Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Started The "TRUMPET" Exhibition Prints

I got a early Tuesday night weeks start on the ton of printing I need to get done in the next while. I dug out my gift (thanks Jack) 5x7 Durst 138 enlarger and am using it to print the first of the "TRUMPET" exhibition prints. This group shot of a Burmese refugee family in their dump shack. I chose to use the Durst 5x7  enlarger because it made such a beautiful print of dad for the Rosebud exhibition last year. Here is a video of me bleaching that print.
Bleaching "Dads Last Days" print for the Rosebud Exhibition, made with the Durst 138 5x7 enlarger 

The most difficult part of this new family group print promises to be the white vacuum shaped object in the front right part of the composition. I just sort or burned it out rather poorly in this digi scan but will have to find a subtler way to handle it in the final Gelatin Silver archival exhibition 20x24 photograph. Every person in this family grou shot is sharp except the father who smiled and moved a tiny bit. One of the reasons I chose the condenser 5x7 Durst for this neg and not the diffused light source of my color head Durst 8x10 was because I believe the Durst 138 condensers add a bit of sharpness (also a bit more contrast) to the final result. The dad print was outstanding, I hope this print might also be.
Family group portrai
I am probably going to have to mix in some printing after my security nightshirts before sleeping and working again the next night. I have lots of printing work to do and will need every valuable minute before the May 29 "TRUMPET" deadline and the late JULY "Healing Process" deadline. Having 2 shows is great, but it is twice the work. I also need to fit in all my preparations for the long Thailand trip. Still need to do things like learn how to make movies! So much to do with so little time. At least that dentist crap is done, now onward and upward!