That felt good. I just burned a heap of test prints in the back yard Ever since I got a variable contrast light source, switched from graded to variable contrast paper, began mixing my own negative and print developers, started sharp and unsharp masking techniques with lith film and tried to coalesce it all into a predictable methodology, I've been accumulating a mountain of test prints. Tonight they met their end in fire, because I feel I've reached a crossroads where testing any more would result in meaningless attempts at accuracy. I kept the important prints from the ends of each meaningful tangent, and still have the darkroom notes to retrace my footsteps in the sand if I have to, but the scanky pile of offal is no more! Tomorrow and the days beyond are a clear path. Now the real work begins!! Knowing this is scary... Murray
"Develop an infallible technique, then put yourself at the mercy of inspiration" Zen maxim. As quoted in a Joe Cornish book I got for Father's day yesterday! My wife said it was second prize as what she really wanted to get me was not in good enough condition. Have to wait for Christmas for that one. Interesting that there was a recent "Discuss a Joe Cornish" thread on APUG. "First Light" will take its place next to my only other book of colour photos "Cape Light" by Joel Meyerowitz. Nothing like a cleansing fire to warm the heart and free the mind of clutter. Good luck.
enlightenment Murray, congratulations, I believe you have achieved enlightenment! Severian-Autarch of urth (Jack)
Murray, Try to include some time in your photographic life for enjoyment, pleasure, silly experimentation and foolishness. As much as a healthy steak uses nutritionless mushrooms to enhance the flavour, so does the technically proficient photographer need adventure and fun to keep the print tree bearing pleasurable fruit ... cheers
I once had the same experience. It was when I divorced my first wife, mainly because she ruined all my vacations. For the first time in my life I was flying without Annette. MIchael
Murray; Did you recover all of that silver from the ashes? We used to do that and got quite a few nuggets of silver. PE
Did you compare the burn quality of fiber vs. RC? Speed tests? Fume factor? Blansky, I knew you were dropped on your head at some point.
