any art for that matter. anyone with any kind of knowledge will immediately start picking apart all of the mistakes and short comings of a piece if you leave them out there for the world to see. i just can't comprehend how anyone could see poor technique as 'artistic freedom'. it boggles my mind.
ok. the soap box is put away. i'll be fine. just needed to vent.
in other news, half of my christmas is already over. i had my family get together saturday and my friend's get together sunday and both were a blast. the family was interesting as always, but that was to be expected. having all of my friends over was absolutely awesome though! rob and i made tons of food and snacks and des, kelley and jamie came over and we all just hung out and chatted and did the gift thing! i hope you all had a good time! and thank you for everything! :D
alrighty, well i've worn myself out today so i'm going to head to bed methinks. i've gotta get up early tomorrow and go to the lab for a full day of printing! catch y'all later!
=e
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