Re: And how sharp I am was/Re: Temperaprint & Gum

From: Judy Seigel <jseigel@panix.com>
Subject: And how sharp I am was/Re: Temperaprint & Gum
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 15:12:11 -0500 (EST)

> I think by the way (say I, risking a few knives myself) there's ENTIRELY
> too much concern with sharpness in this field. I make an analogy to the
> obsession over archivality that you DO NOT FIND, and NEVER HAVE FOUND
> among painters or persons who draw. That's because they're confident
> about what they're doing, don't feel worried that it's not REAL art, so
> they try to prove a point with archivality. Same with the hand-coated
> processes -- seem not as slick as factory paper, so they try to PROVE it's
> valid by being, so to speak, holier than the pope. Who is the sharpest
> gets to be the best "artist" or the best alt photographer, or...?

If one knows what are the limits on sharpness of his/her material,
which is, say, entirely too much, and this person chooses an inferior
technique for a good reason, that is rational. If one's material and
technique lack enough sharpness and need a reason to be happy with it,
that's suspicious. (Same for archivalness, Dmax, whatever.)

--
Ryuji Suzuki
"Reality has always had too many heads." (Bob Dylan, Cold Irons Bound, 1997)