The Line Between Me and You
28/Jan/2013 14:30
While describing the formats and pricing options for images on this lookingglassgallery.ca web site, I found myself wondering about the “finishing touches” to be offered with each image. Services like delivery and packaging are to be expected, but other enhancements aren’t as essential.
I make photographs. I go to my subjects (or my subjects come to me), I look, I consider, I wait for a moment, I consider again, I frame, I move, I wander, I wait, I set settings, and eventually I make my camera “go click”. That produces an image in my camera’s memory card.
How far do I go after that?
I must start by confessing to post-processing: I manipulate and modify the images, to make them look as good as I can. My impression of “good” might not be the same as yours, but I do try to create images that approach what I thought I saw when I took the photograph.
From there, we move farther away from artistic licence, and closer to marketing and presentation. For the most part, I choose not to mat or frame the photographs I take. Yes, I’ll mat or frame photographs for display purposes in my “real world” gallery, but I don’t have a pressing need (or a pressing ego) to mat or frame the photographs the way I believe they should be matted or framed. My work generally is limited to what is inside the image - not to what is around the image. If you choose to put a pink frame and red and green mat around my image of subtle blues and golds of a sunset, then you can do that (as much as I’d prefer you don’t). I’m happy to work with you to consider options for mats, but I’m also content for you to take delivery of a print, and give it whatever “presentation treatment” you believe would work well with your tastes in your home.
In some cases, I’d also be willing to work with you to make minor changes (composition, internal framing, darkness/lightness) to photographs.
I make photographs. I go to my subjects (or my subjects come to me), I look, I consider, I wait for a moment, I consider again, I frame, I move, I wander, I wait, I set settings, and eventually I make my camera “go click”. That produces an image in my camera’s memory card.
How far do I go after that?
I must start by confessing to post-processing: I manipulate and modify the images, to make them look as good as I can. My impression of “good” might not be the same as yours, but I do try to create images that approach what I thought I saw when I took the photograph.
From there, we move farther away from artistic licence, and closer to marketing and presentation. For the most part, I choose not to mat or frame the photographs I take. Yes, I’ll mat or frame photographs for display purposes in my “real world” gallery, but I don’t have a pressing need (or a pressing ego) to mat or frame the photographs the way I believe they should be matted or framed. My work generally is limited to what is inside the image - not to what is around the image. If you choose to put a pink frame and red and green mat around my image of subtle blues and golds of a sunset, then you can do that (as much as I’d prefer you don’t). I’m happy to work with you to consider options for mats, but I’m also content for you to take delivery of a print, and give it whatever “presentation treatment” you believe would work well with your tastes in your home.
In some cases, I’d also be willing to work with you to make minor changes (composition, internal framing, darkness/lightness) to photographs.