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Re: to mat or not
The "uneducated masses" as you put it don't care about much of anything most
of us do. So make the prints for yourself, if others like them that's a nice
bonus.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Rose" <photo@wir.net>
To: "Alt Photo List" <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 11:02 PM
Subject: RE: to mat or not
> When I trip the shutter and create a photo, the only thing I'm
> concentrating on is the image on the groundglass. When I make a print,
> anything beyond the border of the image is distracting, extraneous
garbage.
> So why show it? Do jagged brush strokes, wavy borders, torn paper edges,
> etc... really add to the image? I don't think so! Why draw attention
away
> from your work (the image).... unless it's too weak to stand on its own
> accord?
>
> The fact is that 99.99% of the people (including many professional
> photographers) who look at photographs have no clue as to what they're
> looking at. They really don't care if it's a gum print, platinum,
> Cibachrome, conventional B&W silver print, or (heaven forbid!) a
photocopy.
> So why bother proving to the uneducated masses that your prints are
> 'handmade' by shoving the evidence (torn paper edges, scribbled notes and
> brush strokes) in their face? Will they understand or appreciate what
> they're looking at? Not likely. (Yes, I understand the comeback to that
> question.... "we need to educate the masses"!!!). Better to wow them with
> the image itself.... isn't that what really mattered anyway when you
tripped
> the shutter?
>
> Just one man's opinion.
>
> Ciao,
> Cactus Cowboy
> Big Wonderful Wyoming
>