Monday, December 06, 2010

And that has made all the difference... 
Frost, as I've mentioned before, tells in one of his poems about taking the road less traveled and how that decision changed everything. We often forget that it is only at the beginning of something that all possibilities exist and that each subsequent choice means all the other possibilities are lost. We take the road to the left or right and give up reaching any destinations that the road not taken might lead to. But, it ain't necessarily so.

I have a very roomy and well equipped chemical darkroom in my basement. I have trained in fine art black and white photography with some very fine artists. I love the alchemy and deliberate process that takes place under the glow of the red light. Just now, however, that equipment is surrounded by the stuff stored there, and I haven't made a wet print in over 2-3 years. Still, I love the gray-scale image. I have chosen to do digital imagery because of its convenience. I can stop anytime in the process without having to dump and then remix chemicals. I chose a road, but must I sacrifice all the possibilities of the darkroom?

Thankfully not. And so, I am going to make an effort to capture images with the intent of making them gray scale images. I look forward to this with some anxiety as I am not as skilled with digital processes as I was in the darkroom. Time will tell if this is a productive decision. Either way, I expect to learn something.

Paddle safe...
DS

2 comments:

JohnB said...

be sure to keep sharing your art with the rest of us less talented, all admiring.

Silbs said...

Thanks, and....I don't know folks less talented than myself. Everyone I know has other talents, many of which I lack.