"Caribbean Sunset" ~ Gum Dichromate Print

 A third print of the Caribbean Islands. The  scenery was amazing, from every direction and angle. It were the sunsets that were very spectacular. In interpreting these sunsets, it is easy to overdo the coloring. One  of the more difficult parts of gum printing, is learning not to attempt to add everything in one image, and, when to stop printing.

This print was treated the same ias the "Shillelagh and Hat" print, same sizing, leaving the image to 'fall into the paper' effect. Sometimes, not a bad thing. the image is definitely 'softer' than sitting right on the surface. Sometimes, I like that effect. I kept the sky fairly simple, with three color overlays to warm the sky, after sunset.

Gum Dichromate Proint

"Caribbean Sunset"

"Shillelaggh and Hat" ~ Gum Dichromate Print

This image is one more I captured forty years ago, in a small town of central Oregon. Things that captured my eye at the time. Having Irish blood in me, the  Shillelagh was a natural for me. The more recent gum prints I have been making are all printed on Fabriano Artistico rag paper, sized with a 4% solution of Know Gelatin. That sizing amount allows the image to fall slightly into the paper, leaving the image viewed with the texture of the paper. 

This 8"x10" print will likely be one of the last gum prints of this size, at least for now. I am holding two portfolios of gum prints this size, with twelve portfolios of work in preview cases at present. For now, enough.

Gum Dichromate Print

"Shillelagh and Hat"

"Edge of Sky and Water" ~ Gum Dichromate Print

 A second print I was able to complete with this round of printing. The photograph is from the view of a sunset from a Caribbean beach. Having owned a 36' Morgan Out Island for some years, sailing is dear to my heart. Seeing the sailboat cruising south, across my view of said sunset, it was one of the 'gimme's' a photographer is  handed  every once in a while.

I interpreted this image slightly differently than the original real deal. Sun sets have many layers of yellow ochres, oranges, and reds of many hues. Being color blind in red/green, that is dicey territory to be working in. I simplified the sunset sky to the rustic orange of skies over Caribbean Islands I had seen so many times. This was a six color print run. What I was after was the transition from the blue of the water in the foreground and the warm earth tones of the sky that met it, right at the edge of the sailboat's path.

Gum Dichromate Print

"Edge of Sky and Water"

"Doctor's Bag" ~ Gum Dichromate Print

 When you reach elder age, life gets really interesting in ways not even thought of earlier in life. I continue to make progress with the gum printing, which, at this time is about the only printing I'm doing at this time. Not that I have a definitive plan on it.

This image is one of my older ones, shot forty years ago while visiting an old building in central Oregon. At that time, I photographed subject matter that simply captured my attention. I was also mostly printing silver gelatin enlargements, and had only begun making gum prints. Also at that time, I was hesitant to print this image, wondering if it was an image worth printing. Same as now. Difference being  now, I'm printing it in gum as I had originally visualized the setting at the time. 

As Edward Weston noted, concerning viewing an image was to be "the strongest way of seeing" said print. The interesting part of that being that tends to be a bit subjective, leaving the photographer to interpret it the best way they can, at the time. That was mine.

Simple print image of an actual doctor's bag, in use at the time, in a rural setting. This print was eleven printings and even more color mixes, using split color print runs. The bag was not a doctor's 'black bag', but  a natural color leather bag; as I remember it. What I had of the image was on a b&w negative.

Gum Dichromate Print ~ Unique

"Doctor's Bag" 8"x10"