Claude Seymour
On Wed, 27 Apr 1994 gsnowman@aol.com wrote:
> Claude Seymour writes:
>
> > ATTENTION! This is not a flame.
>
> Neither is this. (Although I may be heading down a track that is of interest
> to nobody but myself.) I'm not trying to attack the way you make pictures,
> but I would like to understand it a little more.
>
> > I'm really suprised that someone (and in an art department!) on this
> > mailing list would ask this question. I will, however, give a few of
> > my own personal reasons:
>
> I don't think it's a dumb question. I've never tried wet plate, but it seems
> obvious that it's a big hassle. I assume that you feel the end results
> justify the hassle. (Otherwise, you probably wouldn't do it.) I think there
> are two legitimate questions that can be asked. (1) What are the unique
> technical characteristics of wet plate. In other words, you obviously like
> the image. Can you put into words what you like about it? (I realize there
> are some major problems associated with discussing the artistic side of
> photography in a medium dominated by text.) (2) What are the artistic
> motivations that lead you to use wet plate as opposed to some other medium?
>
> (1) and (2) are in some ways closely related questions, but they are
> different. (1) is a technician type question. (2) is an artist question.
>
> You said:
>
> > (1) Because I can.
> >
> > (2) A different visual syntax.
> >
> > (3) It's a challenge.
> >
> > (4) I don't mind answering the question, "Are you taking a picture?".
> >
> > (5) Knowing my roots.
> >
> > (6) The history lesson.
> >
> > (7) Preparing for the day when digital photography will force me to make my
> own materials.
>
> Reasons (1) (3) (4) (5) (6) and (7) are reasons that, for me, would quickly
> lose their potency. The history lesson, for example, seems like a really good
> reason for doing this once or twice, but not a reason to select it as a
> primary artistic medium. However, reason (2) seems to me quite compelling.
> However, it obviously begs the question "What appeals to you as an artist
> about this particular visual syntax?" Maybe that's what Mr Wang means by:
>
> >> what is to be gained from wet plate, other than a historical lesson?
>
> If so, that seems like a really good question to ask about any photographic
> or artistic process.
>
> One final question: This area of inquiry is a little outside the more techy
> stuff that tends to dominate this list. Are there others interested in these
> kinds of questions? If the answer is no, I promise to shut up and stop
> hassling you, gentle reader.
>
> Geoff Snowman