As I looked through the pictures, I found that my eyes were slightly teary and that I was thinking of a more magical time in photography. When I started out in local papers, I was shooting Tri-X, using D-76 and making my own hand prints. In fact I can still remember how amazing it was to see my first print coming up in the dev tray, in the darkroom at my art school....you just don't forget these things. Somehow, the sight of a print coming out of an inkjet printer just doesn't leave one with such fond memories or emotions.
I remember how I'd lock myself into the darkroom at around 9pm and eventually surface at around 4am having finally made the perfect print on Ilford Gallery paper. It was a place where magic was made, gossip was spoken, a place of refuge for journalists trying to hide from the news editor and a place where romances bloomed. A magical place indeed.
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...and hangovers nursed.
ReplyDeleteGreat find Edmond.
Edmund, I'm with you all the way on that darkroom stuff. It was a very heady time and you captured all the nuances. It took my entire life to get the enlarger of my dreams, a Beseler 45-MX and I just gave it away because no one would buy it! I donated it to a non-profit that teaches at-risk kids photography, old school style so I at least feel good about that.
ReplyDeleteOriginally found your site because I'm writing a field guide for a publisher on the 5D Mark II and saw your post about the Beach Tek audio device. Screws to the bottom of the camera, huh? Neat! Keep us posted on it. I'm just starting to write the video chapter and need all the info I can get. MAny thanks, -Brian McLernon
http://brianmclernon.com