A Turning Point ~ Civil War Reenactment Portfolio

 The printing work I've been doing on the Civil War Reenactment portfolio cam to a halt yesterday, after looking the latest print after it had dried. That ugly feeling that has been bubbling forth for the past few prints finally became focused; I was printing in the wrong format. I knew that, looking at the print in my hands. Soft, the visual feeling of 'faded into the paper', all adding up to an uninspiring print image. That, simply can't be allowed to happen with these images.

I have never made an about face on a printing project as I have here. I allowed the momentum of the past printing affect my choice of print formats for these images. I began this blog to share knowledge of hand coated processes. The learning, both good and not so good. I consider this a good learning lesson, as it will turn out well in the end.

When I began filming, it was mostly with an old wood Burke & James 5x7 view camera. I printed 5x7 images when I began hand coating processes. Printing at 8x10 was strictly for enlargement printing. Making an 8x10 print was the goal, back then. Then, digital imaging. After so many years printing negatives from digital sources, it became a routine of sorts. Enlaring a digital image from a pro camera allowed for easily enlarging to 8x10 or 11x14 quite easily. When these negatives were shot, no one would have dared attempt to make an 11"x14" print from a 35mm negative. The fall off and grain [reticulation in digital images] would have rendered the image, basically crap. Even a decent scanning of these negatives, couldn't keep the image from falling apart when grossly enlarged. Thus, I have started over, from the original captured images. They are now 8x10 images, and visibly superior to the more enlarged ones, which will be destroyed. There are two of the images I will keep, as the first print of a two print edition. Not sure why, but they held up well; the two Cannoneers prints.

I finished preparing and formatting the entire  portfolio once again, and have printed the first negative. Tomorrow begins the first of the 8x10 prints of this portfolio. I'm leaving up the earlier posts on the 11x14 prints, as the overview and process remain pertinent, it was the finished image that wasn't satisfying for me. At this stage of my printing years, the prints have to be perfect, to what was pre-visualized and intended.